Gnome answers Linux critics with 'big' vision plan

Hmmmm.

Time to move over to LEF5, which is a one-ups KDE4 in every regard.

Dino,

Why stop there I have already trialled MFG6. It's Mofo good.

If HAL is one better than IBM, you're going the wrong way. You need JCD3 and IBC2.

If you want to really change things up, try dumping X entirely and running MGR. The source code seems to still be available. The HOW-TO (http://tldp.org/HOWTO/archived/MGR-HOWTO/MGR-HOWTO-1.html) is dated 1995 though, so I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for getting it working. :)

jdixon -

Not to worry. The HOW-TO may be dated back in the stone ages of 1995, but the code itself is 1996 fresh.

I'll stick with my Fluxbox tyvm. winkey f for file manager (thunar) winkey t for terminal (eterm), a handful of aliases and a couple of scripts dropped into /usr/bin.

WTF is everyone talking about? LEF5? MFG6? Imlst.

I'm giving FVWM-Crystal an extended test run.

xfce4 user thought about joining the fight. Then realized the glitz and glamour should be left up to people with P4's and higher. :)

chalbersma: Have you considered Enlightenment? Both e16 and e17 have a solid base of code designed for un-optimized video cards and/or slow processors.

But if you'd really prefer XFCE4, the glitz and glamour are optional. That is, compositing can be turned off.

No mention of LXDE yet? It's a pretty nice DE.

I installed LXDE (using the package from the Canonical repositories) on top of the base system of Ubuntu 8.10 (no X) and it was very incomplete. For instance the default web browser didn't work and there was no xterm.

I wiped the system, installed the base system of Ubuntu 8.10 (Net install) and installed XFCE (using the xubuntu-desktop package) on top of that. Very responsive, and very complete. I can choose to use xterm or xfce4-terminal (depending on my mood and objective of the moment.) Firefox is there by default.

>> WTF is everyone talking about? LEF5? MFG6? Imlst.

Start with what you already know. HAL was IBM +1.

I +1 = H B +1 = A M +1 = L

Now apply the same logic to KDE4.

K +1 = L D +1 = E E +1 = F 4 +1 = 5

L +1 = M E +1 = F F +1 = G 5 +1 = 6

Then we go into reverse.

K -1 = J D -1 = C E -1 = D 4 -1 = 3

J -1 = I C -1 = B D -1 = C 3 -1 = 2

I believe the concept has now been tortured to death and beyond.

NoDough --

There is no horse so dead that it cannot withstand another beating. MPM

Neigh.

These are Desktop Managers. None are perfect, none evil. Everyone of them will get the job done. If it is Linux, it is Linux, good enough.

Things change, people cope.

"Beware of those things that begin and end in words."

@Darren the problem with the missing packages isnt the fault of LXDE, its a problem with the meta-package (i.e. package maintainer needs to be more observant). One of the problems inherent in the system, we expect the meta-packages to be complete and 100% every time, so when it isnt we dont blame the meta, we blame the package.

Ran into that problem several times, KDE for example in one distribution I have used. An X server is not part of the meta package nor a listed dependancy, so fat lot of good installing the KDE meta package will do for you. Thats not the only example, just the one that sticks in my head as a wtf moment.

@Darren: Also, LDXE is really, really new. Ubuntu 8.10 is based off Debian code circa April 2008, about a year old. You really should try LXDE on a more up-to-date distro like Debian Lenny or Ubuntu 9.04 beta.

Sander I have to go with you on this one. Now Knoppix was my first Linux Distro and I haven't tried it since 2005. For a lark, I downloaded the LDXE version and pumped the live cd into a Dell Optiplex G1. We're talking a PII 400 here folks with 256 meg of ram. Not only did it perform amazingly well, the 3d worked out of the box without a hitch or stutter. No lag whatsoever even on live cd. I have it installed now on that machine. It is one of my "museum display pieces" that I show people at shows. The only distro aside from Vector lite that has ran on it. Aside from being ancient, it is further crippled by the intel 828 chipset, a known problem child for our community.

h

You're not the first person who I hear raving about the new Knoppix with LXDE. I think I'm going to try it out for myself as well.