The Linux Desktop: 6 popular Linux desktop environments

[Dukenukemx]

A laptop constantly getting viruses speaks more to the User and your usage patterns than the OS.

Not really no. Got a phone call from my ISP about my PC sending out DOS attacks. Chargen denial of service is what they called it, and they wanted me to block port 19. Has nothing to do with a virus, and it's an exploit on a Windows service which attackers can use to make DOS attacks more powerful.

 

[Lionvibez]

Not really no. Got a phone call from my ISP about my PC sending out DOS attacks. Chargen denial of service is what they called it, and they wanted me to block port 19. Has nothing to do with a virus, and it's an exploit on a Windows service which attackers can use to make DOS attacks more powerful.

this is a good example of a dos attack.

But he said viruses and secondly something must have gotten into your system to do this exploit.

 

[cliffordcooley]

VitalyT is right, IMO. This insane segmentation is only there to make sure Linux will never get into the spotlight. That's sad, because it's an OS with huge potential. So many good programmers, each preferring to work on new forks instead of sharing their experiences and working towards some form of unification...

I agree 100% with you on that one!

 

[Guest]

Good writeup, still a fan of KDE myself, still mourning Gnome's descent into.. whatever that is, but the article's first paragraph is fairly off. I'm not denying Linux has a lot more choices (and more actively developed too), but Windows most definitely allows you to change desktop environments too. Has been able to do that for many years. Same goes for "look and feel", not sure where that came from.

 

[Guest]

Cinnamon looks so awesome but isn't the fastest. I would say MATE FTW till Cinnamon matures and becomes faster.

 

[tipstir]

Linux still lives under Android OS. That's the whole purpose to create tablets and desktops to run it. Then you have Chrome OS. Linux is always around.

 

[tomkaten]

A laptop constantly getting viruses speaks more to the User and your usage patterns than the OS.

Not really no. Got a phone call from my ISP about my PC sending out DOS attacks. Chargen denial of service is what they called it, and they wanted me to block port 19. Has nothing to do with a virus, and it's an exploit on a Windows service which attackers can use to make DOS attacks more powerful.

I always check new routers/new connections on Gibson's site.

https://www.grc.com/default.htm

Do the ShieldsUp tests, they'll tell you which ports are exposed. Unless you get the 100% stealth mark, your system is exposed to the Internet and as such vulnerable. Of course, if you use HTTP, FTP, SSH and the like, you'll have their respective ports visible.

I've had a bad experience way back. Exposed a badly secured FTP on my HDD to the web and 30 minutes later I was in a botnet, I kid you not. There are port scanners running as we speak on many classes of IP's, looking for exploitable ports.

 

[Guest]

For the weird .doc formating problem, try KingsoftOffice. It has gotten better. (don't know how far has LibreOffice reached)

 

[Dukenukemx]

this is a good example of a dos attack.

But he said viruses and secondly something must have gotten into your system to do this exploit.

So first it's a DOS attack, so no virus. But a virus like thing must have gotten into my system for the exploit to work?

The chargen service is just exploitable in Windows, and it's just simply not fixed. I have no viruses or malware of any kind. BTW this exploit did effect Linux systems as well, but it's since been patched. I believe Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has had this fixed since 2012. I do have port 19 open for other reasons, so I just disabled the chargen service.

Point is Linux can fix vulnerabilities relatively quickly compared to Windows. For people who browse the web and do little else, I'm thinking about recommending them Linux. Cause I'm getting sick and tired of family and friends coming to me with a computer system filled with viruses and malware.

 

[Lionvibez]

So first it's a DOS attack, so no virus. But a virus like thing must have gotten into my system for the exploit to work?

The chargen service is just exploitable in Windows, and it's just simply not fixed. I have no viruses or malware of any kind. BTW this exploit did effect Linux systems as well, but it's since been patched. I believe Ubuntu 12.04 LTS has had this fixed since 2012. I do have port 19 open for other reasons, so I just disabled the chargen service.

Point is Linux can fix vulnerabilities relatively quickly compared to Windows. For people who browse the web and do little else, I'm thinking about recommending them Linux. Cause I'm getting sick and tired of family and friends coming to me with a computer system filled with viruses and malware.

