Switching Linux Desktop Managers

[Judge]

Up to now I've always been a little confused as to the limits of Linux desktop environments and the distributions that seem to accommodate them. I've always been aware of distros like Linux Mint that allow one to potentially make use of another desktop, by simply accessing the dropdown menu before actually typing in your user password.

I've played around a few times in installing the Gnome desktop manager (GDM) and choosing it instead of Linux Mint's default desktop manager (LIGHTDM). LOL....yeah, it's always a bit of a shock when a completely different desktop emerges. Quite intimidating at first, tbh. So much so I've only gone so far with it, and usually opting to exit it by rebooting and selecting the lightdm default, which returns everything back to what I was accustomed to.

I always knew how versatile Linux distros are in general, but never really pondered the idea that one has access to many desktops rather than committed only to one or two. This morning I stumbled onto a website that clearly indicates how one can switch to multiple desktop options beyond Gdm or Lightdm. Blew me away to see that I can even install KDE Plasma's desktop environment, let alone Deepin's as well.

For me personally, the versatility of different desktops has always been the biggest draw for me to use Linux. When simply put, "the sky is the limit" in how you choose to make the graphic user interface of whatever Linux distro you have. Just a matter of knowing how to do it, and where to safely download assets from. The idea of just using something "out of the box" was never an option for me, though I suspect it works for most computer users. Just not me.

I guess my real challenge now is to figure out how to make Linux Mint look like what I did with Pop!OS22.04 in making it look more like a Mac. Pop!OS is good, but Mint is better. Could be lots of fun....as long as I don't bring the whole OS down by accident. The irony is that up to now I've been continuously distro-hopping, when all I really want to do is radically change the desktop environment. The possibility of "having my cake and eating it too" could be quite a thrill!

https://techviewleo.com/how-to-install-gnome-desktop-on-linux-mint/

 

[Outdated]

There's basically 2 mainstream desktops that much of everything else is based on - Gnome and KDE. Regardless of which desktop you actually run you need many components from both of these in order to run most of the programs on your machine.

I haven't played with KDE in many years now, it was too resource heavy and clunky to use.

In about 2014 Gnome released their new Gnome 3.0 and it was a real flop, disasterously heavy on resources, full of bugs that still haven't been fixed to this day, and presenting a look and style very similar to Win8.

LightDM is a rework of Gnome 2.0.
Cinnamon is the desktop that comes with Mint and it uses LightDM as a base.
Ubuntu's desktop that they call Ubiquity is based on Gnome 3.0 and I really hate it.

There's dozens of different desktop environments you can try and you'll find most of them already in your repository.

https://opensource.com/article/20/5/linux-desktops

 

[Judge]

There's basically 2 mainstream desktops that much of everything else is based on - Gnome and KDE. Regardless of which desktop you actually run you need many components from both of these in order to run most of the programs on your machine.

I haven't played with KDE in many years now, it was too resource heavy and clunky to use.

In about 2014 Gnome released their new Gnome 3.0 and it was a real flop, disasterously heavy on resources, full of bugs that still haven't been fixed to this day, and presenting a look and style very similar to Win8.

Frankly I haven't had that experience myself. But then that was a long time ago. Seems a lot has changed. Though both Gnome and KDE have its fans and detractors. I know I found using Gnome a lot of fun to use with Pop!OS22.04, but with quite a learning curve. I'm guessing the same can be said about KDE or Deepin as well. (I didn't have luck getting Kubuntu to run properly on my older computer. I also tried Arch-based Manjaro w/KDE which I just couldn't get to run right at all.)

LightDM is a rework of Gnome 2.0.
Cinnamon is the desktop that comes with Mint and it uses LightDM as a base.
Ubuntu's desktop that they call Ubiquity is based on Gnome 3.0 and I really hate it.

There's dozens of different desktop environments you can try and you'll find most of them already in your repository.

I'm presently using a Cinnamon customized menu (Cinnamenu) that is superior to the basic one that comes with Mint 21.3. Yeah, I've tried two different incarnations of Ubuntu and didn't care for it either.

As for the custom desktops that come within Linux Mint, I can't say any of them really tweaked my interest. Most being rather minor customizations retaining the same taskbar and panel. Things that I prefer to customize on a more varied scale using Gnome. Though I've also seen that some of them have shortcomings, like the "Mojave" theme that looks like a Mac. It works for most applications, but fails to render dark mode in few of them, such as "Timeshift". Annoying, but up to now I've lived with them as far as Pop!OS22.04 goes. But to run it I have to disengage Secure Boot, which I won't need anyways if I choose not to run Windows at all on another drive.

