Can I switch between desktop environments using terminal?

Question

I've installed GNOME desktop on Kubuntu 12.04. But my speed of clicking take me to select Gnome as default desktop. Is there a way to switch from Gnome to KDE using terminal. I tried to Google it but nothing helped me to resolve my problem.

Solution 1

In 12.04, if you install a new desktop environment via terminal: e.g.

sudo apt-get install xfce4

During the installation the display manager pops up stating that you have more than one desktop environment but that you can only run one. It then asks you to select a default, so there's your opportunity.

I can't find a way to do it without having to install a new desktop...

Solution 2

no, you log out and at the log in screen select KDE (or whatever you prefer). The log in manager will then keep your new selection as default.

Comments

[atenz]

Actually it is not a problem more like a customization Feature :)

[Eliah Kagan]

This will just switch between different GNOME-based interfaces; this will not work nearly as well to switch between, for example, GNOME and KDE, since it's not just the shell (gnome-shell or unity in GNOME) that needs to be replaced by different interface components.

[dr_faulk]

Background: I was running Ubuntu 11, and had swapped from Unity to Gnome. While upgrading to 12.04, I noticed it mentioned a few things like deprecating Gnome packages, and I didn't pay much more attention. After the upgrade, it booted into a borked Gnome environment which barely function. Had to use Terminal to do the above. So perhaps a word of warning to anyone: upgrade Ubuntu while using Unity, in case it dumps a desktop environment in the process!