I got used to XFCE, but, with my new awesome Tuxedo laptop, I got KDE as a DE for a stock OS, and I could say it feels much more complete. But the performance drops, when opening a terminal, for example.

For me, from most to least favorite, it goes:

Cinnamon

Mate

KDE

xfce

Bash-only; no GUI

doing my math homework by counting on my toes

Losing three fingers in a table saw accident

GNOME

Edit to add: I love the "one newline in the editor is no newlines in the published comment." The internet isn't getting worse by the minute at all.

Gnome. But I use 3 extensions (dash to dock, desktop icons and appindicators) and the adw-gtk3 theme so GTK3 apps looks the same as GTK4/libadwaita apps.

When I switched from Windows definitely Cinnamon but by now it's Gnome, it's a little odd at first but I absolutely love the workflow!

Nowadays KDE.

Ubuntu 23.04 and GNOME.

Gnome, KDE is also nice but the default doesn’t function in a way that makes sense to my brain anymore after using gnome

I’ve been using Debian with Cinnamon desktop for a while. I tried XFCE but it didn’t click and I really disliked how you added an app launcher to the dock. Cinnamon gets out of my and just works for the little that I need.

Started with GNOME, then once I got more comfortable I jumped ship to hyprland

KDE or cinnamon are probably the closest ones to windows if you're looking for familiarity but I think gnome/tiling wms improve on that

Hyprland and other tiling wms are great but only if you're the kind of person who likes to tinker and fiddle constantly

Gnome. On my laptop KDE and cinimon have given me a LOT of issues. I've had a lot of linux problems due to my hardware tho but finally found a fix and don't want to change

I'm now full time on sway

Productivity is through the roof!

plasma, xfce and sway/swayfx.

plasma and xfce are DEs, sway is a wlroots-based wayland compositor (tiling window manager).

Ubuntu's GNOME.

I'm currently using KDE Plasma with i3. I like it fine. I love i3, and KDE works to tie everything together and add consistency for theming. Previously I was using i3 on XFCE, that was easier to set up. Plasma tends to require special configuration to make it play nice with i3, but once you're over that hump it makes for a pretty decent combination.

I've used Dwm for a long time, then switched to awesome, for the easier configuration! Loved both, really can't stand a floating wm no more

Not technically a DE, but for productivity and full customization I use DWM (DWL is available for Wayland). It is super easy to use, keyboard centric and can be modified to behave exactly the way you want, as long as you patch it.

@governorkeagan Hyprland

Generally Plasma. I really like the look of Libadwaita applications, but the GNOME desktop is very much a "do it our way, or take a hike" - and some of the interactions that I've seen in the past between the GNOME group and others... well, lets just say whenever I see drama in the Linux community as of recently its always been either with GNOME or Wayland. That doesn't necessarily instill a lot of confidence in me using either of those.

@governorkeagan My preferred Desktop environment is Cinnamon. I used to prefer swaywm but it's not a complete DE.

GNOME 2. I tried 3 for a year or two and the task bar crashes or lack the very basic feature of swapping window position. It's an external plugin so I don't expect it to be fixed in any year soon. Then I realize GNOME 2 was perfect before they ruined it in 3 so now I've been on MATE desktop for 4 years now. I think the new team is too small to catch up on any modern changes (webp support is lacking, and no wayland) and nothing I could do can fix that (minor development work on build system, donation) but I'd still accept a perfect 2010 era desktop over 2023 desktop that doesn't feel right after a decade of development.

Gnome, but only with dash-to-panel. Otherwise XFCE.

I have used xfce and cinnamon without any problems, I think I like xfce a little more.

TDE. Does its job, doesn't mess with my workflow by changing stuff that worked perfectly well before, but still has plenty of built-in software and general stuff for the occasions that I need it. But then, I'm a weirdo by tech enthusiast standards.

Gnome. Mostly vanilla except for some extended tiling for when I need it. Also sped up animations.

I bind Activities to an extra mouse button. But I'm also comfortable without that.

I've used a lot of stuff over the years. Started with the kde 3 series. I just don't really want to do a lot of fiddling anymore, and find the default Gnome workflow to be a really good fit for me.

For VMs I use IceWM. I like MATE (Gnome 2.0 feel) for daily driving.

LXDE

I started with Zorin, then GNOME via Pop!OS, then KDE, vanilla GNOME, then KDE again.

Who knows cos they all have good features.

Started with XFCE but migrated away due to bugginess with my outdated system. Next was KDE. I was pleasantly surprised by how lightweight it ended up being after hearing otherwise. Now I'm on Sway, and it makes this old computer scream!