Right now I'm just a bit amused to discover that I really don't necessarily have to switch entire distros just to get a certain look and feel of an interface. It's not easy to figure out and usually does involve a number of components to work, but then I like a challenge.

 

[Outdated]

Whatever you settle on just don't use the Nautilus file manager that comes with Gnome and a few other desktops. It has trouble with file permissions and can have real trouble with them. Trying to reset permissions recursively to all files in a directory will cause it to crash and make a mess of your system.

I used to use Gnome quite a lot until I discovered that. The file manager Nemo that comes with Cinnamon works flawlessly.

But to run it I have to disengage Secure Boot, which I won't need anyways if I choose not to run Windows at all on another drive.

I've never had an issue with secure boot, and some distros like Ubuntu require it to be enabled.

Right now I'm just a bit amused to discover that I really don't necessarily have to switch entire distros just to get a certain look and feel of an interface.

Yes, you can run any desktop in any distro. You can run all of them and switch back and forth between them to see what you really think. They don't interfere with each other in any way.

I run Ubuntu with the Cinnamon desktop.

 

[Judge]

Whatever you settle on just don't use the Nautilus file manager that comes with Gnome and a few other desktops. It has trouble with file permissions and can have real trouble with them. Trying to reset permissions recursively to all files in a directory will cause it to crash and make a mess of your system.

Oh yeah....lol. With "Nemo" that comes with Linux Mint I can't say I've had any problems. "Nautilus" on the other hand....well.....yeah it takes a bit to get it to do what you want.

I used to use Gnome quite a lot until I discovered that. The file manager Nemo that comes with Cinnamon works flawlessly.


I've never had an issue with secure boot, and some distros like Ubuntu require it to be enabled.

Pop!OS22.04 won't run with it enabled at all. Though it is Ubuntu-based.

Yes, you can run any desktop in any distro. You can run all of them and switch back and forth between them to see what you really think. They don't interfere with each other in any way.

Yep, I think I came to that conclusion the second I accessed that website I found this morning. Luckily it all makes even more sense now. It is kind of wild to be able to switch them with each reboot. Though I don't think I'd want to load more than maybe two more in addition to what I already have. I have yet to try the "Wayland" option that comes with Mint 21.3. Mostly because I know it's strictly experimental to play with. Or so I read...

 

[Outdated]

It is kind of wild to be able to switch them with each reboot.

You don't need to reboot, just Log Out. That's handy for people like me that auto login at boot, if you want that you'll need to edit the LightDM configuration file though, there's no graphical way to turn that on in LightDM based desktops.

Last time I heard the name Wayland it was a software compiler for programs written in C and C++.

 

[Judge]

You don't need to reboot, just Log Out.

Last time I heard the name Wayland it was a software compiler for programs written in C and C++.

Cool. Never would have thought of logging out, as the sole user of this computer.

Yeah the Wayland name is used a lot these days, but again with both fans and detractors. I haven't really worked with enough of it to make an informed decision. Though a lot of comments seem to reflect as being more experimental than practical.

Right now I just want to be able to emulate a Mac-like interface that works with all apps I have, but also not require an "overview" feature. To just have a taskbar at the top, and a dock on the bottom. Which pretty much describes the basic Pop!OS22.04 GUI. Not all that difficult to hack.

For whatever reason, I've just never related to the "overview" interface function.

 

[Judge]

Funny to think of the options I have along such lines. I forgot that I downloaded and created an ISO flash drive to install Nobara 39 (For Gnome). A new distro that focuses on gaming that also offers multiple GUIs similar to Zorin OS17. Except that Nobara's is entirely freeware.

That with a single click , I can select that classic Mac appearance (Pineapple) that I like so much. Note the GUI on the bottom left is the Classic Gnome one I don't like in comparison.

Then throw in some additional Gnome extensions, and I can add or subtract all kinds of features and functions within the GUI itself.

 

[Outdated]

Funny to think of the options I have along such lines.

And down the rabbit hole he goes.

There's an awesome amount of choice out there.

 

[Judge]

And down the rabbit hole he goes.

There's an awesome amount of choice out there.

LOL. Well, let's just say it turned out to be more of an "abyss" than a rabbit hole.

About eight hours of discovery and wonder...yet not knowing where my efforts would ultimately take me. Which ultimately ended in failure. However it also gave me great insight into the hows and whys of Linux Mint's design, and why it doesn't initially allow for such radical customization. But yes, it still shows that anyone can radically change a distro if they are really inclined.

