The desktop-environment tag has no wiki summary.
14
votes
10answers
3k views
the lightest way to have a GUI in Linux?
I have been using Gnome and KDE for a while, and I am now running Compiz standalone... Regarding system resource, I think the most heavy ones are feature-rich desktop environments (Gnome, KDE), then ...
9
votes
3answers
3k views
How to get rid of desktop environment and use a window manager only?
I have been using xterm for all my work. I realized that the features that desktop environments like GNOME has to provide are not of much use to me. Now is it possible that I remove GNOME and KDE ...
9
votes
2answers
191 views
Retrieve the window name and role
I'm running Eclipse and I detached some of the windows. Now I have 4 windows linked to Eclipse. What I need is to be able to identify each individual window and be able to control it.
If I run tools ...
8
votes
6answers
1k views
How to find information about the system/machine in Unix?
I have always found it difficult to find information about the system itself in Unix, whether it be
Which OS I am using (version number and all, to compare it with the latest available builds)?
...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
Gnome, KDE, XFCE… which is most simple and customizable?
This'll be my first Linux install, so I've never had to choose between a desktop environment (I come from OS X) -- forgive me if I'm not fully literate on where exactly the OS ends and the desktop ...
7
votes
3answers
368 views
I want my Ubuntu 9.04/9.10 back, is there any current similar distro?
I was switching to Linux in the optimal time, around Ubuntu 9.04/9.10. I am a programmer, so I don't want to be a "Linux guru", that's why Ubuntu was perfect for me - until Unity/Gnome3.
In latest ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
The most light-weight Compiz compatible environment?
I require Compiz for organizational reasons; I make heavy use of its window sorting features. But I like light-weight environments so that I can give as much of my system's resources to the ...
6
votes
2answers
630 views
Difference between a Window Manager and a Desktop Environment?
What exactly is the difference between between a Window Manager and a Desktop Environment? E.g.: sawfish vs. gnome.
6
votes
3answers
174 views
What can I do when apt-get/aptitude doesn't create a menu item for an installed program?
Obviously, this question is specific to Debian-based setups.
I find that, often, packages I install using aptitude or apt-get only say that a menu item has been created. No menu item actually ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Correctly setting environment
I'm using zsh and gdm to run gnome. Some time ago I discovered that variables are not set correctly. For example LANG/LC_ALL are incorrect ("" instead of en_GB.UTF-8).
I split the .zshrc into .zshrc ...
6
votes
2answers
956 views
Which window manager has Python bindings?
I've been coding bits here and there with Python and I'm most interested in Desktop Environments, for which I always have ideas I want to try out.
I have tried to play around with python-xlib but ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Getting visual feedback of workspace switch in xfce
I make heavy use of workspaces, and have a lot of them (a 6x4 grid). I usually run openbox, but am currently using a machine that doesn't have openbox set up, so I'm using xfce because it's already ...
5
votes
3answers
475 views
Windows Managers vs Login Managers Vs Display Managers Vs Desktop Environment
I posted a question and noticed people weren't distinguishing correctly between many of these things: Windows Managers vs Login Managers Vs Display Managers Vs Desktop Environment. Can someone please ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
How to change the default filemanager of the Cinnamon desktop?
I'm running an Arch Linux machine with the cinnamon-git desktop from the Arch User Repository.
The default filemanager is Nautilus, is there any way to change the default filemanager to thunar?
5
votes
1answer
530 views
Kde: how to bind permanently an application to a desktop/activity?
Im pretty new to Kde 4.8 and i can not figure out how to get this behaviour that i used to have in Gnome:
Desktop 1: developer/misc (browser, editor/ide, diff, etc..)
Desktop 2: virtual machines ...
4
votes
4answers
248 views
Recommend a Linux Distribution for my use
I have no experience with Linux. I'm looking for a distribution which is beginner friendly. Ubuntu looks great.
My usage for this system will include web development, and possibly application ...
4
votes
2answers
587 views
Desktop overlay program showing CPU, HDD, etc. stats
In different screenshots of people's linux desktops, I've seen different apps that overlay the desktop with information about their computer. Often this gadget/app shows CPU and HDD information. ...
