[orca-list] Different desktop environments

[Jason White <jason jasonjgw net>]

Richard <rickfunes yahoo com> wrote:
> Since XFCE was brought up, I don't have to do so again.  Is MATE the
> Gnome 2 Fork a viable alternative for accessibility?  Since it is
> included in Mint 12 as an option.  

Note that Linux Mint developers have recently announced a fork of Gnome-shell;
this is the practical consequence of their dissatisfaction with the Gnome 3
user interface.

There has always been a plurality of desktop environments and window managers
in the Linux/Unix world. Recent events have only intensified this trend (we
now have Ubuntu Unity, Gnome 3, and a fork of Gnome-shell, in addition to all
of the pre-existing desktops - Gnome 2, XFCE, LXCE, KDE, etc.).

We don't know which will thrive in the years to come.

This is the larger context in which accessibility-related efforts now operate.
It used to be the case that most popular distributions provided Gnome as the
default, but Ubuntu and Linux Mint are now shifting elsewhere. Distributions
are increasingly distinguishing themselves by which X11 desktop they offer as
default and most strongly support.

All of this is going to make accessibility even more interesting and
challenging in 2012.