Linux Options: Choosing a Desktop Environment for Home or Work

By: Jack M. Germain

Migrating to the Linux operating system is one of the key decisions you ponder along with moving your computing infrastructure to the cloud. Both Linux and the Cloud make tremendous business cents (and yes, sense also).

Once you adopt Linux, you have one more really important decision to make. What type of desktop environment is best for your computing and business needs? For many Linux users, it all comes down to the choice of desktops. Linux is unique and business smart thanks to the choices of desktop environments it offers.

Linux comes in many dozens of versions called distributions - or distros. Linux distros also come in what is playfully called “flavors.” These are the types of desktop environments that let you control how your operating system looks and fine tunes to your particular workflow.

The Linux OS offers lightweight distros powerful for aging hardware and more heavyweight distros designed with lots of business-grade features. Either way, the Linux OS does not require replacing your hardware. It is basically a free replacement for both Windows and the MacOS.

Based on the business model of open-source software, no single company owns or sells the Linux OS. The Linux OS is free to download and use. Every Linux distribution includes a complete inventory of installed programs. Linux offers thousands of free applications. But you always have the option to purchase specialized IT support from the sponsoring communities.

So which Linux desktop environment is best for you? That depends. The term “best” when discussing Linux desktops is a subjective thing. It depends on user preferences. That choice is based on your hardware performance and your productivity needs.

A Moving Target

The desktop type is a crucial selection. It determines the look, feel and range of user options. When introducing people to the Linux OS, I often compare the desktop choices to selecting the interior decor and power options of a new automobile. The dashboard interface and the panel instrumentation vary from make and model. But the functionality is similar in how you operate the vehicle.

Car drivers often select a particular vehicle based on the look and feel. If the vehicle buyer does not like the interface and the operating experience, he or she makes another choice. The vehicle’s technical specs may be less important than how you feel driving it. With Linux, you get considerable drivability options.

For example, the software applications are packaged to run with particular desktops. You can also install one desktop’s application into another desktop style to align your preferred programs into your favorite distro. The software package management tool in each distro automatically handles the applications in your selected distro.

Linux Desktops at a Glance

Do you want a computer desktop that resembles Windows 7 or a MacOS? Some Linux desktops are designed to give you a taskbar on the bottom of the screen with launch icons on the viewing screen. Or you can have a dock bar on the bottom center just like a Mac machine.

Other Linux desktop environments are designed to look more traditional or old school. The task bar sits at the top of the screen. The menu and settings panels behave differently. You can have minimalistic desktop designs or very innovative (as in modern) desktops. The functional features and the amount of tweaking the look and feel and control options all vary depending on the desktop you use.

Below, I’ve compiled a list of the most prominent Linux desktop environments. The entries are not merely a popularity accounting. This rundown focuses on their functionality. The desktop is an interface. It provides a method for how you control the Linux distro.

This list also provides an inkling into the more recent desktop innovations. If you are making a choice for business workers, stay with the established or mainstream environments. If you are looking for a new computing experience, consider dabbling with one of the innovations — when you are not doing mission critical tasks.

Keep in mind that not every Linux distro offers all of these desktop options. Some distros have a default choice and one or two replacements. Other distros only provide one desktop environment.

Meet the Mainstream Desktops…

GNOME — One of the original desktop designs, it morphed from a classical Windows XP design as GNOME 2 into a more modern interface with a sliding panel that hides off the right edge of the screen as GNOME 3. The GNOME shell is the underpinning of several other desktops that mask its appearance with overlays to adjust how the interface looks and works.

MATE — A variation or fork of GNOME 3, it works more like classic GNOME 2. It is a lightweight environment that is well suited for legacy computers and point-and-click interfaces and menus.

Unity — Brainchild of the Ubuntu distro, the Ubuntu Linux team developed it to replace GNOME 3’s revamped design. It has a vertical icon panel on the left edge of the screen and a drop-down Heads Up Display search screen instead of a traditional menu. But it might not be a solution you can rely on for long. Canonical, the parent company of Ubuntu Linux, announced in April that its next major 2018 Ubuntu release will remove the Unity desktop in favor of GNOME 3.

KDE — One of the most configurable and powerful Linux desktops, the K Desktop Environment features special visual effects and many other handy features. Newcomers to Linux often find the KDE desktop confusing, but its Plasma 5 features make it one of the most powerful desktop environments.

Cinnamon — Developed by the Linux Mint community as an alternative to GNOME 3. The Cinnamon desktop is one of the most popular choices today. It is packed with features and is comparatively easy to use.

Xfce — A lightweight environment ideal for older computers, it provides a very functional yet bare-bones interface without animation and other special effects. It is very easy to use.

LXLE — The Lubuntu Extra Life Extension is similar to Xfce. It is a fast, lightweight desktop with added functionality. It consumes fewer system resources than Xfce. This makes it a bit more compatible with aging hardware.

LXDE — Short for Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment, it has a comfortable look and feel with plenty of system settings to tweak its performance to your way of working. It is very similar to the look and feel of Xfce.

LXQT — Sort of a revisioning of LXDE, this is a performance-tweaked version that combines LXDE and the Razor-Qt desktop environments. It is lightweight, modular, fast and user-friendly. The Qt Configuration Tools bring much more control over LXDE.

…Or Consider a New Style

Pantheon — Originally the default desktop environment created for the Elementary OS Linux distribution, it has a fresh, new look and simplified approach to desktop management. It blends the look and feel of Android and MacOS. The user interface presents a simplified approach to launching applications.

Budgie — This desktop can be configured to emulate the look and feel of the GNOME 2 desktop, Designed with the modern user in mind, Budgie focuses on simplicity and elegance. It has a plain and clean style, and is easy to use.

Enlightenment — Not for everyone, Enlightenment offers some powerful new flexibility in how to set up and use the operating system. It has a more sparse appearance and only a few settings to personalize how you use it.

So there you have it. The prominent open-source desktops by which to control your favored Linux distro. Click on the links, take each through its paces. Discover which functionality works best for your needs — whether at home or at work. Adopt, deploy, configure — and reap the advantages.

Please feel free to share below any comments, questions or insights about your experience choosing a desktop for work and/or home. And if you found this blog useful, consider sharing it through social media.

About the blogger: Jack M. Germain is a veteran IT journalist whose outstanding IT work can be found regularly in ECT New Network’s LinuxInsider, and other outlets like TechNewsDirectory. Jack’s reporting has spanned four decades and his breadth of It experience is unmatched. And while his views and reports are solely his and don’t necessarily reflect those of Linode, we are grateful for his contributions. He can be followed on Google+.