Desktop Environments « TransLXP:: Linux Powered

Putting Desktop Environments to the test!

December 11, 2008

LXF

We have all been hearing the popularity of the three main DE, Gnome, KDE and XFCE. They all of their uniqueness. But which one is the most stable and mature desktop? Which one is the least memory consuming?

LinuxFormat puts these DE to various tests. See here.

Leave a Comment » | Desktop Environments, Reviews | Permalink
Posted by translxp

KDE 4.2 BETA is released!

December 1, 2008

KDE
The 4.2 version of KDE has been released! This polishes up the existing KDE 4. With new planted features aiming at ease of use, improvements of softwares and lots of bugs fixed.

KDE now has a polished looking desktop environment with its updated Vista-style taskbar. It also included Google Gadgets on one of the Plasma applets. It had also improved the desktop effects and other minor navigation improvements.

See KDE 4.2 here.

Leave a Comment » | Desktop Environments, News/Updates | Permalink
Posted by translxp

Introducing LXDE

October 12, 2008

LXDE is probably the newest desktop environment on Linux. It’s just released on the 20th of April. LXDE stands for Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment and it aims for a lightweight desktop environment running on old machines with great interface.

Its website is found here.

Even though LXDE is quite new, already 10 distributions are running it!!

This includes:

PUD GNU/Linux, Ubuntu-based installable live cd with LXDE
TinyMe, PCLinuxOS-based tiny distro using some components of LXDE
Slitaz, Extremely small live cd using most of the components of LXDE
Greenie, Ubuntu-based OS with LXDE and GNOME desktop enviroments
Ubuntulite, Member of Ubuntu Derivatives featuring LXDE
Vectorlinux LITE, VectorLinux LITE edition
Myah OS 3.0 Box edition, LXDE flavor of Myah OS
gOS 3.0 , Linux with Google gadgets and LXDE components
Zenwalk 3.0, multi-purpose Linux with LXDE components.
Mandriva, a popularly known distribution, just released LXDE version on the 2009.0 release. Also has GNOME and KDE.

Components: LXDE aims for easy to use, simple navigation.

PCMan File Manager
LXLauncher, easy-mode application launcher
LXPanel, desktop panel
LXSession, session manager
LXAppearance, theme switcher
leafpad, text editor
Xarchiver, archiving
GPicView, image viewer
LXTerminal, terminal emulator
LXTask, task manager
LXNM, lightweight network connection helper daemon for LXDE supporting wireless connections (Linux-only)
Openbox, window manager

Applications: Here are list of defualt applictions on LXDE.

OpenOffice.org
Skype
Firefox
Thunderbird
Pidgin
Synaptic
Audacity
SMPlayer

Screenshots:

LXDE Desktop

Easy & Fast File Management with PCManFM

PCManFM – PCMan File Manager

LXPanel

LXpanel – Preferences

LXpanel – Autocompletion

GPicView – Fast and Easy Image Viewing

LXAppearance – Change Look & Feel

LXTask – Task Manager

2 Comments | Desktop Environments, News/Updates | Permalink
Posted by translxp

KDE4 – Official TransLXP Review

October 10, 2008

KDE4 is the newest version of the K Desktop Environment.
You can read more about KDE4 here.

On this version, KDE had achieved its goal.

KDE has been looking for ways it can improve the desktop interface, offering the prettiest desktop on linux. And on KDE4, it had achived it’s goal!

KDE4 offers a Mac style interface with Windows navigational system, attempting to make new commers become more familiar with the style and look.

Although, there is one down side of this eye candy looking desktop environment. KDE isn’t designed for performance so it is very much memory consuming. Both KDE3 and KDE4 continuously freeze both my virtual machine and the actual computer. And the startup process is slightly slower than Ubuntu (GNOME).

And here, I reveal the latest KDE4 on Kubuntu 8.04 since it has more seders than the Kubuntu 8.10 upcoming BETA.

KDE4 Startup Screen: