I would like to try to compare software in different desktops at the same time. Toward that goal, I tried to open graphics desktops in other ttys. Startx did not start successfully in an alternate tty. Threw many errors.
Is my idea of running multiple desktops simultaneously in different ttys not valid? Probable could do in multiple vms but setup seemed excessive.
thanks for any advice. Tom Kosvic
You cannot run several GUI sessions for the same user at the same time. It may work with some exotic display managers/desktop environments that do not support or refuse to support logind interface. But for mainstream ones it does not work.
You can run several GUI sessions as different users.
You do not tell from which "tty"s you tried that. But your desktop (in any case, KDE has it), you can from the main menu > Session choose Change User. It will offer you a login you a login screen from the next, new created logical console (so not on those already existing, when you present session is on 7, then t will be on 8).
Also, when the user locked her/his session, on the screen there is the possibility to start a new session, which the same result.
But some components may block the same user to log in more then one time at the same moment. Thus another user may be required.