Default software
The default selection of apps is tailored for those who want to hone their programming skills. There’s Sonic Pi, Scratch 2, Minecraft, Sense HAT Emulator, Mathematica, Thonny, Greenfoot, Node-RED and Geany. For regular desktop use there’s the Chromium browser with the Flash plug-in, LibreOffice, Claws Mail and VNC Viewer.
Package management
To flesh out the installation, Raspbian uses the no-frills PiPackages app. Besides installing software, the app can also refresh repositories and you can use it to look for and install updates. While it isn’t the most attractive looking app store, PiPackages is functional and gets the job done.
Desktop and Usability
After years of sticking with LXDE, Raspbian now has a desktop environment of its own called PIXEL ( or ‘Pi Improved Xwindow Environment, Lightweight’ if you…