desktop environment, making KDE one of the most closely integrated and
consistent Linux desktops available.
FIGURE 7.1 The Kubuntu desktop.
Xfce and Xubuntu
Xfce is a lighter desktop environment that requires less memory and
processing power than either GNOME or KDE and is therefore often
suggested for use on older machines. It does not deserve to be relegated to
that role because it also works great on current hardware and is often a quality
choice for a different reason. Xfce has been developed using the traditional
UNIX philosophy of software: Do one thing, do it well, and play well with
others.
The parts of the Xfce desktop environment are modular; you can add or
remove bits at will and substitute other programs that perform the same
function. Everything created by or included in Xfce is expected to work
according to simple standards that allow other programs to interact with it
easily.
On one hand, this sometimes means that people look at Xfce and think it isn’t
as seamlessly integrated and smooth as the two main desktop environments.