Changing DEs

Changing DEs

Knowing that most in the US are headed off for a long Labor Day Weekend, today’s

Tweak is a quick one.

Did you know that you can change your default desktop environment in Linux on
the fly? Remember, X isn’t inextricably tied into the kernel code as it is with
some other OSs we know of. That means you can stop or start X without your
system shutting down. It also means that, if you feel the need, you can change
your default desktop environment very quickly.

To change the default, say, from KDE to Gnome, enter the following command in a
console window:

    tony@valhalla ~ $ switchdesk

You’ll get a GUI popup window that allows you to select from the installed
desktop environments. Select one and and the system will change the default. Of
course, to see the new desktop environment, you’ll need to restart X - something
that’s done quickly with the Ctrl-Alt-Backspace key combination.

Need I say it again? Configurability and efficiency - it’s the Linux way.