What if we install a DE through terminal and use it before installing the distro? Is that even possible?
Possible but bad idea… The issue is to remove it later-on. Some DE’s play nice together, others don’t. To test a new DE
- use live ISO,
- install in VirtualBox or
- install in a small fresh partition.
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What do you mean by “use live ISO”? Seems new to me…
LiveIso is just using the Endeavouros iso in a Virtualbox, installing a desktop in Netinstallation, just in a virtual environment, after that you can always decide.
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Hmm sounds interesting…
virtualbox:
https://endeavouros.com/docs/applications/how-to-install-virtualbox/
https://endeavouros.com/docs/installation/installing-endeavouros-on-virtualbox/
or qemu:
https://endeavouros.com/docs/applications/how-to-install-virtual-machine-manager/
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There is a site called DistroTest which allows one to try a GNU/Linux distribution before actually installing it. The site claims:
On our website you will find many operating systems,
which you can test directly online without a installation.
There are no restrictions for the operating system:
You can use all functions of the system,
Uninstall and install software, test installed programs and
even delete or format the hard disk or system files…
I have used it, though not extensively (as I am fully satisfied with EndeavourOS), and it functions just as promised.
Lawrence
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Adding to your post:
Distrotest is good for trying out distros. Just keep in mind that they don’t have internet connection so you cannot install any extra desktop environment. Ofcourse you can boot any desktop environment which has a pre built iso offered by the distro developers.
For example, EnOS listing on Distro Test has only XFCE desktop if I remember right. If you want to try just the DE and don’t worry about the OS, then you can try out one of the ubuntu flavors on distro test. They provide different iso which have different DE preinstalled.
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