For questions relating to desktop environments, such as GNOME, KDE, etc.
91
votes
19answers
52k views
What different desktop environments and shells are available?
This question exists as it fills a specific criterion. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on Ask Ubuntu ...
28
votes
3answers
22k views
How do I install and switch to the Unity 2D desktop?
I read that there is now a 2D version of Unity built on Qt. How do I install it, and once it's installed, how do I switch to it?
45
votes
4answers
33k views
How do I install the Cinnamon Desktop?
I have read that there is a new Gnome-2 like interface called Cinnamon produced by the Linux Mint developers.
Is this available for Ubuntu users - and if so how do I install it?
15
votes
6answers
8k views
How to install MATE?
I have seen several youtube videos that are showing MATE (The Gnome 2.x fork) installed in 11.10. How can I install it to test it out in 11.10 and above.
If it helps the only sources I know of are:
...
16
votes
4answers
12k views
How do I switch to Xubuntu?
I'd like to use Xubuntu in 11.10 instead of Unity, how do I install it and switch to it?
9
votes
2answers
13k views
How do I install LXDE / Lubuntu?
I want to install lubuntu on my current (pre-existing) Ubuntu Install because of it's light-weight footprint.
Can I preserve currently installed apps after installation?
10
votes
2answers
5k views
Open application in specific workspace
I would like to have some applications always appear in a specific workspace. For example: I would like my mp3 player on the bottom left workspace, and terminal application on the bottom right one;
I ...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
How can I find which desktop enviroment I am using? [duplicate]
as the title:
How can I find which desktop environment I am using?
I want to accomplish this using command line.
2
votes
3answers
3k views
Unwanted Chinese language got set in system settings [duplicate]
I have made some changes in system settings, following suggestions by some users. However, this morning when I did a reboot I am unable to see English as my default language. My system is showing some ...
1
vote
0answers
850 views
Why does the log-in screen not give me the option to switch to Awesome Window Manager? [closed]
I installed Raring last night and everything was going fine until I went to get AWM up and running.
Originally I planned to use the version from the official repos ignoring how outdated it was, ...
6
votes
2answers
4k views
How many Ubuntu users are there worldwide ?
Was just wondering if there is any solid data available as to how many people are using ubuntu. I was also interested in the attrition rate with ubuntu users, etc.
4
votes
1answer
780 views
Is it possible to use multiple desktop environments on same system?
I am using Ubuntu 12.04. I want to try out KDE and other desktop environments.
But I'm not sure if I'll like them enough to switch permanently. I want to be safe and make a transition in a piecemeal ...
16
votes
9answers
26k views
How do I install Enlightenment (E17)?
Has anybody tried E17 on Ubuntu, as an alternative to Gnome/KDE? How does one install it?
8
votes
2answers
414 views
How do I make the login screens and boot splashes match when installing different desktops?
I wanted to try out different desktop environments so I installed XFCE, KDE, GNOME, etc on top of Unity in Ubuntu 12.04
After a while I decided that I didn't like those other DEs and would stick to ...
4
votes
4answers
6k views
What is the difference between the various Ubuntu flavours?
What is the main difference between Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Mythbuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu and Lubuntu?
16
votes
2answers
9k views
What is the difference between Ubuntu+XFCE and Xubuntu?
There are many derivatives to Ubuntu, of which Xubuntu is one, using XFCE as a desktop environment. One can install Xubuntu directly from an ISO or install XFCE as an alternative session on Ubuntu.
I ...
10
votes
5answers
607 views
Will Ubuntu TV be offered in different desktop environments?
Will Ubuntu TV run on all available desktop environments? Which environments will Ubuntu TV run at?
6
votes
3answers
13k views
How to remove desktop environments?
I installed few environments that I wanted to try out on Ubuntu 12.04, but none of them worked at all. It could be that I installed them all at the same time, meaning the OS didn't get a chance to ...
4
votes
1answer
619 views
How to run a custom set of programs in a specific workspace?
I use several workspaces in order to have different context for different works. Therefore, I run the same set of applications in the same workspace repeatedly. And also I run the same application in ...
6
votes
6answers
6k views
How heavy on resources is Cinnamon desktop environment?
I have a 1GB RAM PC running Lubuntu. In Xubuntu is still ok, but in KDE and Unity it is not. (The condition of my PC appears clearly in this answer).
Compared to these DE-s, where stands Cinnamon? I ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
light weight window manager/desktop environment like unity
I am looking for a Light weight window manager/desktop environment similar to unity
but not unity/unity-2d GNOME or KDE something light
with these features.
window buttons layout like unity.
side ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
Active Web Site as Gnome Background
Is there a way to put an active website, such as Gmail, as your Desktop background in Gnome, running Ubuntu 10.10 64-bit? MS Win calls it "Active Desktop".
1
vote
2answers
220 views
Can anyone tell me how to get the same Gnome desktop environment as the one in the photo?
I have been using gnome fallback for more than a year, but recently I have come across this image:
However, when in virtual machine (new copy of ubuntu 12.04) I change to gnome 3 shell, the desktop ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
network bridge - without destroying network manager
I have seen a lot of questions related to Bridge and network manager. however none of them seem to apply to what i seen AND want.
I setup my bridge in /etc/network/interfaces.
This works perfectly; ...
-2
votes
4answers
9k views
How do I remove lubuntu-desktop? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to completely remove desktop?
I wanted to try lubuntu-desktop so I installed it with sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop.
But when I didn't like it I wanted to ...
23
votes
3answers
3k views
What is the difference between a desktop environment and a window manager?
As the title says.
I'm having a really hard time trying to understand what the differences between a desktop environment and a window manager are?
