Distropedia: Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris distro information source.

When we talk about Linux (or BSD) on the "desktop" we are really talking about distros that come with a graphical user interface (GUI) for the user's desktop.  For operating systems derived from Unix (including Linux, BSD and Mac OS-X) the desktop metaphor is delivered by a Window Manager (WM) operating over the top of "X" - a low-level graphical shell.  X itself appears (if it ever does) as an empty gray screen.  When people talk about "Gnome" or KDE" or "Fluxbox", they are generally referring to the desktop GUI.

Unlike MSWindows, the 'nix desktop is managed separately from the OS and applications - in keeping with the modular philosophy that separates 'nix systems from the other/s.

It is the Window Manager, broadly speaking, that gives a Linux distro its particular "look and feel" - by managing the appearance of menus, icons, backgrounds and the "decorations" like titlebars, scrollbars, borders etc. on individual application windows.  But don't be fooled - the desktop is NOT the distro.  It is, quite literally (metaphorically?) the "window dressing" on top of the real working bits of a distro.  You can choose your Window Manager quite independently of your distro. You can even run alternative WMs as different sessions - logging into a different one each time you start your desktop.

A few Window Managers do a lot more that others - these have additional features that integrate the "drawing the desktop" functions with a range of utilities and applications to make the desktop experience more seamless.  Gnome and KDE are the big names in this field and they are really better described as a "Desktop Environment" (DE) rather than "Window Manager".  The WM we know as Xfce is also approaching this category.  

There is a very comprehensive web site called Window Managers for X  that covers all the known WMs and DEs.  I won't repeat that information here but will just cover the half-dozen that regularly turn up as the default in the desktop distros we cover here at Distropedia.



1. Gnome - Gnome Homepage - along with KDE, the Gnome DE is amongst the most popular.  It provides intuitive menus, desktop icons and a high level of functionality.  It generally is deployed with the "metacity" WM to handle decorations and themes and the Nautilus filemanager. Critics of Gnome say it has "dumbed" down the Linux desktop, but a lot of users find that this is exactly what they need, especially if they are migrating from an OS that only provides limited customisation options. Gnome's more powerful customisation options are usually hidden away in a utility called gnome-config that can be run from the command line (terminal).

Gnome is the default DE for Fedora, Ubuntu and most desktop versions of Debian.  It is offered as an alternate DE when installing SUSE too.  Linux Mint and several other Ubuntu derivatives also use Gnome.



2. KDE - KDE Homepage -  - More configurable than Gnome and coming with a dedicated set of applications and utilities, KDE's window manager is called kwm and the filemanager is Konquerer. KDE is often most compared to the MSWindows XP desktop environment and seems to be very popular with new users. There are also a lot of third party applications written with KDE in mind - they usually start with "K" or use "K" prominently in their name.  

KDE is the default DE for Mandriva, Knoppix (pictured right) PCLinuxOS, SimplyMepis, Slackware, Sabayon and Kubuntu.  SUSE offers it as an alternative during the installation.

 You will find a lot of advocacy in discussions about the relative merits of KDE and Gnome. There is also a lot of angst over interoperability of applications written exclusively for one or the other.  Hopefully, current efforts to standardise the programming protocols for the Linux desktop, including something called "The Portland Project" will narrow the differences and take the heat out of what is a pointless debate.

Both Gnome and KDE take more resources (RAM) than the others and are therefore not typically offered in distros aiming for low resource usage. You would normally need a system running with 256Mb or more of RAM to get acceptable performance out of Gnome or KDE.



3. Xfce - Xfce Homepage - is still quite fully-featured and configurable but very much lighter on resource usage than the Big Two. Xfce is often bundled with the Thunar filemanger. You would generally need 128Mb of RAM to run Xfce at full-throttle and even less is possible.

Xfce comes as the default DE on Xubuntu, Dreamlinux, Zenwalk, dyne:bolic, Kate OS and SAM Linux.

We then come to the "very light" WMs that have a major role in distros that are optimised for speed, small footprint or older computers.



4. Fluxbox - Fluxbox Homepage - derives from the older, but still active "Openbox". Fluxbox provides a minimal desktop and menus are accessible by clicking the right mouse button.  Using the Rox filemanger with fluxbox can provide a richer desktop (with icons) but configuation from scratch can be difficult for new users. There are also a number of single-purpose utilities designed to provide desktop widgets for fluxbox. While light and a little scary for new users, it is possible to create a genuinely beautiful and very functional desktop with fluxbox (and openbox too).  If you don't believe me, check out these screenshots.

Fluxbox is the default WM for Damn Small Linux (with JWM as an alternative), Wolvix, antiX and Fluxbuntu. It is also offered as an alternative desktop in several other distros, such as VectorLinux. Pre-configured Fluxbox packages are available for most major distros.  Gentoo (pictured) does not have a "default" WM but a fluxbox portage package is available to compile.



5. Enlightenment - Enlightenment Homepage - On first impressions, Enlightenment (or "E") is a very different desktop experience to any other WM.  It is very simple but beautiful and uses gentle desktop animations and simple gadgets to create a sophisticated but lightweight desktop.  Notoriously complex to configure and with many, many options, Enlightenment has been very slow (several years) moving from one version to another.

Elive is a Debian-based distro that uses Enlightenment (E17) as its default (and only included) desktop. Linux Mint has an E17 version available on a special CD and Uberyl uses E17 as an alternative desktop to its default Gnome/Beryl.  Elive packages are available for most distros and an Ubuntu rebuild with E17 as default - Ebuntu - is in development.



6. IceWM - IceWM Homepage - Another ultra-light, very fast and simple WM.

Often included as an alternative to other lightweight WMs (eg in antiX, VectorLinux, Troppix and LinuxConsole)

Other lightweight WMs currently included with versions of some distros include FVWM'95 (Puppy Linux), JoesWindowManager - or JWM, (as an alternative to fluxbox on Damn Small Linux) and Windowmaker.

And what about Compiz? Ah Compiz! (or Compiz Fusion, as its now called after combining forces with Beryl) Compiz Fusion is a "compositing window manager" that works through OpenGL enabling all sorts of wild 3D animated desktop effects like the now well-known spinning cube.  It works with a Desktop Environment, specifically Gnome, KDE and Xfce, by making the desktop "come to life".  You install compiz (now included with a lot of distros in the default install) over your existing Gnome or KDE desktop and enable its built-in WM to handle themes etc. See the compiz.org site for more details or simply gaze at screenshots.  Check your own distro's repositories before downloading packages from other sites.

Enjoy the diversity and choice - use the WM/DE that came with your distro and, if you don't like it or want to try something else, use whatever package manager you have to find and install an alternative until you find what's right for you.  Your distro's forums will certainly have lots of information and advice about alternative WMs.

Aubrey 23 July 2007