I know Gnome is the default on popular distros: Fedora, Ubuntu, Rhel, Pop OS (it’s Cosmic Desktop yes but it is still based on Gnome)…etc. But Gnome just doesnt work for me. I would pick XFCE - stable and no BS.
Before Manjaro and their cetificate shenanigan, I used to use their XFCE version. At the time, it was marketed as the “Flagship Manjaro version”. I went 4 years without any problems and I did tinker a lot, just couldnt get their XFCE to break.
After a tough Arch or Gentoo installs, I just want to put XFCE on and call it a day.
What about you guys?
KDE. I’ve been using it as my daily driver for roughly 10 years now, and barring any unforeseen excitement, it’ll stay that way indefinitely. Proably until I stop using Linux, anyhow.
KDE Plasma. 6.3 is an extremely smooth experience.
I’d say Gnome, since I’m so used to it that I feel it doesn’t get in the way of the things I’m doing.
Because that would be my aim: something that doesn’t interfere with the work I am doing.any computer I need to be stable enough for work/school: KDE
any computer whose primary purpose is for goofing off and gaming: LXQt (and I will spend the entire time configuring LXQt instead of gaming…)
Why not use steam or arch if it’s just fucking around? Arch you can at least configure easily.
I’m starting to goof around with Arch and if I turn into an “I use Arch, btw” I’m blaming you
I deserve that. But you don’t deserve to be locked into any off shoot.
tbh hadn’t heard of steam and always assumed arch was difficult to learn. but i had been considering trying arch just to see what the hype was about
SteamOS is the arch Linux off shoot they made specifically for the steam deck. It’s great for integrated graphics gaming.
had no idea you could use it on not a deck!
Gnome.
Plasma for the last decade. Then probably XFCE, then Cinnamon.
I try Gnome every year or so, but every time I get pissed off with it within a few minutes and wipe it off my machine.
KDE for sure. The modern versions look exactly like how I want a desktop environment to look out of the box, and they keep the full range of customizability that a desktop should, IMO, allow it’s users to have. Which is something Windows just kept slowly getting rid of over the years.
I also prefer to have a taskbar that is ever present with a traditional start menu that’s cleanly organized by category rather than the current full screen pop up “activities” search thing gnome does nowadays.
KDE Plasma.
It has been great for gaming, adopting Wayland protocols at a faster rate than other DEs due in part thanks to Valve’s contributions.
I freaking love GNOME & Adwaita, but I’ll switch back when I deem it better than Plasma.
KDE - I love to tinker and own my DE. 😎
KDE Plasma, I can’t go back to SDR
gnome head all the way!!!
KDE. Been upgrading the same environment for 5 years just keeps getting better.
I started around maybe KDE 3?
Was on KDE 2, KDE 3 was absolutely incredible, ran it on Mac when it was supported on xquartz.
4 was a mess, but got better, 5 & 6 are fine, but it’s overall far better than any other DE, it’s just so customizable, the only other thing that comes close is xmonad or something.
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I mean, they added a ton of features, especially minor or niche ones, but a lot of amazing ones like KDEConnect too.
But what makes KDE the best is that the features don’t get in the way of core functionality anymore, the basic DE is always safe and they generally layer stuff on such that it doesn’t break anything.
So basically the opposite of most of modern software nowadays.
Cinnamon by and far.
I’ve used so many distros and DEs I don’t even know where to begin, but Cinnamon got me hooked for the long run. It’s legitimately the most polished and “ready to run” DE I’ve ever used, yet still allowing for far more customization than Windows ever offered.
Cinnamon’s been working well for me; I’d choose that, and I don’t mind waiting till my laptop breaks to reassess what DE I want!
KDE
If it has to be a de, I’d pick gnome. Otherwise it’s hyprland.
