History
Desktop Linux has long been touted by its users, vendors, and advocates as a more security-conscious, stable OS for the desktop computer

Advantages
The two most popular desktop managers are GNOME (Nautilus Window Manager) and KDE (Konqueror Window Manager). Other desktop environments include FVWM2 (Feline Virtual Window Manager), MWM (Motif Window Manager), and IceWM amongst others. The desktop environment looks different according to which window manager is used, and a number of options are available to customize these desktops according to a user's interest.

Desktops
Most Desktop Linux distributions are developed and deployed with an assortment of applications developed by third-party projects, such as KDE, GNOME, GIMP, Mozilla Firefox, and OpenOffice.org. This is to make sure that the user will be less prone to looking for basic applications which he/she may be lacking. Many programs that acomplish the same purpose as closed source couterparts exist. Through compatability layers such as Wine Windows and Mac applications can run.

Applications
In addition, with the development of Xgl and other hardware-accelerated user interface architectures, 3D environments have experienced greater demand from both potential and veteran Desktop Linux users. Beryl is the most common example of this.

3D user interfaces

Disadvantages
Desktop Linux has also been maligned for its lack of name-brand applications in comparison to its proprietary and closed source counterparts, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. In response, many open source programs comparable to or more capable than their counterparts. Desktop Linux advocates have blamed the more recognized application vendors, such as Adobe Systems, for their alleged shunning of Desktop Linux systems and users in favor of users of either Windows or Mac OS X.

Applications
The aforementioned 3D user interface environments also have come under scrutiny because of the usage of proprietary and closed-source drivers for the graphic cards, from Nvidia or ATI upon which the environments are dependent. In response, independent developers have reverse-engineered the drivers to write new free and open source drivers.
In addition, in 2006, freedesktop.org began a project called "Nouveau" in order to create free and open-source drivers for Nvidia cards.

Drivers

Main article: Linux Year of Desktop Linux

Beryl (window manager)
cairo
Compiz
Desktop Linux Consortium
Desktop Linux Summit
Desktop wars
KDE
GNOME
Xgl
IceWM
GNU