4
votes
1answer
314 views
Understanding linux desktop
I use debian wheezy xfce and want to set up my desktop. But I read some settings are redundant. Hence I want to understand how everything works, but I am massively lost. Can someone please sort, ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
Window manager and desktop environment for touchscreens
What are some good choices for desktop environments and window manager for touchscreens? Currently I am using XFCE with custom GTK settings for making the controls larger, but that is far from ...
4
votes
2answers
239 views
Need a programmers advice on *X display manager, window manager and composit manager combination
First of all: I asked this question on SuperUser, when I wasn't thinking about a StackExchange Site for Linux-related questions. So if this violates any rules please feel free to close.
I have ...
4
votes
2answers
338 views
What are the user interface subsystems, their components and responsibilities?
I am trying to understand the different subsystems that are in charge of the user interface, the terminology to refer to them, and how they are structured; so far I know there are:
At the top level:
...
4
votes
1answer
133 views
A Linux OS as Single Display Groupware
For use in extreme programming environments, the idea of single display groupware has become rather interesting.
I understand that applications need to be retooled in order to function as single ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
How to remove KDE and XFCE applications from GNOME menu?
I am new to Linux. I installed kubuntu-desktop and xubuntu-desktop over the default Ubuntu 10.10.
I want to unclutter the menu, so that applications related to a particular desktop appear in menu ...
4
votes
1answer
156 views
Completely disable GNOME for my user in Ubuntu
At the office we've been issued laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. Unity is of course the OS default, but KDE is available. I prefer KDE and so have set KDM and KDE as my defaults. However some GNOME ...
3
votes
3answers
889 views
Switch to Gnome from KDE without logging out
Right now I'm using the KDE desktop on Fedora, but I want to switch to Gnome. Problem is, I have many things open right now (xterms, xemacs, etc, etc), and I don't want to close all of them, log out, ...
3
votes
1answer
184 views
KDE toolbar background messed up
At one day (it has been for a while now) the background of KDE main toolbar started looking really strange: screenshot (it looks to me as the alpha channel of the background image is missing).
...
3
votes
1answer
85 views
Transferring XFCE customization from one system to another?
I configured XFCE on my desktop at home and wanted to setup my work system with the same configurations (figured it'd just be copying a few files) or even a script? In the past I used to just mark the ...
3
votes
1answer
135 views
Is there a way to retrieve the name of the Desktop Environment?
The title is quite exhaustive: is there a way to retrieve the desktop environment name (e.g. Gnome, Unity, XFCE, LXDE, KDE...) from the command line or using Python?
3
votes
1answer
468 views
Running Plasmoid under NOTKDE (e.g. Fluxbox) - Plasma/DeviceNotifier
Is there way to run Plasma/DeviceNotifier under another WM to KWin/KDE (e.g. Fluxbox).
To be more specific, I have currently configured KDE, but I work remotely thorough SSH -Y + X-forwarding. So ...
3
votes
6answers
705 views
Screen corruption after hibernate — Is there another way to refresh the X11 display?
When I restore from hibernate the screen is often corrupted. I suspect the graphics memory is not being saved. Suspend-to-ram works fine.
It also looks like the font-cache is corrupted, as all ...
3
votes
1answer
189 views
How do I enforce system-wide custom keyboard shortcuts / macros?
I would like to be able to apply the same custom key bindings and shortcuts I use on my text editors to my entire desktop environment.
I want to basically remap my keyboard system-wide, not just in ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it safe to install KDE along with Gnome?
I want to install KDE on my Linux Mint Debian Edition (which as of 10 June 2012 corresponds with Debian Wheezy). I already have Cinnamon (a Gnome Shell fork) installed, which has regular Gnome 3 ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
Multiple monitor with Linux
I' m installing Arch Linux with OpenBox, at the moment I've only downloaded OpenBox and tint2, but I have to install all the necessary. Before doing everything I'd like to know how to use my two ...
2
votes
2answers
67 views
which DE to use for setting up defaults
I'll use awesomewm as my main DE but without installing any actual DE(like KDE, GNOME, XFCE etc) I have to setup too many basic stuff like mouse cursor themes, gtk/qt theme engines and themes, ...
