How to install extra desktop environments in Ubuntu

Submitted by k4tz on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 13:00

Source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1329937

I see this question pop up all the time, so here's a tutorial.
Note that these packages should be possible to get through Synaptic or another package manager, but the terminal is used in this tutorial. To search in a package manager, when it says

Code:
sudo apt-get install [insert package here]

you would put everything after the word install into your package manager search box, in this case it would be [insert package here].

GNOME (recommended command)

Code:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

Alternate command to install GNOME

Code:
sudo apt-get install gnome

KDE (recommended command)

Code:
sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

Alternate command to install KDE

Code:
sudo apt-get install kde

XFCE (recommended command)

Code:
sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

Alternate command to install XFCE

Code:
sudo apt-get install xfce

LXDE
Currently, this is the command to use (read section for more details)

Code:
sudo apt-get install lxde

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubuntu - The reason I have linked to this article is because "Lubuntu" will supposedly one day supposed to become an official deriative. If anyone is interested to see if this will happen, attempt running

Code:
sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop

My guess is it will be by 10.04. If anyone is interested, you can try running the command just to see if anything is detected. So far, though, the output is

Code:
E: Couldn't find package lubuntu-desktop

We will probably have to wait for 10.04 for another oppurtunity for it to pop up, though. Then again, I still use Jaunty, so this command might work in Karmic. If it works for you, report back with what version you are using (you don't have to let me know what variant).

IceWM

Code:
sudo apt-get install icewm

JWM

Code:
sudo apt-get install jwm

How to open the terminal
GNOME
Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal

KDE
Note: It doesn't make a difference were whether you are using the Kick-Off or the classic style menu.
System - Konsole Terminal
Note2: If you find something that just says "Terminal" or just "Konsole" that will work too.

For other DE's, I need to be using them to tell you what to do. Let me know if you can't find your terminal, and I will help you.

If you want some information about the desktop environments before installation, please refer to these Wikipeida articles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XFCE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXDE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IceWM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JWM

If you feel clarification is needed, or if there's a DE you know of that I forgot, let me know.