EDIT: This is what I found out later.
There are ...
29
votes
2answers
3k views
Why is Unity a “slow” desktop environment?
Background
First of all, this is not a question about opinions. I am assuming that we are talking about Unity 3D and on a computer with decent graphics configuration. By "desktop environment", I am ...
11
votes
4answers
504 views
10
votes
5answers
7k views
How can I make Ubuntu/GNOME look better i.e more smaller and compact?
I like Ubuntu and I don't use Windows except at office but I have always felt that every thing in Ubuntu/Gnome is a bit bigger than it should be i.e the fonts, desktop icons, the window borders and ...
6
votes
1answer
12k views
Switching window manager/desktop environments?
In general what is the approach to switch the desktop environment or window manager on Ubuntu? The main difference between stock Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Lubuntu is supposedly the use of Unity vs. KDE vs. ...
3
votes
3answers
128 views
How to completely separate desktop enviroments?
How could I completely separate desktop environments from each other? For example if I install Cinnamon and MATE, both desktop environments' applications show in the main menu, and the launchers list ...
2
votes
3answers
253 views
How can I know if my an application on my desktop environment is loading other DE's modules, libraries, etc?
I read this question and it's answer about multiple desktop environments and how they might impact system performance and was wondering:
How do I know if I'm using an "application which loads the ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
What are the choices for the Ubuntu desktop GUI and how do I enable them?
I am new to Ubuntu and have installed the 12.10 in VM on my laptop. I've installed the Vmware tools as well. However, the VM boots to the command-line. A few questions:
What are the choices of ...
6
votes
3answers
4k views
Completely Remove LXDE/Lubuntu Desktop Environment
I've install LXDE on my laptop due to Unity's disappointing performance. But now, I want to completely remove LXDE including it's entire list of programs that came installed with it. How do I go about ...
4
votes
2answers
516 views
Where can I find a package for “project looking Glass”? (“The Java desktop”)
I really really want to find this package. Because after I saw the youtube clip I realized it's just one of those things I must have done before I die.
This tutorial would be great if the repository ...
3
votes
1answer
498 views
LightDM run desktop for one session “This session Only”
I sometimes experiment with many different desktop environments, some of which can be unstable. I have had a few times where I needed to drop into root shell, disable auto login, then log into my ...
9
votes
3answers
575 views
How can I switch my current session between Unity, Unity 2D, and Gnome?
If I am currently logged in to Unity, is there a way for me to switch my current session to Unity 2D or Gnome without logging out and in again? I know I can restart Unity by running unity --replace. ...
8
votes
6answers
4k views
Is there an android-like live wallpaper for unity?
Is there any program which can run a 'live wallpaper' like the ones in Android?
I've searched quite a bit but haven't found anything usable yet. anibg looks promising, but it is not working in 12.10.
...
5
votes
1answer
306 views
Lubuntu 12.04 is a non-LTS release - does this mean that LXDE isn't, either?
Lubuntu 12.04 is not a long-term-support release. That's mostly due to a lack of manpower.
But I don't use Lubuntu on my machine, I use LXDE over stock Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. So my question is:
In the ...
4
votes
5answers
181 views
Lightest weight ubuntu desktop for text editing in big terminal windows?
I have an older windows laptop onto which I'm installing ubuntu within a VM. My goal is just to use terminal-based linux tools such as vim and shell scripting. I don't give a hoot about any gui for ...
3
votes
2answers
683 views
“/etc/X11/X not executable” error when startx
What happened
I wanted to install KDE and Gnome along with Unity. I don't know when I installed gnome-shell on my Ubuntu 12.10, but I installed KDE minimal desktop just now using
sudo apt-get ...
3
votes
0answers
632 views
32bit vs 64bit on desktop [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit and which should I choose?
My cpu is Intel® Core™2 Quad Q8200 which, by Intel page support 64bit.
I went to the download ...
3
votes
2answers
176 views
System not reaching login on GUI
Yesterday I finally got around to upgrading from 10.04 to 11.04 (I'm very forgetful about such things). I did an upgrade through the update manager, first to 10.10, then to 11.04. Unfortunately, I've ...
2
votes
1answer
391 views
I have disabled Unity plugin in “ccsm” when turning off Expo. How can i recover it?
Common left panel (launcher) is disable too.
I think i should reset settings. How can i do it?
PS i can start terminal.
2
votes
3answers
3k views
Are there any small GUI packages for Ubuntu?
I have just installed Ubuntu 11.10 Server, but I need a GUI and ability to run programs like web browser. It doesn't have to be pretty.
I have checked gnome and kdefull - those require like 1300 and ...
2
votes
2answers
465 views
What flavour of ubuntu desktop should I use?
I have a powerpc, 800mhz 832mb of ram. Currently running Mac OSX tiger.
I have tried Ubuntu 10.04 and it's way too slow. Xubuntu is also too slow for regular usage (gui elements lag a lot).
Which ...
1
vote
0answers
17 views
Ubuntu splash Screen is now a gear and boot speed is slow [duplicate]
I installed lxde, gnome, and a whole bunch of other desktop environments the other day, and now while Ubuntu boots, the splash screen is now a gear on a gray background, and boot speeds have gone from ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
3D acceleration is not possible for Ubuntu as virtual machine by VMware Fusion?
I have installed VMware Fusion 4.1.2 in my MacBook Pro, and installed Ubuntu 11.10 as a virtual machine.
I have tried to enable the 3d acceleration, via Virtual Machine -> Settings -> Display ...
0
votes
1answer
485 views
KDE and Gnome option at Booting
Can I have selection menu of KDE and Gnome at log-on enabling to select which environment I want to boot into in Ubuntu 12.04
