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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Easy way to try out a bunch of different DEs? (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I'm planning on moving (back) to Linux from Windows, but I'm not sure which desktop environment I want to use. What's the easiest way to try them all out? Just do a bunch of dnf/apt installs? Is there a distro or project out there that makes this easier?

Looking to try out kde, gnome, budgie, cinnamon, xfce, others

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

There are a few different ways:

VM: doesn't give you the "real" experience. Often feels sluggish.
Installation via package manager: really clutters and messes up your system. There are many dependencies, and then you'll have 5 different file managers for example.
Ventoy: the second best option, or the best, if you just wanna take a look at each. If you really want to try the DE for a few days, it isn't suited of course.
Fedora Atomic (immutable variants like Silverblue): there's a project called uBlue, that provides images for all DEs. You can install the vanilla Silverblue, and then rebase to each according image. Your custom installed programs and personal data stay intact, but everything else gets swapped out cleanly. Each rebase would take ~5 minutes and one reboot, but it feels like you reinstalled your OS and changed the flavor.