Here at MakeTechEasier, we’ve covered Linux desktop issues of all kinds, and we’ve examined desktop environments both well known (Gnome and KDE) as well as somewhat obscure (Window Maker, LXDE). For some reasons, we’ve never taken a close look at the very popular XFCE desktop environment. It’s nearly as feature-rich as Gnome, but with a smaller footprint. As it’s been a big name in the Linux desktop world for quite a few years now, it seems we’re long overdue to check out this polished and useful collection of software.
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A Long Overdue Look at XFCE
By | December 2, 2010 |
How to Easily Create a Custom Lightweight Desktop Environment
By | August 10, 2010 |
Gnome and KDE are great – they give you a beautiful desktop with all the tools and utilities you need. On either system, you’ll find a solid window manager, desktop icons, a panel full of applets, the works. That’s all well and good for your average desktop PC, but what if you need something lighter, faster, or cleaner in appearance? You could try a smaller desktop environment like XFCE or go with something ultra-slim like Openbox or WindowMaker. On the other hand, you could get exactly what you want, no more no less, by combining individual pieces together into your own custom desktop environment.
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Preview of KDE 4.5
By | August 4, 2010 |
When KDE 4.0 was released, it was clear that it was not finished and not ready for production. By version 4.2, the completely redesigned and recoded desktop environment was starting to regain the stability and depth that many loved about KDE 3, while also adding new features that make KDE a unique and rewarding desktop software compilation.
Just as KDE 3.5 was intended to be a stabilizing, long-term release, the primary goal of KDE 4.5 is to fix outstanding bugs and increase stability. Users will not be blown away by the new features, but there are a few worth noting. Last week I installed the release candidate for KDE 4.5 from the Kubuntu repositories and took it for a spin.
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Ubuntu Unity: New Desktop Environment For Your Ubuntu Netbook
By | May 11, 2010 |
Are you loving your current Ubuntu Netbook Edition (UNE) user interface? Well, that’s going to change in the next iteration of UNE, also known as 10.10 Maverick Meerkat.
Ubuntu founder has recently unveiled a new lightweight desktop environment called Unity. This new desktop environment is designed to consume lesser resources and make lesser use of the screen space. It will comprise of a dynamic dock like launcher, a global menu and windicators on the top right corner of each app window.
The PPA is available for public testing and we took the chance to give it a spin in our Ubuntu desktop.
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Taking LXDE For a Test Drive
By | April 22, 2009 |
There are a lot of contenders in the ring when it comes to open source desktop environments. The most well known would probably be Gnome and KDE in the heavyweight class, XFCE for middleweight, and any number of small, fast desktop environments and window managers in the lightweight ring. When it comes to the lightweight options, it’s no secret I’m a Window Maker fanboy. Recently, I’d been hearing more and more about a new challenger for the lightweight crown, LXDE. Can it stack up against the likes of Window Maker, Enlightenment, and Openbox? I decided to find out.
