# GNOME 340 Hacker News commenters recommended GNOME and 464 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 12 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 5 years (29 owners). **Verdict:** A consistent, modern Linux desktop with a fast keyboard-driven workflow and sensible defaults, though many say it removes features and needs extensions that break between releases. ## Why people recommend it - Efficient keyboard-centric workflow (5 comments): "Gnome is very keyboard centric. If you actually take the time to learn it without relying on your mouse for everything it's actually extremely efficient." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46025764)) "I actually think GNOME works best with the keyboard, they put a lot of effort into ensuring you can do everything without a mouse" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46617095)) "On Gnome, super let's you search for application launchers or click on windows immediately; works great for both." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49806347)) - Consistent, modern, cohesive design (4 comments): "GNOME is by and far imo the best DE on Linux when it comes to consistency and being the most accessible to non-technical users." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49803289)) "I switched to Gnome many years ago and even the newest windows and macos desktop feel old and non user-friendly in comparison." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46027887)) "Gnome 3 is one of the best things to happen to Linux on Desktop, and a salient example of actually modernizing the desktop." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49829844)) - Sensible defaults, little tweaking needed (5 comments): "it was still a huge improvement to remove all the "unbreak me" obvious preferences that only had one sensible answer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49179675)) "I do like Gnome, it's just enough window manager for me, I like the defaults and I like the touchpad gestures etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47887822)) "The fact it can't really be customized is a huge time saver, as I won't waste time making the colors just right." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50019357)) - Approachable for non-technical users (3 comments): "GNOME is by and far imo the best DE on Linux when it comes to consistency and being the most accessible to non-technical users." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49803289)) "It has all the things most people need: access to wifi/bluetooth/launcher/a file manager, apps for nearly everything, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45864293)) "Gnome has many many faults but it's probably the closest DE you're going to get to what Windows and MacOS have." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46589666)) ## What people warn about - Needs extensions that break often (6 comments): "It's a great desktop if you don't need to print anything or use an extension for more than a year or so before API changes break the extension." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46031911)) "installing the GNOME extensions that I need to make my desktop look like 99% of what I would it to look and behave" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47313500)) "I like GNOME for the most part. But I really dislike needing an extension to change the date away from US format." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46587456)) - Removes features and settings (5 comments): "one developer (with no training or experience in design) saying “I don’t personally consider this feature to be important, and so it’s gone.”" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46595773)) "In reality such features are often dropped, no settings in gnome-settings, and non default features are not tested in new builds." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46534814)) "It's been 7 years and counting since Gnome removed the ability to set the desktop background to a solid color using the GUI." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50127232)) - Dismissive, opinionated developers (5 comments): "any time you'd constructively criticize it on places like their Issue tracker or r/gnome, their defenders would come with pitchforks at you" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49328765)) "I don't like Gnome's high and mighty attitude either, especially because it chases people away from making bug reports or contributing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47285942)) "If nobody is assigned to GNOME bugs it's because developers were more interested in redesigning some app or rewriting some APIs than fixing bugs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46036554)) - Awkward dock and multi-monitor UI (4 comments): "I dislike Gnome on a pure desktop or non-touch laptop, in part because of UI decisions I think are meant to work better on a touchscreen" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46596768)) "My favorite part of GNOME is how the Windows 8 start screen wannabe truncates the names of apps, and provides absolutely no way to see their full name." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49803866)) "The dock is basically awful, because you can't read application or window titles, windows auto-stack and require extra hover and clicks" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49838527)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [KDE Plasma](https://hackerapproved.com/p/kde-plasma.md): 650 recommend - [Xfce](https://hackerapproved.com/p/xfce.md): 183 recommend - [COSMIC desktop](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cosmic-desktop-environment.md): 75 recommend - [Cinnamon desktop environment](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cinnamon.md): 57 recommend - [MATE Desktop](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mate-desktop.md): 29 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "GNOME", https://hackerapproved.com/p/gnome/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).