For simple web browsing for novice users I totally agree.

 

[Dukenukemx]

For simple web browsing for novice users I totally agree.

Linux just needs more first games and better Windows software compatibility. The games are coming along nicely, but we'll likely never get games on Linux with the same attention as on Windows. That's why applications like Wine needs to work better. Thankfully the DX9 state tracker seems to be moving along very nicely.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTc2NTg

 

[Guest]

Shame. You have not even mentioned XFCE. Great! I think you have not tried it.

 

[Guest]

Another Xfce user that feels left out in the cold here. Xfce is my #1 desktop and Manjaro's default desktop environment as well. I like GNOME3 and MATE just fine but Xfce is just a bit nicer for my needs IMHO.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Shame. You have not even mentioned XFCE. Great! I think you have not tried it.

Topic - "6 popular" - Meaning if it is not being used, it doesn't matter if it is the best one, it will not make it to the list.

Another Xfce user that feels left out in the cold here. Xfce is my #1 desktop and Manjaro's default desktop environment as well. I like GNOME3 and MATE just fine but Xfce is just a bit nicer for my needs IMHO.

It's a shame, we can't tell if you are the same person, posting as two.

 

[Guest]

From the array of responses you can clearly see none of you have ever actually used Linux.

Nonsense. I used Linux and it is unusable because several of the software and hardware I use on a daily basis exclusively depends on Windows. That's the problem with Linux Desktop. The software/hardware ecosystem on Linux Desktop is abysmal. The only saving grace of Linux is that it works great on servers and mobile devices, but that's it. As a desktop, it shouldn't be considered as a credible alternative to Windows or even a Mac OSX.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I want to like Linux but it so hard to use versus windows and OS X. Why bother.

 

[Guest]

So many good programmers, each preferring to work on new forks instead of sharing their experiences and working towards some form of unification...

I had a conversation with a friend of mine who happens to be a former Microsoft employee few weeks ago. He said Microsoft don't have to worry about the potential threat posed by Linux so long as the Linux community remains mired in disunity and never-ending civil war. And do you know what he called those Linux advocates before we changed to a different subject? Useful *****s.

 

[Guest]

I meant useful idi0ts.

 

[infiltrator]

I want to like Linux but it so hard to use versus windows and OS X. Why bother.

I disagree, I use both Windows and Linux side by side. Yes, Linux is a little complicated to use at first, but if you have determination and is willing to learn, you will see that Linux is not that hard to learn after all.

It takes time and lots of practice to be good at something. Again, it all comes down to how your train your mind, if you're a lazy person, who doesn't like doing hard work and prefers doing simple things, click here and there.

Then, you will find everything to be hard..... I am not trying to be disrespectful or rude but that's how things in life goes.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I disagree, I use both Windows and Linux side by side. Yes, Linux is a little complicated to use at first, but if you have determination and is willing to learn, you will see that Linux is not that hard to learn after all.

It takes time and lots of practice to be good at something. Again, it all comes down to how your train your mind, if you're a lazy person, who doesn't like doing hard work and prefers doing simple things, click here and there.

Then, you will find everything to be hard..... I am not trying to be disrespectful or rude but that's how things in life goes.

Well said man. I agree. I just don't really see the advantage of using Linux if I already know OS X and windows back and fourth. Plus, most Linux applications can run on OS X since it is built on unix. I completely agree with your points, but that is my logic. I love it when people offer different opinions.

 

[infiltrator]

Well said man. I agree. I just don't really see the advantage of using Linux if I already know OS X and windows back and fourth. Plus, most Linux applications can run on OS X since it is built on unix. I completely agree with your points, but that is my logic. I love it when people offer different opinions.

Well, Linux is free whereas the Apple OS X isn't. And some users would rather not pay than having it for free instead. That's what makes Linux flexible in that respect. I agree with what you're saying, plus it all comes down to the individual's preferences.

 

[Guest]

OSX is free.

 

[Guest]

As a game console windows is great. On a desktop computer give me linux any day. I like to own my computer and not share control with MicroSoft.

 

[infiltrator]

OSX is free.

Oh really, since when?