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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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For me, from most to least favorite, it goes:
Cinnamon
Mate
KDE
xfce
Bash-only; no GUI
doing my math homework by counting on my toes
Losing three fingers in a table saw accident
GNOME
Edit to add: I love the "one newline in the editor is no newlines in the published comment." The internet isn't getting worse by the minute at all.
Used to be a big XFCE fan, but I was experiencing icon scaling bug which made all my icons pixelized and hard to read. I solely use KDE now. I used to like Gnome, but it feels like they're working their hardest to make the DE as bad as possible for power users and make it look like a nasty mobile UI.
Gnome. But I use 3 extensions (dash to dock, desktop icons and appindicators) and the adw-gtk3 theme so GTK3 apps looks the same as GTK4/libadwaita apps.
When I switched from Windows definitely Cinnamon but by now it's Gnome, it's a little odd at first but I absolutely love the workflow!
Nowadays KDE.
Ubuntu 23.04 and GNOME.
Gnome. On my laptop KDE and cinimon have given me a LOT of issues. I've had a lot of linux problems due to my hardware tho but finally found a fix and don't want to change
I've used Dwm for a long time, then switched to awesome, for the easier configuration! Loved both, really can't stand a floating wm no more
Not technically a DE, but for productivity and full customization I use DWM (DWL is available for Wayland). It is super easy to use, keyboard centric and can be modified to behave exactly the way you want, as long as you patch it.
@governorkeagan My preferred Desktop environment is Cinnamon. I used to prefer swaywm but it's not a complete DE.
plasma, xfce and sway/swayfx.
plasma and xfce are DEs, sway is a wlroots-based wayland compositor (tiling window manager).
I'm currently using KDE Plasma with i3. I like it fine. I love i3, and KDE works to tie everything together and add consistency for theming. Previously I was using i3 on XFCE, that was easier to set up. Plasma tends to require special configuration to make it play nice with i3, but once you're over that hump it makes for a pretty decent combination.
Ubuntu's GNOME.
I’ve been using Debian with Cinnamon desktop for a while. I tried XFCE but it didn’t click and I really disliked how you added an app launcher to the dock. Cinnamon gets out of my and just works for the little that I need.
Gnome, KDE is also nice but the default doesn’t function in a way that makes sense to my brain anymore after using gnome
Started with GNOME, then once I got more comfortable I jumped ship to hyprland
KDE or cinnamon are probably the closest ones to windows if you're looking for familiarity but I think gnome/tiling wms improve on that
Hyprland and other tiling wms are great but only if you're the kind of person who likes to tinker and fiddle constantly
only if you're the kind of person who likes to tinker and fiddle constantly
What if, completely hypothetically, I'm the kind of person who is incredibly lazy and just wants things to work out of the box with minimal effort and maintenance?
I'm now full time on sway
Productivity is through the roof!
I use gnome as a primary, it feels really polished and doesn’t break or crash. Very modern, but if you want to have a super-customized experience, you’re gonna have a bad time. Extensions break every update and so do themes, so you either wait for the dev to port it or so it yourself. Annoying, so I only use vanilla for now.
Maybe I’ll try plasma, looks cool.
Started with XFCE but migrated away due to bugginess with my outdated system. Next was KDE. I was pleasantly surprised by how lightweight it ended up being after hearing otherwise. Now I'm on Sway, and it makes this old computer scream!
GNOME 2. I tried 3 for a year or two and the task bar crashes or lack the very basic feature of swapping window position. It's an external plugin so I don't expect it to be fixed in any year soon. Then I realize GNOME 2 was perfect before they ruined it in 3 so now I've been on MATE desktop for 4 years now. I think the new team is too small to catch up on any modern changes (webp support is lacking, and no wayland) and nothing I could do can fix that (minor development work on build system, donation) but I'd still accept a perfect 2010 era desktop over 2023 desktop that doesn't feel right after a decade of development.
Mate i had far less issues with it.
I prefer Plasma, but having an nvidia GPU makes using wayland a non-starter.
XFCE is my second favorite.
AwesomeWM is my current daily driver but outside the scope of the question
My favs:
I love the swipey gesture workflow on gnome on the laptop
TDE. Does its job, doesn't mess with my workflow by changing stuff that worked perfectly well before, but still has plenty of built-in software and general stuff for the occasions that I need it. But then, I'm a weirdo by tech enthusiast standards.
Generally Plasma. I really like the look of Libadwaita applications, but the GNOME desktop is very much a "do it our way, or take a hike" - and some of the interactions that I've seen in the past between the GNOME group and others... well, lets just say whenever I see drama in the Linux community as of recently its always been either with GNOME or Wayland. That doesn't necessarily instill a lot of confidence in me using either of those.