Tutorial to install more Desktop Environments in Linux Mint 21
It is well known to many that, Linux Mint is a GNU/Linux Distro project whose Iconic or flagship desktop environment, Cinnamon. And also, it offers installation ISO images with other useful and functional ones, such as Mate and XFCE. Therefore, most users of this operating system usually Download and use Linux Mint in one these 3 flavors or official editions.
But, as many of us who are passionate about the Linuxverse already know, one of the benefits of GNU/Linux Distros and free software in general is that we can modify it and adapt it to our tastes and needs, if necessary. And since there are installation packages for many of the existing desktop environments and window managers in the repositories of many GNU/Linux Distros, we can install many of them without major problems. Above all, efficiently, simply and quickly with a software tool called Tasksel. So, below, we will show you some examples and their results so that you can motivate yourself at some point to «install more Desktop Environments in Linux Mint 21.X».
How to install Firefox 128 on Linux Mint easily and quickly?
But, before continuing with this new Linux tutorial on "as install more Desktop Environments in Linux Mint 21», we recommend that you explore our previous Tutorial, where we address the installation/update of the Mozilla Firefox 128 Browser on Linux Mint, at the end of reading it:
Tutorial to install more Desktop Environments in Linux Mint 21
About Tasksel and its use to install more Desktop Environments on Linux Mint 21 or other GNU/Linux Distros
According to Official Debian Wiki, Tasksel It is described as follows:
El package Tasks provides a simple interface for users who want to configure their system to perform a specific task. This program is used during the installation process, but users can also use it at any time.
and its use for installing the most well-known and used Desktop Environments are the following:
tasksel install cinnamon-desktop --new-install
tasksel install mate-desktop --new-install
tasksel install kde-desktop --new-install
tasksel install xfce-desktop --new-install
tasksel install lxqt-desktop --new-install
tasksel install lxde-desktop --new-install
tasksel install gnome-desktop --new-install
Installing Other Desktop Environments from Linux Mint Cinnamon
Next we will show you the result of Tasksel execution for some tested desktop environments, but first we will show you its initial performance (ram consumption) with only Cinnamon installed:
While, after installing all the other desktop environments, its final performance is as follows:
And for the installed Desktop Environments its final performance was the following:
Mate
KDE Plasma
XFCE
LXQt
Result of the experience
Before starting the whole process, Linux Mint Cinnamon consumed around 700 MB when starting up, and after installing the other 4 Desktop Environments, the final average was around 900 MB.
Meanwhile he RAM consumption at startup for the others it was the following:
- Mate: +/- 750 MB.
- KDE Plasma: +/- 900 MB.
- XFCE: +/- 700 MB.
- LXQt: +/- 600 MB.
However, and without a doubt, These consumption values can be improved (reduced) disabling some services and programs loaded at startup, which could be common for everyone or specific for each one. And if it is necessary to even delete some specific programs from an installed desktop environment, it is possible, if desired or needed, to reduce space and have fewer redundant tools.
Summary
In summary, if you are a Linux Mint user, we hope that this practical Tip of using the Terminal program (CLI) called Tasksel, to test and use other Desktop environments both in that and in another GNU/Linux Distribution, is useful for many. And continue contributing to their better informed and trained about the Linuxverse (Free Software, Open Source and GNU/Linux), now from Linux Mint.
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