Gentlemen,
K, it's time to leave Mint behind and get back to a more basic distro. Salix it will be.
BTW, this isn't really a 'problem' but there's no 'installation issues' subforum so I can't think of
a better place for it.
Any thoughts on which desktop to try? I use Xfce now and like it fine. Don't like KDE, too fat,
but other than that I'm open to suggestions. It would be cool if the download page had a nice doc
giving a brief intro to each of the desktops offered, and which version it is. If I don't hear back I'll just go
with Xfce, hope it's ver. 4.10.
Diving in. Which desktop?
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
This should had been posted in "Misc" then.rayandrews wrote:this isn't really a 'problem' but there's no 'installation issues' subforum so I can't think of a better place for it.
Salix follows Slackware, thus Xfce 4.10 will be included in the next Salix 14.0 Xfce edition (x32/x64). Salix 14.0 Xfce is currently in beta and it is being actively developed.I'll just gowith Xfce, hope it's ver. 4.10.
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Tim CowChip
- Posts: 304
- Joined: 27. May 2011, 03:35
- Location: Cascade Locks, OR
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
Razorqt is an advanced, easy-to-use, and fast desktop environment
based on Qt technologies. It has been tailored for users who value
simplicity, speed, and intuitive interface. Unlike desktop environments,
Razorqt also works fine with weak machines.
Razorqt does not include a window manager. While it can use fvwm2 or
kwin (included with Slackware), openbox is most often used by the
upstream developers (and the one found most appealing here), so it is
strongly recommended.
based on Qt technologies. It has been tailored for users who value
simplicity, speed, and intuitive interface. Unlike desktop environments,
Razorqt also works fine with weak machines.
Razorqt does not include a window manager. While it can use fvwm2 or
kwin (included with Slackware), openbox is most often used by the
upstream developers (and the one found most appealing here), so it is
strongly recommended.
Code: Select all
slapt-src -i razor-qt
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
You might want to have a look at Maté (the Gnome fork). It's suprisingly light. Otherwise I'd agree with your Xfce option. If you want something really light, there's Fluxbox or LXDE - or roll your own, as Tim CowChip suggests. But I take your question to be about Salix *editions*. For something completely different, consider Ratpoison 
That's what I use myself.
That's what I use myself.
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
You've liked Xfce so far? So why change it? You are already changing the distribution, so stay with a desktop you already know. Also you can install all other DEs without any problems afterwards.rayandrews wrote:I use Xfce now and like it fine. Don't like KDE, too fat,
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rayandrews
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 23. Jun 2012, 15:47
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
Thanks all.
Yes, once it is made clear that I can add other DEs latter, there's no need to worry about it at this point, so Xfce it shall be. I hear Fluxbox uses plain text config files (God only knows why Xfce uses XML), and ratpoison is tempting. Me, I hate mice, esp. when you hafta go from mouse to KB back and forth.
BTW, why no subforum for Salix converts/beginners? I'll be having probably the normal questions, and it would be good to have a focused forum to look for answers, both old and new.
Like:
After installation will it be possible to just import my home directory from my Mint install so as to grab all my personal stuff in one stroke? Or would that be too easy? And, pushing my luck, if I continue to use Mint for any length of time, would it be possible/advisable for the two distros to share a common /home partition so that, say, email remains common to both? I have no idea if this sort of scam is doable. I know about keeping /home on it's own partition, but not about sharing between distros.
That's the advice I needed to hearthenktor wrote: You've liked Xfce so far? So why change it? You are already changing the distribution, so stay with a desktop you already know. Also you can install all other DEs without any problems afterwards.
Yes, once it is made clear that I can add other DEs latter, there's no need to worry about it at this point, so Xfce it shall be. I hear Fluxbox uses plain text config files (God only knows why Xfce uses XML), and ratpoison is tempting. Me, I hate mice, esp. when you hafta go from mouse to KB back and forth.
BTW, why no subforum for Salix converts/beginners? I'll be having probably the normal questions, and it would be good to have a focused forum to look for answers, both old and new.
Like:
After installation will it be possible to just import my home directory from my Mint install so as to grab all my personal stuff in one stroke? Or would that be too easy? And, pushing my luck, if I continue to use Mint for any length of time, would it be possible/advisable for the two distros to share a common /home partition so that, say, email remains common to both? I have no idea if this sort of scam is doable. I know about keeping /home on it's own partition, but not about sharing between distros.
Re: Diving in. Which desktop?
That's not a beginner question. The trouble is with the config files. I think the simplest solution is to have a separate /home partition for each distro (but you can copy over some of the config files, such as firefox, that aren't distro-specific) and a common data partition, perhaps with symlinks from /home to directories there like Downloads. Your existing Mint install doubtless isn't set up like that, but you could mount Mint home as Salix data. In that case, you might not actually want to have a separate /home for Salix, but it doesn't hurt and may save work in some scenarios.
EDIT If you just want to copy stuff over, I think cp -r ~/* does it because it won't include any hidden files or directories. You might want to exclude Desktop, though. Back up the existing contents of the destination /home/[user] first and you can experiment (but make sure you *include* the hidden stuff in the backup). The other problem is permissions - should be fine of you use the same username, but if not you'll need to change them.
In short: you have to do it manually, but it isn't that hard. The scheme above is adapted from a serious Slacker whose name I forget who packages CAD stuff, among other things.
EDIT: here - http://blog.nielshorn.net/2009/05/on-pa ... ard-drive/
My guess is there isn't a Salix newbie board because the distro isn't big enough to need it. But I prefer it like that. All questions are serious, and no-one stops learning; on the other hand, even an absolute beginner needs to learn as soon as possible to take a proactive approach. This is a friendly forum and people tend not to get impatient.
EDIT If you just want to copy stuff over, I think cp -r ~/* does it because it won't include any hidden files or directories. You might want to exclude Desktop, though. Back up the existing contents of the destination /home/[user] first and you can experiment (but make sure you *include* the hidden stuff in the backup). The other problem is permissions - should be fine of you use the same username, but if not you'll need to change them.
In short: you have to do it manually, but it isn't that hard. The scheme above is adapted from a serious Slacker whose name I forget who packages CAD stuff, among other things.
EDIT: here - http://blog.nielshorn.net/2009/05/on-pa ... ard-drive/
My guess is there isn't a Salix newbie board because the distro isn't big enough to need it. But I prefer it like that. All questions are serious, and no-one stops learning; on the other hand, even an absolute beginner needs to learn as soon as possible to take a proactive approach. This is a friendly forum and people tend not to get impatient.