I transitioned everything without any real problem when I switched to using the Gnome Desktop Manager. However in the course of using Mac icons associated with a different Mac theme, I realized that there may not be programming I was aware of that makes such a transition work two ways. That is, to be able to undo it all by simply switching back to the Light Desktop Manager to retain all the appearances of Linux Mint 21.3.

And my hunch was right, when I finished making it all look like a Mac under the Gnome Desktop Manager. When I switched back to Linux Mint, the icons in the bottom panel (dash)
were a messed-up mix of Mint and Mac icons. And when I went back into the Menu Editor of Linux Mint, I discovered that a number of categories of icons were inadvertently duplicated.

Functionally everything seemed to work, but internally it was a mess. And it left me with one critical thought about the difference between Linux Mint icons and using other types of icons. That when I transitioned to the Gnome Desktop, I had no equivalent of a "dynamic" icon for notifying me of updates or upgrades.

Ultimately the experience left me with one basic thought. What was lacking in allowing me to switch GUIs "on the fly", such is the case with distros like Nobara39 and Zorin OS17. Or if in reality it simply isn't meant to radically change the GUIs using programs like Gnome Tweaks to change not only the GUI, but icons and other things as well.

Leaving me unsure of whether I simply didn't understand something additionally to be added, or if what I was doing was beyond the scope of being able to switch a basic GUI from one to another. But I have to admit, it was fun being able to change Linux Mint to something looking completely different. Ironically had I not messed with the Mac icons, at that point I could still change from one GUI to the other, without any apparent glitches. But then Linux Mint uses it's own "menu editor", while for the Gnome Desktop Manager, I had to download Libre Menu Editor to be able to assign all those Mac icons to the dock accordingly.

And in transitioning back to the Light Desktop Manager to run Linux Mint, I can only surmise that in using two different menu editors on the same OS ultimately corrupted things. Leaving me only one consideration. That while the sky is the limit in changing LInux Mint's appearance, that it should be a once-and-done affair where you don't try to switch back and forth. Unless of course there really is some component out there that makes such a transition seamless. Or that in switching desktop managers that it isn't intended to involve entirely different themes and icons.

But it's all good. It left me with a better understanding of why Mint's intended amount of customization is relatively limited. To retain a much higher degree of quality control and stability that it is well known for in the marketplace.

I have two separate SSDs with Linux Mint, so this one is my default, while the other one is one I will continue to experiment with. It still intrigues me to ponder what I could so using a KDE Plasma Desktop on top of Mint, though unlike Gnome I have almost no experience with it.

Though I still have to snicker a bit, knowing these days you can't change much of anything connected with Windows 11. Microsoft has never been so restrictive in attempting to make their OS more secure in blocking nearly all third-party programs that would alter their OS. Sad, but as long as they stick with the mediocrity of what they know, they'll always be behind the curve as opposed to Linux which tends to remain in front of it.

 

[Judge]

Another thing I forgot about was there appear to be at least two different types of "Mac" GUIs. The "Pineapple" example shown above doesn't indicate which one it might be. But then the reality of a Gnome Desktop example of this GUI is likely different and more common than say the version that System 76 and their Pop!OS22.04 provides.

One I frankly prefer, where the desktop icons are arranged in groups the user gets to decide, as opposed to simply being arranged alphabetically.

The one thing that frustrated me about Pop!OS22.04 is that it is being replaced by a version made in Rust as opposed to Gnome. So all the customization I'm familiar with would be a moot point, other than to remain with the existing version which at least is good for another three years. Maybe I'll be dead by then anyways. LOL.

This is what I get for being autistic and having GUIs for a "special interest".

 

[Outdated]

One I frankly prefer, where the desktop icons are arranged in groups the user gets to decide, as opposed to simply being arranged alphabetically.

That's a feature I always found really annoying, many desktops including Windows have that auto-arrange switched on by default. Turning it off lets you shift icons to where you want.

 

[Judge]

That's a feature I always found really annoying, many desktops including Windows have that auto-arrange switched on by default. Turning it off lets you shift icons to where you want.

Good point. The fact that most "Mac" style GUIs automatically arrange icons alphabetically drives me nuts. But then some developers seems to bank on users who want to be told what to do with few choices. Like my brother or cousin. They never change anything and think I'm nuts. Go figure.

