Using multiple DEs

Does anyone use multiple desktops? If so, why, if not, why not? Nowadays, I use LXQt in addition to Xfce, because it is more resource efficient compared to Xfce.

Why would I use multiple desktops? :grin:

I used to have multiple desktops installed

  • to get to know different desktops
  • as a fallback, in case an update went wrong

Now that I’ve seen and tested most desktops out there I have settled for xfce; customizable enough and very stable. I don’t need the fallback option anymore; that’s what stability and my btrfs-snapshots are for.

In my case, running multiple desktops would just be bloat.

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I do when I test a new version of a desktop that I think could be ok (mate & cinnamon). But under normal circumstances, no, I will remove them once they show they’re incapable of meeting my desires.

I used to do it heavily but it often ends up being more problems than it is worth.

Whenever an issue came up I had to try to figure out if it was caused because of conflicts between the two desktop’s config files or something else. It was an extra bit of complexity with no benefit for me.

Ultimately, once I settled on a DE I wanted to use, I saw no reason to maintain multiple desktops. If I want to test or explore different DEs, I find it much more practical to do so in a VM.

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I am using multiple desktop environments due to testing, possible downtime, although Xfce is running for a long time.

You are right, as it is enough if a well-proven desktop works stably.

Indeed, we cannot rule out interference between individual desktop environments. Last time I also experienced this in relation to Deepin and LXQt. After installing Deepin, some items in the bottom panel of LXQt disappeared, the icons in the Deepin dock did not appear properly. Even though I like Deepin, I always go back to Xfce, maybe LXQt, or rarely Plasma. On my other machine, which is a laptop, Manjaron works properly with Mate, Xfce, Cinnamon, Plasma, Deepin as well.

I have multiple WMs installed because I have been trying a few out to see which I prefer. Although I am now firmly on BSPWM, I have retained qtile because it is my second choice. As for installing multiple Desktop Environments, why bother? Too much is made these days of this program or that being bloated or resource demanding. Modern computers have masses of HDD or SDD space and masses of RAM. In linux, most DEs load at the speed of heat so I don’t worry about bloat, though I do have only a relatively small number of programs based upon the Unix principle.

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This is exactly what is beneficial in Linux, as it can satisfy multiple needs. It is also suitable for those who have a low-resource machine and also for those who have a modern, fast, powerful device. I also use relatively few applications. For me, Xfce is the right one, although in the past, even before Unity, I favored Gnome

I do on my one box because I’ve been giving i3wm a try. Otherwise i just use XFCE.

I do so from time-to-time. Mostly between KDE Plasma & GNOME Shell. Once in a while Budgie or Cinnamon. Almost always a clean install, but sometimes not.

See, I forget why I switched from one to the next–why I had grown to dislike the former DE. Especially GNOME or KDE. I guess boredom factors in there alongside forgetfulness. :wink:

Old age has its pluses and minuses. The skills to know how to accomplish my goals, but I forget why I’m doing so. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

P.S. I turn 68 the 6th (of July). :wink:

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I’ll buy into that - although in my case I just THINK I still have the skills - but what I have is 98% of the skills when I excercise them! Perhaps the forgetting is because the memories (of Gnome, say) are so painful… :grin:

Seriously though, it seems whenever ‘they’ get something right, it is time to make a change. Sometimes an improvement, sometimes not - but always more to overcome…

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I do use multiple DEs, but run only one per OS/distro. I don’t like having several services/applications doing the same thing (with the exception of terminals, browsers and GUI/CLI alternatives) and certainly not ready to deal with possible config conflicts.
The ones I like the most are XFCE, Mate, Deepin and Plasma and I run them all, some on metal, some in VMs.
And a bunch of WMs of course :slight_smile: Which are unlikely to cause any conflicts, usually use more or less the same set of applications and are highly portable.

Ditto.

And ditto again…what was the topic?

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It is not just the memory that is fading a bit - so is the eyesight. I just completed a new system build last night - and even working with a flashlight and a magnifying glass I had trouble recognizing that the RAM wasn’t installed right! Time to mentor a young apprentice I guess :grin:

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Mmmm, a padawan you need?

Pudge

A possibility it is. A probability it is not.

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Then you revealed yourself that you were running multiple operating systems. :slight_smile:

I have an EndeavourOs installed on a portable external drive that was originally in a Toshiba laptop, but is now for testing purposes. On this I try different bug fixes and desktop environments.

Mostly in VMs. I like using XFCE and Mate when I’m trying something new because they are simple and stable. Plasma is only on NixOs I’ve been playing with recently and Deepin on Arch/EOS, because it is fun here :smile:

Do you have the testing repos enabled as well? :slight_smile:

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I also consider Xfce and Mate to be the most stable desktop environment.

No, I did not enable test repositories because I want to keep the EOS stable and test under these conditions, as I use it daily. For real testing, there is a Debian Sid installation on another disk. :slight_smile: I’m currently running an openSUSE Tumbleweed on a virtual machine because I haven’t used it in a live environment long enough and I’m wondering how much it has improved.

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