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Microsoft makes a point of stating that the Windows 8 Desktop is simply a normal application, unlike previous editions where it seemed to be welded to the OS. So, is there a reasonable way in which I can tell the system to load a different program to manage the desktop? I have in mind the version of Plasma-desktop from KDE for Windows.
David A. Cobb
Posted 2015-07-10T13:29:31.230
Reputation: 21
No, Windows is closed a source software, Linux is open source. – Moab – 2015-07-10T13:34:03.033
You've always been able to do this for quite a while, and people use this for kiosks and stuff. In previous versions, you changed a user's default shell. Not too sure about windows 8 – Journeyman Geek – 2015-07-10T13:56:58.173
People did develop alternative desktops for earlier versions of Windows. See, for example, DeZkTop - "DeZkTop is a program launcher, that is an application that starts other programs. ... DeZkTop does basically the same job as Program Manager, but it does it better and more conveniently. ... There are four ways that DeZkTop can run programs: 1) Floaters. DeZkTop allows you to create icons for applications that sit on the Windows desktop, and you simply click on the icon to run the program ..."
– RedGrittyBrick – 2015-07-10T13:57:42.200In Windows 8, the desktop is not simply a normal application, it's just "disguised" as one. In Windows 8.1 they abandoned that paradigm. – Josiah Keller – 2015-07-10T14:17:50.183
Yes, it can be done. It is explained on their faq page https://techbase.kde.org/Projects/KDE_on_Windows/FAQ#How_to_replace_windows_explorer_as_shell.3F
– c97 – 2015-07-10T13:56:14.403