Read on to see how the desktop environment contenders fared in this week's Readers' Choice Awards category.

Here's the breakdown (the contenders below were nominated by readers via Twitter):

• KDE: 35%
• GNOME: 20%
• Xfce: 15%
• Cinnamon: 11%
• MATE: 7%
• Other: 7%
• Unity: 3%
• LXQt: 1%

Thanks to its stability, performance, feature set and a loyal following, the K Desktop Environment (KDE) won Best Desktop Environment in this year's Linux Journal Readers' Choice Awards.

Linux Journal reader Larry Coombes says his vote was for KDE for a mass of reasons, including:

1) Totally configurable, which is ESSENTIAL for new users who want their Linux desktop configured to emulate the exact rendering of Windows (XP or 7) that they have worked on forever. Also, essential for when the new user turns to me and says, "Can Linux do XYZ?? Can I make it so...", with KDE, the answer is always "Yes", which is much better than explaining limitations of a desktop environment and trying to train someone, because then you hit "But I could always do this in Windows...".

2) I have tried other desktop environments, and none of them come close to KDE's keyboard-shortcut support, which is ESSENTIAL to my business. I teach young children, and I am jumping from app to app, file to file in chaos. With KDE, I can minimize touchpad operation and use a laptop as a proper, portable device. I have around 50 keyboard shortcuts to move my work forward—and to be able to use in taxis and trains!