differences in linux "class" versions?

[fallen1011]

ive searched online trying to find out more about KDE, LXDE, XFCE. from what keeps coming across online, is more a definition and background more so not what i was wanting to know.

from what i personally know, which could be wrong, and correct me if i am. from left to right in the versions i listed, are for a more lightweight faster version for older pc's or any for someone looking for some graphics but want more speed. but what i am wondering, say user "A" is on regular maya, and user "B" is on lxde or kde, etc. do they get the same repos and more? because i was wondering why do they get different software?

if a user switches to one of these 3 versions do they loose things like certain capabilities you could do in a regular version and you cant do that in say kde? what are the disadvantages?

[exploder]

All Mint releases regardless of the desktop environment used have the same level of functionality, all editions go through the same testing process. Light editions generally come with lighter applications unless too much functionality would be lost. Firefox is a good example, there are lighter web browsers but Firefox has the best level of functionality, so Firefox is available out of the box in all of our releases.

Things like multimedia players vary in each edition but all of the various releases are capable of playing the same supported types of media.

[AlbertP]

The software available in the repository is the same - the collection of software installed by default is different. Desktops may have features which other desktops lack, but generally any program can run on any Mint version.

Programs written for another desktop can still be run, but will require downloading some components from that desktop. This is mainly the case for KDE.