Yes ... there's a reason (well, several) why I vastly prefer Xubuntu 12.04LTS over the other Ubuntu flavors.
The desktop is part of it, and the borked NVidia video in the main Ubuntu distro is another. XBMC 11 + ProjectM (OpenGL Milkdrop port) is damn near unusable in Ubuntu 12.04LTS for me wtih all of the latest patches ... in Xubuntu it flies.
The LXDE desktop on the Knoppix 6.7 LiveCD isn't bad, either. Those two are regulars on my normal emergency USB sticks along with a WinPE installation stolen from Hiren's Boot CD and a couple of Puppy variants (Lighthouse and Slacko normally). :-)
Oh, and a Mint image. :-) Three edits? How sad... :-)