How to switch from KDE to GNOME in openSUSE

openSUSE is a general purpose operating system built on top of the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported openSUSE Project and sponsored by SUSE and a number of other companies. After Novell acquired SUSE Linux in January 2004, Novell decided to release the SUSE Linux Professional product as a 100% open source project.

openSUSE by default installs KDE as desktop manager and in this post I am going to explain how you can switch the desktop manager from KDE to GNOME in openSUSE

Install GNOME:
open SUSE comes with KDE as default Desktop Manager and to use GNOME first we need to install the same.
1) To install GNOME open YasT Software Manager

2) Click on Views (Drop Down Menu) and click on Pattern.

3) Now you will see following screen (viewed by pattern); select GNOME Desktop Environment and Press Accept. Accept the licence and any other message.

Installation of GNOME will get started

Configure GNOME as Default Desktop Manager
1) After installation gets completed open YaST Control Center to set GNOME as Default Desktop Manager.

2) Go to System and from Right hand side panel click on “/etc/sysconfig Editor”

Following window will appear

3) Configure Display Manager: Expand Desktop and then Display Manager; now click on DISPLAYMANAGER under it and select “gdm” from the drop down menu.

4) Configure Windows Manager: Expand Window Manager and click on DEFAULT_WM. Now select gnome from the drop down list.

Press OK; a pop-up will appear asking for confirmation, press OK to continue.

Thats it, Logoff and login again.

About Milind Koyande

Milind Koyande is the Senior Research Engineer and his job is to work with new technologies, specially Cloud Computing / Virtualization Technology. His past projects include Government Sector initiatives, Backup and Disaster Recovery Solutions.

Tags: default desktop manager, desktop manager settings, gnome, install gnome on openSUSE, kde, opensuse, Switch KDE to GNOME, switch openSUSE desktop manager