[sliverstorm]

I don't use Gnome anymore, but 9/10 Linux users I know use it (well, Gnome or KDE). That's not very dead.

[vacri]

Gnome3, or forks of Gnome2 like Mate?

[jpkeisala]

so, what do you use then?

[sliverstorm]

icewm, fluxbox, dwm. I prefer dwm, but fluxbox and icewm are more often available.