What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

theDBANfan · 2009-07-26 02:08:34

Hello, Arch Community! I am having troubble desiding which DE to install on my new Arch box. I have narrowed it down to KDE, GNOME, and Xfce.

I like KDE's customization but I also like GNOME's simplicity. Xfce is lightweight, but in previous experience GNOME apps such as NetworkManagerApplet don't run that well with it and I had troubble with Compiz Fusion in Xfce. Please help me decide. Please don't tell me that it is 'apples and oranges' or any crap like that. I just want an answer that talks about performance and customization, etc.

BTW I am glad to return to Arch after getting sick of Fedora's massive updates. I am in love with Arch's rolling release cycle.

Last edited by theDBANfan (2009-07-26 03:00:32)

Allan · 2009-07-26 02:37:52

It is a personal choice what you think is better... so we really can not help you. It seems you already know the tradeoffs of the three major desktop environments.

BTW, network-manager-applet running fine here on XFCE.

Acecero · 2009-07-26 02:45:53

If you really want performance and customization, head for openbox, pekwm, and/or the tiling window managers.

Xyne · 2009-07-26 02:48:23

I'm heading to my friend's house on my bike. Should I turn left, right or keep going straight ahead? The left street has some nice trees but the right street seems cleaner, but there are some pedestrians moving around that might get in my way.

Do you see what's wrong with this question?

Just try each of them and see which one suits you the best. Pacman makes it easy to test them out and you can even install all 3 at once and switch between them. If you really don't know what you want or need, this is the best way to figure it out. The only answers that you're going to get on here are "it depends on you, so just try them" and "I use x and I'm happy with it, but you might not be".

You should also do a forum search. There are numerous threads that discuss and compare details of the various DEs.

tl;dr: Xfce, because marbles are round.

theDBANfan · 2009-07-26 02:56:28

Thanks for your responses. I think I'll wait untill KDE 4.3 comes out and use that. What do you think?

Edit: On second thought, I might try Xfce 4.6.1 again as well.

Last edited by theDBANfan (2009-07-26 02:59:27)

Acecero · 2009-07-26 03:04:17

Like Xyne said, just try them all, don't limit yourself to one environment, that's what pacman is for.

djszapi · 2009-07-26 06:21:22

I don't think he should try all of them, more than 5-10 window manager nowadays ))))

theDBANfan -> What's your purpose with it ? From ratpoisen to the kde, every window manager has its own advantage.

guzz46 · 2009-07-26 07:16:32

you dont even need a proper desktop environment, thats part of the reason i like arch so much, you can use ~/.xinitrc as your own personal desktop environment.
just put what you want in your ~/.xinitrc

this is mine

xbindkeys &
lxde-settings-daemon &
xfdesktop &
xfwm4 &
xfce4-panel &
exec ck-launch-session startlxde

i have the minimal lxde install (just lxde-common, lxde-settings-daemon & lxsession-lite + lxapperance for my themes) so all my settings like themes etc... are loaded on boot then i just added the panel i wanted, the window manager i wanted etc...

if you want a fast minimal install with only the apps you want then do something similar, load somekind of settings manager so all your settings are loaded every time you boot then pick and choose you favorite panel, window manager etc...

Xyne · 2009-07-26 07:22:37

He's already narrowed it down to KDE, Gnome and Xfce... trying all three is reasonable imo.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-07-26 02:08:34

What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#2 2009-07-26 02:37:52

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#3 2009-07-26 02:45:53

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#4 2009-07-26 02:48:23

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#5 2009-07-26 02:56:28

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#6 2009-07-26 03:04:17

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#7 2009-07-26 06:21:22

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#8 2009-07-26 07:16:32

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

#9 2009-07-26 07:22:37

Re: What is the best Desktop Environment in Arch Linux?

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