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edit approved Mar 28, 2014 at 16:39
Sk8erPeter
edit approved Mar 28, 2014 at 16:39
Sk8erPeter
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I've tested the best tools I've found with a) GNOME under Linux Mint installed; b) GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB; c) MATE under Linux Mint; d) LXDE under Lubuntu; e) JWM under Puppy Linux (JWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager). My results:

  1. GNOME under Linux Mint installed;
  2. GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB;
  3. MATE under Linux Mint;
  4. LXDE under Lubuntu;
  5. JWM under Puppy Linux (so-soJWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager) env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION=.

a)&b) DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome ; c) DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop ; d) DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (so-so) echo $GDMSESSION

a)&b) gnome ; c) (nothing) ; d) Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (well, but not perfect) pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" or ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

a)&b) (OK) ; c) (OK) ; d) (WRONG) ; e) (nothing) & (OK)

  1. (very well, but not perfect) HardInfo

a) (nothing) ; b) GNOME 2.32.0 ; c) MATE ; d) LXDE (Lubuntu) ; e) Unknown (Window ManagerMy results: JWM)

  1. (so-so)
    env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION=

    1. DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome
    2. DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome
    3. DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop
    4. DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu
    5. (nothing)

  2. (so-so)
    echo $GDMSESSION

    1. gnome
    2. gnome
    3. (nothing)
    4. Lubuntu
    5. (nothing)

  3. (well, but not perfect)
    pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"
    ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

    1. (OK)
    2. (OK)
    3. (OK)
    4. (WRONG)
    5. (nothing) & (OK)

  4. (very well, but not perfect)
    HardInfo

    1. (nothing);
    2. GNOME 2.32.0
    3. MATE
    4. LXDE (Lubuntu)
    5. Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)

CONCLUSION: A combination of HardInfo and the command ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

probably will give the desired answer.

I've tested the best tools I've found with a) GNOME under Linux Mint installed; b) GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB; c) MATE under Linux Mint; d) LXDE under Lubuntu; e) JWM under Puppy Linux (JWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager). My results:

  1. (so-so) env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION=

a)&b) DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome ; c) DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop ; d) DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (so-so) echo $GDMSESSION

a)&b) gnome ; c) (nothing) ; d) Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (well, but not perfect) pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" or ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

a)&b) (OK) ; c) (OK) ; d) (WRONG) ; e) (nothing) & (OK)

  1. (very well, but not perfect) HardInfo

a) (nothing) ; b) GNOME 2.32.0 ; c) MATE ; d) LXDE (Lubuntu) ; e) Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)

CONCLUSION: A combination of HardInfo and the command ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" probably will give the desired answer.

I've tested the best tools I've found with

  1. GNOME under Linux Mint installed;
  2. GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB;
  3. MATE under Linux Mint;
  4. LXDE under Lubuntu;
  5. JWM under Puppy Linux (JWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager).

My results:

  1. (so-so)
    env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION=

    1. DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome
    2. DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome
    3. DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop
    4. DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu
    5. (nothing)

  2. (so-so)
    echo $GDMSESSION

    1. gnome
    2. gnome
    3. (nothing)
    4. Lubuntu
    5. (nothing)

  3. (well, but not perfect)
    pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"
    ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

    1. (OK)
    2. (OK)
    3. (OK)
    4. (WRONG)
    5. (nothing) & (OK)

  4. (very well, but not perfect)
    HardInfo

    1. (nothing);
    2. GNOME 2.32.0
    3. MATE
    4. LXDE (Lubuntu)
    5. Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)

CONCLUSION: A combination of HardInfo and the command

ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

probably will give the desired answer.

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Madiue
Madiue
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I've tested the best tools I've found with a) GNOME under Linux Mint installed; b) GNOME under Linux Mint Live USB; c) MATE under Linux Mint; d) LXDE under Lubuntu; e) JWM under Puppy Linux (JWM is not a desktop environment but a stacking window manager). My results:

  1. (so-so) env | grep DESKTOP_SESSION=

a)&b) DESKTOP_SESSION=gnome ; c) DESKTOP_SESSION=default.desktop ; d) DESKTOP_SESSION=Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (so-so) echo $GDMSESSION

a)&b) gnome ; c) (nothing) ; d) Lubuntu ; e) (nothing)

  1. (well, but not perfect) pgrep -l "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" or ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm"

a)&b) (OK) ; c) (OK) ; d) (WRONG) ; e) (nothing) & (OK)

  1. (very well, but not perfect) HardInfo

a) (nothing) ; b) GNOME 2.32.0 ; c) MATE ; d) LXDE (Lubuntu) ; e) Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)

CONCLUSION: A combination of HardInfo and the command ps -A | egrep -i "gnome|kde|mate|cinnamon|lxde|xfce|jwm" probably will give the desired answer.