deskTOPia: The hsetroot and Esetroot Background Tools
BACKGROUND VIEW
Users who work long hours on a
desktop computer will appreciate
something eye-catching to relieve
the monotony. The hsetroot and
Esetroot tools offer you more than
an ordinary desktop.
Long gone, and rightfully so, are
the days when Windows experts
used to sell their users on wallpaper
stripping as a top secret tuning tip.
Modern computers have more than
enough memory for a desktop background.
And in contrast to Windows 95,
most window managers in the Linux
world can handle graphics in compressed
and thus smaller formats such
as PNG or JPG.
Desktop environments typically have a
preferences dialog where users can
select a wallpaper. More basic window
managers may expect you to store background
images in a specific directory, or
even to point to the image in a configuration
file. Command-line programs that
load a background image remove these
restrictions. In this month’s article, we
will be looking at two applications that
offer you more than just the ability to
paint a picture in the root window: Esetroot
[1] and hsetroot [2].
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.