Ways You Can Customise The Gnome Desktop.

If you have just started using the Gnome Desktop you may have noticed it is a bit different from the start menu of more simple Linux desktops such as Mate or Cinnamon. Also if like me you were a Windows 7 users before you switched to Linux you may be a bit put off by the start screen style start menu in Gnome. Some people have said it is like Windows 8 but although it looks a bit like that it is nothing like the horrible Metro start screen that was in Windows 8. I advise that you take the time to learn to use the start menu on Gnome. It has an excellent search feature and you can install MenuLibre or any one of the menu editors to edit the start menu and add items to it as well.

Debian 12 Bookworm With The Mate Desktop.

I have recently installed Debian 12 Bookworm with the Mate Desktop on my small laptop. Mate looks very much like Linux Mint Gnome use to be in the early years before Gnome changed from Gnome 2 to Gnome 3. Both Cinnamon and Mate desktops are actually based on Gnome. They are what I call alternative versions of Gnome and both will run all of the software from Gnome. Yet you still have the traditional Windows Style desktop.

Linux Mint 21.2 The With Trinity Desktop.

Here is a different kind of desktop. This is Trinity or TDE for short which is based on KDE 3 but updated to run all of the modern software. Trinity has it's own apps but will also run both QT, GTK that is Gnome and KDE Plasma software. Here is the TDE Desktop on Linux Mint 21.2.

Gnome Desktop On Debian 12 Bookworm.

 Here is Debian 12 Bookworm with the Gnome Desktop on my other laptop. There are many ways to customise Gnome as we can see here.

Gnome Flashback Desktop on Debian 12.

Here is Debian 12 with Gnome Flashback Desktop. This came with my Cinnamon Desktop install but Gnome Flashback can also be installed and run as the only desktop. 

Debian 12 With The Cinnamon Desktop.

 Here is Debian 12 Bookworm on which I have installed the Cinnamon Desktop.

The Debian version of Cinnamon is actually lighter than Linux Mint. Cinnamon is a good alternative for new users who are either trying Linux for the first time or looking for an alternative to Windows.

Gnome Flashback And Gnome Classic.

Both Gnome Flashback and Gnome Classic are what you get when you install Gnome Shell Extensions on Gnome. They are both desktops and Gnome Flashback can be run on it's own as the only desktop without Gnome. While Gnome Classic can't be. Here I take a look at both.

This is a good alternative for users coming from Windows who want a light desktop. Gnome Flashback is very light. It can run on laptops with low hardware.