what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

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GuiGuy
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#11 Post by GuiGuy »

Pierre wrote:both A-X & MX are using the XFCE Desktop Environment, by default...........
Antix uses icewm by default.

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MX<3
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#12 Post by MX<3 »

So what's the actual difference between DE's? I came from Windows so that's always the same, with colour and icon changes.

Is it just different Icons and colours etc? Or does it change functionality at all?

Which is your favourite DE?
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Adrian
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#13 Post by Adrian »

MX<3 wrote:So what's the actual difference between DE's? I came from Windows so that's always the same, with colour and icon changes.

Is it just different Icons and colours etc? Or does it change functionality at all?
They are different programs with different functionality and philosophies sometimes, think Windows interface vs. MacOS one. Ultimately they are used for the same things so there are similarities, and some use tools from the other DEs. Each DE has options to change icons and colors and themes and you can customize them to look a little bit like others at least superficially, but ultimately they are different programs that have different features use different resources, they are written and managed by different teams.

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Jerry3904
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#14 Post by Jerry3904 »

Production: 5.10, MX-23 Xfce, AMD FX-4130 Quad-Core, GeForce GT 630/PCIe/SSE2, 16 GB, SSD 120 GB, Data 1TB
Personal: Lenovo X1 Carbon with MX-23 Fluxbox and Windows 10
Other: Raspberry Pi 5 with MX-23 Xfce Raspberry Pi Respin

skidoo
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#15 Post by skidoo »

From my bookmarks, a suggested browsing list:
1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System
2) the wikipedia page Jerry already provided a link to, above
3) http://www.xwinman.org/otherdesktops.php
4) https://www.gilesorr.com/wm/table.html

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azrielle
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#16 Post by azrielle »

The most pragmatic differences can be found by comparing the menu choices that appear when you right click your mouse on some unused area of the desktop (or left click in the cases of Enlightenment and Moksha).
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malspa
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#17 Post by malspa »

MX<3 wrote:Which is your favourite DE?
Lol.

For me, it used to be KDE, hands down, but that was a long time ago, when I was new to Linux, and KDE was not like it is now. These days I use various desktop environments and window managers, on different computers, and I don't seem to have a favorite anymore. My "favorite" seems to be the one I'm using on a given day (I even enjoy using KDE Plasma, but other users wouldn't touch that one these days!) (same with GNOME Shell) .

Generally speaking, the more I get used to any DE/WM, the more I like it. I find nice things about each one. And I like to use a number of apps that are not really tied in with any particular DE. For example, for file management, I don't really use Thunar much in Xfce, or Nautilus ("Files") in GNOME, or Dolphin in KDE -- or, PCManFM in LXDE; I prefer Midnight Commander and Double Commander. And the command line.

The DE/WM doesn't seem to matter so much to me anymore. They each have their pros and cons. Xfce is certainly a nice choice. I don't think that I could ever go back to exclusively using any one particular desktop environment. Other users don't feel that way at all.

The way I look at it, on the one hand there's what other users say, and on the other hand, there's what you'll see for yourself. Spend a good amount of time with one DE, then spend a good amount of time with another one. That's really better than reading about them.

bigbenaugust
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#18 Post by bigbenaugust »

If it must be a full-on DE, then I go with XFCE. Otherwise, I like JWM. But awesome is definitely growing on me as a sort of "tiling when you need it, floating when you don't" sort of a WM. I have three machines running MX with awesome right now.
--Ben

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MX<3
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#19 Post by MX<3 »

Nice, thanks. I'll read up. I tried out LXDE from the MXPI. That wasn't too bad. The Application Menu reminded me of Windows 98. And I like the PCmanFM file browser. No 'Root Terminal Here' in right click, I noticed. Good Preferences for it, too.

Although, now when I boot up, I have to click the top-right button and choose 'Default' every time or it boots into LXDE...

'Default' and 'XFCE' are the same though, right? Even though MX uses LightDM? So I can leave it on XFCE? It won't stay on 'Default' now.

There's one called 'awesome'? That's an interesting and telling naming choice lol.
My Computer
MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard
Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core CPU
2x 8GB DDR4 2666 Memory Modules
NVidia GeForce RTX 3060Ti Grfx Card
M.2 x1 @500GB HDD x1 @ 2TB

bigbenaugust
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Re: what is the default or recommended 'DE' on mx?

#20 Post by bigbenaugust »

MX<3 wrote:Nice, thanks. I'll read up. I tried out LXDE from the MXPI. That wasn't too bad. The Application Menu reminded me of Windows 98. And I like the PCmanFM file browser. No 'Root Terminal Here' in right click, I noticed. Good Preferences for it, too.

Although, now when I boot up, I have to click the top-right button and choose 'Default' every time or it boots into LXDE...

'Default' and 'XFCE' are the same though, right? Even though MX uses LightDM? So I can leave it on XFCE? It won't stay on 'Default' now.

There's one called 'awesome'? That's an interesting and telling naming choice lol.
If you've never picked anything before, your default is XFCE.

I thought LightDM gave you your previous selection at login, so if you selected LXDE and then XFCE, you should continue to get XFCE. Maybe I am incorrect.

And remember, the pieces are interchangeable, so if you like XFCE but prefer pcmanfm over thunar (like I do), nothing can prevent you from setting it up as the default file manager. :)
--Ben

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