Recently I was checking out the latest openSUSE 11.4 distribution, which uses the KDE desktop environment by default. This is a very modern, very nice looking way to compute, no question. However there are two other environments openSUSE has installed by default, IceWM and twm, both of which are the absolute definition of a minimalist Spartan desktop environment. In other words, ugly.

Below is a video of me using IceWM and twm in openSUSE, but before you watch that, here’s my take on ugly desktop environments:

All modern desktops regardless of platform be it Windows, Mac or Linux have a lot of glitz in them. Windows was in fact the last to get the glitz with Aero that started in Vista. Mac has had its Aqua for a long time and Linux has its various iterations of glitz with Compiz (formerly Beryl), the modern KDE, Unity and so on.

My point is that no matter what you use, the glitz is there.

The two desktop environments that are the easiest to "de-glitz" are Windows and Linux. With a Mac it’s not easy. Do-able, but not easy (and if you’re a Mac user reading this saying, "Why would I want to do that?", you’re missing the point).

In Windows, the Classic theme is still there, even in 7. In Linux, the easiest thing to do is just use another window manager as you’ll see below.

Remember: It’s not a sin for your desktop to look ‘computery’

If you can deal with a de-glitzed square-edged desktop environment, the first thing you’ll notice is things draw on screen much quicker. In some instances, ridiculously quicker. Then you’ll notice is dragging and dropping windows is suddenly a whole lot easier. Then you realize how all that crap running before just for looks was indeed all crap, because after all, if all you’re doing is browsing web pages most of the time, who cares what the window dressing is as long as it’s functional?

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