On the other hand, I have a friend that's been using minimalist systems more and more, we talk a lot and he seems to have no problems with productivity, and maintaining/compensating doesn't take him much time.

> If you ask me, it pays to just learn to be flexible and learn to appreciate and work with the strengths of a software even if you don't like some aspects of it.

I want to be flexible in my work, but not with my tools. Having to be flexible with my tools means that I can never reach a level of mastery. I would be building my skills on shaky ground.

The bulk of my Linux experience has been with minimalist environments. These days, my attempts to use a desktop environment ends in frustration. Why? It is not as though there is anything wrong with the desktop environments. In fact, it's a bit refreshing to install a fresh system, tweak a few settings in the graphical settings managers, then get to work.

The reason for the minimalist approach simple enough, I am accustomed to to it. Experiences with desktop environments tend to start with the idyllic romantic honeymoon and end with the realization that, after the initial setup, I am not actually using it for anything aside from launching programs and managing windows. The bulk of my time is being spent in a handful of actual applications, so why would I want to put up with all of the additional clutter?