Something clearly System 76 did differently. Another thing I liked about their Mac Style was that their desktop icons were considerably smaller. More elegant-looking, IMO than what is rendered by the Gnome Desktop Manager. If I were to go to the trouble of installing Nobara39 and discovered their "Pineapple" GUI is also much the same I'd be terribly disappointed.

Though long ago with Windows I refrained from even placing icons on the desktop knowing they took up system resources at a time when I was very prudent about such things. Much like having excessive fonts as well. Times long gone.

 

[Judge]

Well, after several days of experimenting with switching Linux Mint's desktop manager to the Gnome Desktop Manager, I can understand why it's a form of customization that Linux Mint doesn't recommend.

At first making the transition seemed painless enough. But when I started to liberally add a number of Gnome extensions to enhance functionality, I started to run into the OS just freezing. Having to reboot, and then turn off or delete the Gnome extension I had just added. Once or twice was irritating, but not a deal-breaker. But it kept happening with one too many extensions. A clear loss in stability. Something Linux Mint prides itself on.

I then went on to experimenting with Cinnamon themes, staying within the parameters of Linux Mint as opposed to Gnome. It ran much better, far more stable in comparison to Gnome. However the customization was minor compared to what I can do in Gnome.

 

[Judge]

I finally got around to playing with exclusively the Cinnamon Desktop options in Linux Mint 21.3. No switching to Gnome Desktop Manager, yet I found by accident that some Gnome extensions do in fact work in Cinnamon. Allowing me to make an awkward, and less pleasing Mac-style GUI, while still being all Linux Mint underneath. Far more stable, but not especially pleasing to my eye.

I never found a Mac-like Applications menu that would show up in the center of the desktop, with large icons. Still stuck with a Mint style applications menu by clicking the icon in the "simple dock" on the right. It still brings up just a smaller menu offset and mostly text in nature.

Leaving me to still lament that the only interface that best emulates a Mac GUI that I like, remains through using Pop!OS22.04 and its Gnome 4.2 extensions. Below in Cinnamon just doesn't cut it.:

Runs great in Mint, but the dock still looks and operates in a mediocre fashion.

 

[FilterFreq]

Huh. I'd actually be a little scared to change desktop managers or too many settings with any Linux distro, but that's just because with my luck, everything will somehow break

Lately I only really use network / lite distros though for development projects (and TBH, mostly just learning) so thankfully I don't have to worry too much about a GUI. But in that event, it gives me the willies to change too many settings!

 

[Judge]

Huh. I'd actually be a little scared to change desktop managers or too many settings with any Linux distro, but that's just because with my luck, everything will somehow break

Lately I only really use network / lite distros though for development projects (and TBH, mostly just learning) so thankfully I don't have to worry too much about a GUI. But in that event, it gives me the willies to change too many settings!

It can be quite tricky at times. I know, as I've broken some operating systems repeatedly just to experiment with them.

I've pretty much concluded that it may be prudent not to attempt radically different desktops using Linux Mint 21.3 compared to other more Gnome-friendly operating systems like Pop!OS22.04 or Ubuntu. Mint is the most stable distribution I've worked with so far, and it seems that "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".

Of course that said, I'd had a lot of fun modifying Pop!OS22.04 without too much grief. Of course it defaults to the Gnome Desktop Manager, making customization a smoother proposition.

 

[Neia]

You don't need to reboot, just Log Out. That's handy for people like me that auto login at boot, if you want that you'll need to edit the LightDM configuration file though, there's no graphical way to turn that on in LightDM based desktops.

Last time I heard the name Wayland it was a software compiler for programs written in C and C++.

The mention of C++ compiler gave me anxiety flashbacks
I can hear my teacher telling us we were doing it wrong, try again

 

[Outdated]

The mention of C++ compiler gave me anxiety flashbacks
I can hear my teacher telling us we were doing it wrong, try again

I just taught myself when I wanted to better understand how a computer worked. I had no intention of becoming a programmer and I never did, but I was curious. That was many years ago now though, I have a broad enough grasp of concepts that I'm good at helping people troubleshoot programming errors but writing my own code isn't really possible.

 

[Neia]

I just taught myself when I wanted to better understand how a computer worked. I had no intention of becoming a programmer and I never did, but I was curious. That was many years ago now though, I have a broad enough grasp of concepts that I'm good at helping people troubleshoot programming errors but writing my own code isn't really possible.

I was finishing 12th grade, was taking an IT course and C++ was part of the curriculum.

I'm good at things I can diagram. I was never able to do that with C++.

They say it's a language but German is easier to learn, and never forced me to think like I was doing some sort of maths or trigonometry