Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

jiewmeng · 2012-02-09 02:46:01

I am a Ubuntu user intending to switch over to ArchLinux. In Ubuntu, lightdm is used over gdm. But in the Arch docs for GNOME, https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GN … ning_GNOME, it says

For the best desktop integration, login manager GDM is recommended. Other login managers (a.k.a. display managers) such as SLiM can be used in place of GDM. Check out the wiki article on display managers to learn how desktop environments are started.

Is that still the case? Or should I use lightdm which is newer already. Is there a problem with "desktop integration" if I use LightDM?

allen875 · 2012-02-09 02:56:08

LightDM was built by Ubuntu to replace GDM, not sure as to the reasons why but it may have something to do with the Gnome3 build. I do know that you can't customize GDM easily anymore. As far as desktop integration issues there would be none using LightDM, you should know though that currently LightDM is only available thru the AUR and can't be installed using the standard pacman -S lightdm. Goto the AUR Wiki page and read up on how to install packages from there before you get deep into installing Arch since you wont have a GUI before that step, unless you plan to start gnome using the startx command. Hope that helps...

swanson · 2012-02-19 20:08:34

Check out Arch wiki; https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/LightDM

San2ban · 2012-02-20 12:46:34

I am using gdm and DE is gnome. Absolutely no issues

bwat47 · 2012-02-20 15:45:11

I don't see any reason to use lightdm over GDM if you are using gnome. They should both work fine, however. on my laptop I didn't find lightdm to load any faster than gdm.

quasifilmie · 2012-02-20 16:12:07

Upstream gnome wants users to use gdm as they develop for it use with gnome. As for ubuntu, with 12.04 I think all flavours will be using lightdm and gdm will stay 3.0 in the repos as there are incompatibiltiy issues with 3.2 etc. It is a shame that using ubuntu now means a half-baked gnome experience.

hadrons123 · 2012-02-20 16:22:50

jiewmeng wrote:

I am a Ubuntu user intending to switch over to ArchLinux. In Ubuntu, lightdm is used over gdm. But in the Arch docs for GNOME, https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GN … ning_GNOME, it says
For the best desktop integration, login manager GDM is recommended. Other login managers (a.k.a. display managers) such as SLiM can be used in place of GDM. Check out the wiki article on display managers to learn how desktop environments are started.
Is that still the case? Or should I use lightdm which is newer already. Is there a problem with "desktop integration" if I use LightDM?

Stock packages are generally considered better than AUR packages.But you are free to use whatever you want when you know what you are doing.
I have had issues with lightDM in the past and quit on it. I don't understand what lightDM brings that GDM doesn't?
I use LXDM and it has been pretty good all this time.

ewaller · 2012-02-20 17:23:43

jiewmeng,
Welcome to Arch. I think you will find that there is no single 'recommendation' on how to set up things. Arch is amazing diverse.
Install them both. Try one, then the other

BTW: Many of of prefer to not use a login manager at all (Let that one soak in for a second)

Diaz · 2012-02-20 18:01:08

hadrons123 wrote:

jiewmeng wrote:
I am a Ubuntu user intending to switch over to ArchLinux. In Ubuntu, lightdm is used over gdm. But in the Arch docs for GNOME, https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GN … ning_GNOME, it says
For the best desktop integration, login manager GDM is recommended. Other login managers (a.k.a. display managers) such as SLiM can be used in place of GDM. Check out the wiki article on display managers to learn how desktop environments are started.
Is that still the case? Or should I use lightdm which is newer already. Is there a problem with "desktop integration" if I use LightDM?
Stock packages are generally considered better than AUR packages.But you are free to use whatever you want when you know what you are doing.
I have had issues with lightDM in the past and quit on it. I don't understand what lightDM brings that GDM doesn't?
I use LXDM and it has been pretty good all this time.

I think what lightdm brings to the table is the easier way to create frontends so it can adapt better to different environments.
GDM is gtk only and has some hard depencies because of that but with lightdm you should be able to have a simpler core and a frontend with the technology you want, for example QT, QML, GTK, HTML, etc.

andesho91 · 2012-02-21 09:38:08

I've used GNOME3, XFCE and LXDE with SLiM, LXDM, kdm, gdm3 and no login manager and I think that they all work fine. Out of all of the login managers, gdm3 was the most tricky to work out how to configure for someone who is used to letting rip with gedit, but once I knew what to do, I really think that it doesn't matter as long as you don't feed them settings they're not designed for.

jiewmeng · 2012-02-27 14:28:36

What does it mean to have no login manager? How will I login?

quasifilmie wrote:

Upstream gnome wants users to use gdm as they develop for it use with gnome. As for ubuntu, with 12.04 I think all flavours will be using lightdm and gdm will stay 3.0 in the repos as there are incompatibiltiy issues with 3.2 etc. It is a shame that using ubuntu now means a half-baked gnome experience.

You mean `gdm` is incompatible with GNOME 3.2?

alphaniner · 2012-02-27 14:45:38

jiewmeng wrote:

What does it mean to have no login manager? How will I login?

Arch Linux 3.2.7-1-ARCH (tty3)

caddywhompus login: alphaniner
Password:
Last login Mon Feb 27 09:04:34 EST 2012 on tty2
alphaniner@caddywhompus:~$ startx

LLStarks · 2012-02-27 20:31:57

I have a hard time getting proper vblank unless I use gdm.

Blµb · 2012-02-27 21:02:08

Actually, lightdm is still far from finished. Eg it doesn't even handle PAM properly. (session code is run too early afaik, pam_cap is thus useless)...
just take a look at bugs.launchpad.net/lightdm
Many of the bugs listed there block me from using it. I had to install gdm on my ubuntu machine.

Specifically lightdm#881466 is my main problem.

Last edited by Blµb (2012-02-27 21:07:16)

swanson · 2012-02-28 08:48:38

The other day I got some semi infinite login loop with lightdm, couldn't find a solution. Luckily enough, slim was updated and alive again, so I went back to that. Happy days!

Padfoot · 2012-02-29 06:34:01

Quite simply, use gdm with gnome for the complete gnome experience/session compatibility/integration.

Use kdm for kde for similar reasons.

For other DE/WM environments, you have a choice of the 2 above or many others, including Slim, xdm, LightDM.

Personally, I use lightdm, as I use Xfce and dont want my system crowded with unnecessary gnome dependencies.

Cheers.

andesho91 · 2012-03-03 22:26:29

jiewmeng wrote:

You mean `gdm` is incompatible with GNOME 3.2?

I think that is only with Ubuntu, although I haven't tested this out yet. I am currently using gdm (3.2.1-1-1) with my arch system with the cinnamon overlay for GNOME3 and I haven't had any issues apart from those which I have caused.

If I get sufficiently bored, I will try out gdm on my Linux Mint Katya system and watch what happens and then report back here.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-02-09 02:46:01

Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#2 2012-02-09 02:56:08

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#3 2012-02-19 20:08:34

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#4 2012-02-20 12:46:34

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#5 2012-02-20 15:45:11

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#6 2012-02-20 16:12:07

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#7 2012-02-20 16:22:50

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#8 2012-02-20 17:23:43

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#9 2012-02-20 18:01:08

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#10 2012-02-21 09:38:08

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#11 2012-02-27 14:28:36

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#12 2012-02-27 14:45:38

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#13 2012-02-27 20:31:57

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#14 2012-02-27 21:02:08

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#15 2012-02-28 08:48:38

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#16 2012-02-29 06:34:01

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

#17 2012-03-03 22:26:29

Re: Is lightdm recommended over gdm now (used with GNOME3)

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