Forking DEs

[Z-Xylon]

Hi all.

I have been using Mint for about a year now, and I love it, it's amazing and perfect for someone who just wants to get the job done.

I want to know how people fork Desktop Environments on Linux. Do they just modify the source code? What was the process behind the making of Cinnamon?
Also, I am very good in C++, so how hard and educating would it be for me to fork something like KDE?

Thanks in advance.

[Catbuntu]

I don't know how much about how did they do Cinnamon or MATE, but I guess that the forking process was basically compiling GNOME and then just customize and tweak it, for finally package it and create a PPA.
But I don't know, I just guessed it

[Z-Xylon]

That's what I thought happened, so I downloaded the KDE source...and arrgghh! It's so confusing! There are so many folders all over the place and you don't really know what does what unless you study it for a while...

I guess forking is going to be long and hard...and fun.

[xenopeek]

Instead of creating a new DE, how about contributing to an existing one? KDE or perhaps Razor-Qt.

[zerozero]

KDE or perhaps Razor-Qt.

now that would be a great idea razor-qt needs some love (it's an interesting DE already)

[Z-Xylon]

Instead of creating a new DE, how about contributing to an existing one?

Because it's much more fun to create your own. And it gives you exp points in life. And it's more rewarding.
And it gives you bragging rights.