Is possible change the "Desktop Environment" of the OS itself?

General Linux Question
1

Hello Friends

I have installed Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 and Fedora Workstation 39. According with my understanding both are based with Gnome. I want to know if through the GUI itself - for example through Settings - is possible change the default “Desktop Environment” (if the term is correct) to other.

Personally I prefer the environment of Ubuntu, therefore just curious if is possible change the DE of Fedora as Ubuntu - and why not, as vice versa.

I know it would be not a critical or common scenario … but just in case I do this question

Thanks for your understanding

2

Hi Manuel,
Yes, you can change the DE, but not through Settings.
Each DE is a package… you need to find the package names.
What you do, to change from Gnome to Xfce, for example,
is

  • install the Xfce package
  • purge the Gnome package
  • reboot
    and it should start the new DE, and new login manager.

It is a big change. Do a backup before you start.

Regards
Neville

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3

Neville, I have loaded multiple DE’s on a distro. I loaded Ubuntu (Gnome 3) by mistake and then installed XFCE and MATE and KDE desktops. I didn’t purge anything, but they all worked. Just select the session from the login page. I had no problems but maybe I was just lucky.

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4

Yes, Bill, that works OK most times. I had some problems
ages ago with kde on top of xfce, but I think distros are getting better at this mixing of DE’s
Example:
Antix comes by default with about 6 different window managers and you can select them at the login manager
screen.

2 Likes
5

Thanks to all for the replies. Yes, I have seen in some tutorials about the Login approach. But I assumed that within the session logged and through some internal configuration would be possible. I mean download some themes and simply applied, it even without restarting the OS itself.

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6

Tried Antix. Didn’t like any of the DE choices. Lots of other fish in the sea. Or beers in the fridge.

7

You dont like Window Managers.
OK. You can add a DE to Antix, but, as you say, choose a distro that has the DE you want in the first place.

8

Not clear about the difference between desktop environment and window manager. Does either go past the issues of look and feel?

9

Have a look at Fluxbox… it has windows and a menu but no icons… a window manager manages windows… that is all… a DE does lots more… all DE’s have a window manager underneath their hood.

The distiction can get blurred when you get to something like Enlightenment.

There was a time when having a window was a major advance.

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