you want launchers instead of actually running
programs? in this age of SSDs and plenty of memory
i can tell you that i get done exactly what you want
with groups of programs running in each desired
desktop and it doesn't involve me having to wait
for anything to start or click on when i change
desktops...
if i don't change anything in most of the open
applications then it doesn't matter if i kill them
off by shutting down from a command line. next time
i boot the machine they're there waiting for me by
the time i sit down.
so to me you are making more work for yourself
having to click items open.
installing a completely different desktop just
because you don't like what is in the panel or on the
desktop (mate tweak will turn off all or some of the
desktop icons) for launchers strikes me as throwing
out the baby with the bathwater.
another option (of similar sillyness IMO) is to
set up a different user for each group of items you
want in the desktop and panel. it isn't too bad to
switch users and you can have your most common first
desktop/user logged in automatically when you boot
up. but, again, oy...
songbird