I'm currently using Linux Mint and I like KDE, Cinnamon, and Ubuntu, but I find that many desktop environments feel too similar to Windows. I'm looking for suggestions on distinct and independently developed desktop environments that are available on Linux Mint. Any recommendations for something that offers a unique experience compared to the mainstream options?
5 Answers
If you're after something different, definitely give GNOME a shot. It's available on Mint, but for the purest experience, you might want to try Fedora Workstation. It comes with vanilla GNOME right out of the box. Just remember to switch to the Adwaita theme to get that true GNOME look!
Consider checking out some lightweight options like Bodhi Linux, which uses the Moksha desktop environment based on Enlightenment. It offers a different flavor of Linux, and you might find it a refreshing change from what's commonly available in Mint!
If you want to explore other options outside of Mint's default choices, try using a USB stick to boot into live environments of various distros. You'll find plenty of DEs to experiment with without altering your current setup. Just download a few Live ISO images and have fun mixing things up!
While Mint does come bundled with Cinnamon, MATE, and XFCE, you might get better results with a distro that aligns directly with the desktop environment you want to use. For a straightforward GNOME experience, Fedora Silverblue is excellent. And if you're into experimenting with window management, you can always delve into the dwm family for something a bit more unconventional. Good luck finding your ideal setup!
Absolutely, GNOME is a solid choice. Although Ubuntu does use it, they modify it quite a bit. If you're into something really polished, Fedora Workstation or even Debian can provide a great vanilla GNOME experience. Have you considered Bluefin? It's an exciting immutable distro from the same people behind Bazzite. And don’t forget about Cosmic from System76—it’s new but quite neat, though it might have some bugs. If you want to stick with Mint, maybe explore XFCE, which you can tweak to look more like GNOME!
I completely agree! Fedora's vanilla GNOME is top-notch. If you want alternatives, check out Ultramarine or Project Bluefin, which are great choices if you want a more pre-configured setup with things like Nvidia drivers included.