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Preface
The Linux desktop has come a long way. I know. I’ve been using Linux as
my default desktop work environment for so long I feel like I’ve experienced
almost the entire evolution of the Linux desktop firsthand. I’m guessing it
was sometime shortly after 1995 when I started using Linux on the desktop
for more than 90% of my work. Linux not only outperformed Windows 95
on my Everex 486 DX2-66, but it also spared me the three Rs that plagued
every version of Windows: Reboot, Reformat, and Reinstall. I never had to
reboot or reinstall anything to solve a Linux problem. That was enough to
solidify my determination to use Linux in spite of its aesthetic flaws.
On the down side, I had to tolerate very spotty hardware support, especially
for display and sound cards. Once I had a graphical desktop running, the
fonts were hideous. To its credit, Linux let me choose from dozens of win-
dow managers. Unfortunately, only a few of them ran reliably, and the user
interface on most of them made little sense to someone like me, who was
used to OS/2 and Windows. On the other hand, I was immediately spoiled
by the fact that almost all Linux window managers let you switch between
virtual desktops instantaneously (virtual desktops are separate, distinct
desktop workspaces). Windows-based attempts at mimicking this feature
were pitiful by comparison. Only a small number of productivity applica-
tions were ...