Arch Linux

bobadigo

Member

Registered: 2016-09-17

Posts: 34

[SOLVED] Changing Desktop Environment

Good morning.
After just 3 days of using, GNOME slowed down (not too much, but a bit) and I am not liking it at all. So, I'm planning to change DE again.
I already know that them are just packages, but.. Will GNOME let any trace on system? What about cache, extensions, themes and directory? Is it better to clean install arch again?

Last edited by bobadigo (2016-09-23 19:43:55)

dockland

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2015-06-06

Posts: 861

Re: [SOLVED] Changing Desktop Environment

I did a CTRL + F2 at login-screen and logged in as root, did a pacman -Runs gnome gnome-extras, and installed Xfce4 a couple of months back

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I possess a device, in my pocket, that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man.
I use it to look at funny pictures of cats and to argue with strangers.

ayekat

Member

Registered: 2011-01-17

Posts: 1,590

Re: [SOLVED] Changing Desktop Environment

Will GNOME let any trace on system? What about cache, extensions, themes and directory? Is it better to clean install arch again?

If you pass at least the `-n` option to pacman -R, it won't keep any config files (the ones marked in the `backup` array in the PKGBUILD) on the system.

On the other hand, user-specific config/dotfiles (e.g. in ~/.config and ~/.cache, or simply directly in your homedir) are not removed by pacman, so they remain. But there should be no harm in keeping them (if they really annoy you, you could skim through the dotfiles, determine which application they belong to, and remove/keep them based on that - it's a fun exercice).

As for reinstalling Arch: Don't. That's a Windows attitude. If there is an (concrete) issue, try to solve that, if there is any.
But don't just blow up things based on subjective impressions like "it slowed down a bit"; that's just lazy, there's more work, and you miss the chance to learn something new.

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pkgs │ hacks │ cfg │ blag

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,534

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Changing Desktop Environment

Will GNOME let any trace on system?

Yes.  The amount left behind depends on how you remove it.  Use `pacman -Rns` for best results.  This will still leave config/cache files in your home directory as pacman will never touch that.  Just go through ~/.{config,local,cache} and clean out anything you no longer need - this is a good habbit in general.  You might also check for any top level hidden directories in your home folder with a gnomish name and check out what they are.

EDIT: too slow - but I clearly second the above post.

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"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

bobadigo

Member

Registered: 2016-09-17

Posts: 34

Re: [SOLVED] Changing Desktop Environment

Thanks to all!
So I just deleted all GNOME, and installed KDE again..

Last edited by bobadigo (2016-09-23 19:43:44)