2
votes
1answer
596 views
CentOS: Alert all desktop users from comand-line
Can someone tell me if there is an way to notify all online (Desktop) users from command-line.
I know that if I want that I get notifyed when something is done, I just do like this:
sudo apt-get ...
2
votes
2answers
411 views
Registering a Standalong app in the Application Launcher of KDE
First off, I am using Kubuntu 12.04.
I've just downloaded and unpacked a standalone installation of some software (Intellij's Phpstorm IDE, but I don't think it matters). I've copied the unpacked ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
install minimal desktop on centos 6.3
I just want to install a minimal gnome desktop without all the thunderbird/firefox and any other packages that may come with full centos live cd. Is there something like yum groupinstall base-desktop? ...
2
votes
1answer
290 views
ubuntu/debian: using bluetile with GNOME2-like environment?
The installation of debian wheezy defaulted to the KDE desktop environment. How do I remove it and switch to GNOME 2 (the version that is used in stable)?
I fear that if I just install gnome-core, it ...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
Can I change the shell used to run GUI applications from a Desktop Manager?
A bit of background
I'm a developer and I install most of my tools in my home folder. So my shell's rc file is full of JAVA_HOME, GROOVY_HOME, MAVEN_HOME, ... variables. To expose all these ...
2
votes
1answer
355 views
How to set up a taskbar in enlightenment DE?
There is no taskbar in e17 and it is not comfortable to check and switch between open windows. While ibar module provides some limited functionality it shows only minimized windows. There was itask ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
ubuntu like lightdm in arch linux
I have just installed archlinux on a virtual machine and I managed to install lightdm by following the instructions given in
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/LightDM
...
2
votes
2answers
395 views
How to permanently remove obsolete icon from Ubuntu Xfce notification tray?
Since I uninstalled blueman, the obsolete icon persists in my Xfce (Ubuntu 11.04 64 bit) notification tray with a placeholder. There is a way to hide but not to remove it. Can you show me how to ...
2
votes
1answer
442 views
There are no items in GNOME main menu after openSuse 11.4 upgrade
I've upgraded my openSuse os from 11.3 to 11.4. Everything went smoothly but now I cannot see any item in main menu (analog of Start in Windows) and I cannot set any background picture, so now I see a ...
2
votes
0answers
128 views
In MATE desktop, Right click context menu not as desired
I want to right click on a folder and easily open it in my favorite music player, say VLC. I have chosen "Other Application" and selected VLC and the option to "Remember" this selection. The folder ...
2
votes
1answer
406 views
How to set the Linux Mint desktop environment to use a mime type?
As a extension to this question: How to make difference between .wxm (wxMaxima) and .c files in Linux Mint?
I'm using Linux Mint. I created a mime type. Now I want the desktop environment to use it. ...
2
votes
1answer
187 views
Is it possible to control window management in Gnome Shell using D-Bus?
I would like to programmatically be able to communicate with the Window Manager in Gnome 3, using D-Bus.
The tasks I would like to accomplish are:
listening for new windows
get window flags (e.g. ...
1
vote
2answers
489 views
Using Multiple Desktop environments on fedora
Is it possible to add a lightweight DE, say LXDE of XFCE, to fedora so that I can choose to boot into either?
Would I be able to select in grub or would there be an intermediate step?
That way I have ...
1
vote
3answers
209 views
Which desktop environments let you switch to a non-default window manager?
I used to use fvwm as the window manager under Gnome 2, but as I understand Gnome 3 can't be used with a non-default window manager, so I'm looking for alternatives. Are there other desktop ...
1
vote
2answers
133 views
Why does a desktop launcher does not start my app, while command line does?
I installed a (proprietary) software in /opt and I am able to run it perfectly using command line. Then I'd like to create a desktop icon to launch it : on my Mint distro I use "create_launcher"
...
1
vote
1answer
200 views
Different Desktop for Different Users
How do I (if possible) set different default desktop environments for different users in linux?
e.g. when user X login, Gnome Shell starts, when user Y login, Gnome starts. (I'm using ubuntu if it ...
