Linux Mint 13: MATE or XFCE Or KDE (dpi)?
 

I need adjustable dpi, compiz (for changing the darkness of individual windows, and for zooming), dual monitors (twinview), and dark themes.

Which one would be the best?

Do gnome themes work on MATE?

You can use compiz in MATE. See this - http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/919. I suspect gnome themes will work in MATE - but I am not sure nor have I tried.

You can choose one desktop environment and install another. For example, you can choose MATE and install KDE as it should be available in the repositories. I don't use Mint, but I do use Ubuntu and I have installed KDE, Gnome 3, Unity, and XFCE. I simply choose the desktop environment that I want at the login screen. I like changing between desktop environments as my mood changes.

What I am trying to say is whatever you choose you can't go wrong since you can install the other because you can have multiple desktop environments.

jk07,
Is there absolutely any possibility of trouble/problems when it comes to loading updates, upgrading from one version to another using the distro supplied tools (ex: LinuxMint software Manager/Update Manager), or getting security patches/updates? What about themes, icons, fonts, and config. files? Could installing the additional desktop environments cause any conflicts (including the miniscule type), or config. file pollution/contamination? What about terminal settings and environment variables? What about default application settings (Chrome as default browser in KDE and Firefox as default browser in Gnome3 Shell)?

If I start with Linux Mint 13 Mate 64bit which is based on gtk2 and then install the latest XFCE 4.10 (gtk2 based), and then Cinnamon desktop 1.4 (based on gtk3):
- and install a gtk2 theme while logged into Mate will this cause trouble for Cinnamon?
- and install a gtk3 theme while logged into Cinnamon will this cause trouble for XFCE/Mate?
- modify icons with the Any Color You Like (ACYL) tool, while in Cinnamon, how will this effect XFCE/Mate? How about the reverse... use ACYL from XFCE and relog. to Cinnamon?

If it seems like I'm coming off as a paranoid noob, that would be correct interpretation. Here is why...

I installed several Linux Mint and Ubuntu editions into separate partitions, but used a single partition for /home. I mistakenly used the same user name "ghoul" during each install. I logged into the user account after each install, rebooted and performed the next install. There was only 1 home folder and each install altered or over-wrote the config files from the prior install.

Doh!!!

Logging into Ubuntu 12.04 and then rebooting/logging in to Mate 64bit, and then back to Ubuntu, created very strange behavior and desktop settings. I initially thought something was wrong with the distros and then it hit me when my Mate wallpaper showed up when I logged into Ubuntu, and some of my Ubuntu settings effected my Cinnamon environment. Oh well, laugh it up... Le format, Le re-install...

Now I have /ghoul-ubutun1204, /ghoul-lm1364mate, /ghoul-lm1364cinnamon, /ghoul-lm1364xfce under /home. I realize that I created the problem when I used the same user name, but the resulting strange behavior from config. file contamination illustrates why I'm cautious. I'm sure you guys got a little comic relief at the expense of my newbie mistake.