Xfce 4.20, COSMIC Alpha & LXQt 2 Led Alternative Open-Source Desktops In 2024

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  • phoronix
    Administrator
    • Jan 2007
    • 67406

    Xfce 4.20, COSMIC Alpha & LXQt 2 Led Alternative Open-Source Desktops In 2024

    Phoronix: Xfce 4.20, COSMIC Alpha & LXQt 2 Led Alternative Open-Source Desktops In 2024

    In addition to all the GNOME advancements and KDE excitement with shipping Plasma 6 this year, other alternative open-source desktop environments enjoyed much success too this year... System76's Rust-based COSMIC desktop environment for their Pop!_OS Linux distribution reached alpha form, Xfce 4.20 released earlier this month, LXQt 2.0 and 2.1 debuted, and other improvements too...

    Phoronix, Linux Hardware Reviews, Linux hardware benchmarks, Linux server benchmarks, Linux benchmarking, Desktop Linux, Linux performance, Open Source graphics, Linux How To, Ubuntu benchmarks, Ubuntu hardware, Phoronix Test Suite
  • DMJC
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2009
    • 594

    #2
    MATE's been releasing package updates all year and is quite functional on Wayland with Wayfire.

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    • Horgh
      Junior Member
      • Dec 2024
      • 3

      #3
      No mention of Hyprland's achievements? The fact that it's still mostly a one-(young)-man project is pretty impressive on its own, but the fact that it's becoming a whole ecosystem is even more impressive.

      Comment

      • mrg666
        Senior Member
        • Mar 2023
        • 1100

        #4
        I would separate COSMIC here from the other "alternative" DEs as it comes with new and original aspects, Rust, a new toolkit, and supports Wayland from the ground up. The others are using existing toolkits and they don't bring much/any originality with them. I wish these smaller projects would have focused more on innovation instead of trying to present their simple and smaller codebase based on outdated concepts as if they are efficient.

        Last edited by mrg666; 31 December 2024, 05:09 AM.

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        • lostfound9000
          Junior Member
          • Dec 2024
          • 4

          #5
          xfce is my preferred lightweight DE. I review my choice every couple of years without change yet 👍

          Comment

          • Mez'
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2009
            • 1187

            #6
            Originally posted by mrg666 View Post
            I would separate COSMIC here from the other "alternative" DEs as it comes with new and original aspects, Rust, a new toolkit, and supports Wayland from the ground up. The others are using existing toolkits and they don't bring much/any originality with them. I wish these smaller projects would have focused more on innovation instead of trying to present their simple and smaller codebase based on outdated concepts as if they are efficient.
            They are efficient for the people using them, and that is the only relevant thing.
            This is by far more important than your closed-minded vision towards them, or trolling attempt.

            Plus, what's innovation in a DE is very subjective.

            Comment

            • mrg666
              Senior Member
              • Mar 2023
              • 1100

              #7
              Originally posted by Mez' View Post
              They are efficient for the people using them, and that is the only relevant thing.
              This is by far more important than your closed-minded vision towards them, or trolling attempt.

              Plus, what's innovation in a DE is very subjective.
              There are metrics for efficiency and a dictionary meaning of innovation. And, there are thin-skinned people who can't tolerate the facts.

              Comment

              • lostfound9000
                Junior Member
                • Dec 2024
                • 4

                #8
                Originally posted by Mez' View Post
                Plus, what's innovation in a DE is very subjective.
                Micro$oft readily confirm this.

                Comment

                • Horgh
                  Junior Member
                  • Dec 2024
                  • 3

                  #9
                  Originally posted by mrg666 View Post
                  I would separate COSMIC here from the other "alternative" DEs as it comes with new and original aspects, Rust, a new toolkit, and supports Wayland from the ground up. The others are using existing toolkits and they don't bring much/any originality with them. I wish these smaller projects would have focused more on innovation instead of trying to present their simple and smaller codebase based on outdated concepts as if they are efficient.
                  "But it uses Rust" is not a justification for anything. It's a language, just like any other, with its benefits and drawbacks. COSMIC looks promising, but it's still Alpha, as is its toolkit. There are plenty of alternatives that "support Wayland from the ground up", like Hyprland. Is it for everyone? No. Is it impressive? Yes. Not everyone wants the bloat of a full blown DE.

                  Comment

                  • mmstick
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2012
                    • 1122

                    #10
                    Originally posted by mrg666 View Post
                    I would separate COSMIC here from the other "alternative" DEs as it comes with new and original aspects
                    People can implement new and original ideas on top of existing libraries and solutions. Though it's certainly a better idea to pick a tech stack that's more modular and flexible to those modifications. I'd hope that we see some new projects trying to innovate on top of the Smithay and COSMIC ecosystems. COSMIC is being designed to be used in this way after all. The compositor and shell are both hot swappable. So you can use the cosmic session on top of other Wayland compositors, and vice versa use other sessions on top of the cosmic compositor. Provided they support the layer-shell protocols.

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