Which desktop environment do you suggest?

miggols99 · 2008-03-29 11:29:35

I wanted to install Mandriva on my family computer, but it didn't boot. I can't find any other rolling release KDE distros that work well so I came back to Arch (even though I didn't leave)...now I need to choose a desktop environment. Window managers are not user friendly so I won't choose them. I would use Xfce, but it doesn't have a login manager, and I don't want to install GDM. I want a decent login manager that looks good (no XDM) and supports a user list (but this isn't necessary). I'm not sure about SLiM...how easy is that to set up? I was thinking of installing e17 as well, as it includes Entrance, which I like. It also has quite a few of it's own apps, and looks good. How stable is it? I don't want to install Gnome because it is too slow, and I don't want to install KDE because when KDE 4.1 is released I will be installing it over the DE I will choose. KDEmod has bad 64bit support (I had a bad experience...) and KDE4 is too unstable on my desktop computer (even though I'm running it through the SVN repo on my laptop now. I like Intel hardware ). So I guess it's between Xfce and e17. Which one do you think would be best? (Yes I'm very picky )

Please no "try them all yourself" posts...It takes too long to download them.

Last edited by miggols99 (2008-03-29 11:31:15)

lman · 2008-03-29 11:48:50

Hi,

choose then xfce. I personally think, that e17 still lacks lot of features of a complete DE, so I will install it only for testing purposes. SLIM is quite easy to set up(use the wiki), but I don't know about anything like userlist in SLIM. BTW What's wrong with GDM?

Allan · 2008-03-29 11:54:46

Slim is very easy to setup and can look good. I quite like XFCE for a simple and lightweight desktop. I haven't tried e17 for ages so I can't comment on its current stability. I found it a bit incomplete last time... but it has probably improved substantially in the last year.

ekerazha · 2008-03-29 12:03:10

Xfce, however I'll switch from Xfce to GNOME asap. Xfce isn't much faster than GNOME anymore, but it is more bugged (well... 4.4.2 is a little better, 4.4.0 and 4.4.1 were very bugged), less complete, usually less customizable (why can't I set custom mount params for thunar-volman?) and less actively developed. For your family, I suggest GNOME.

dyscoria · 2008-03-29 12:04:12

I can vouch for xfce and slim. I use slim at the moment, and with the 'darch' theme in AUR, it looks awesome!

Back when I was still a bit of a newb, I was using xfce and I found it had a very easy to use/understand interface. It is also about as complete a desktop as you can get without being too bloated.

miggols99 · 2008-03-29 12:05:33

lman wrote:

Hi,
choose then xfce. I personally think, that e17 still lacks lot of features of a complete DE, so I will install it only for testing purposes. SLIM is quite easy to set up(use the wiki), but I don't know about anything like userlist in SLIM. BTW What's wrong with GDM?

GDM has too many Gnome dependencies..

@ekerazha: Is Xfce really that slow now? I though it "made everything go faster" ?

@all: Any screenshots of SLiM looking good?

dyscoria · 2008-03-29 12:11:03

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=43221

miggols99 · 2008-03-29 12:13:04

Mmm very nice! Last time I used SLiM it wasn't very good looking.

ekerazha · 2008-03-29 12:43:39

miggols99 wrote:

@ekerazha: Is Xfce really that slow now? I though it "made everything go faster" ?

In my opinion, last Xfce releases are a little bit slower than previous (4.2.x etc.), while GNOME is more optimized than before on every new release. Xfce still is a little faster than GNOME, however I think this difference doesn't compensate the superior completeness of GNOME.

Last edited by ekerazha (2008-03-30 11:57:57)

pressh · 2008-03-29 19:41:43

miggols99 wrote:

I was thinking of installing e17 as well, as it includes Entrance, which I like. It also has quite a few of it's own apps, and looks good. How stable is it?

E17 is stable for day to day use. I don't remember when I last had a non-recoverable crash with e17 so that should not be a problem. E17 is also a bit faster compared to xfce in my opinion and I like its interface more.

The e17 applications, apart from exhibit (image viewer), desktop modules and control center stuff are not very useful. You'd do best to use your favorite gtk/qt applications for those things.

E17 does not come with a systray, though you can prevent applications from being closed by accident and you can swallow specific applications in iiirk (so you can imitate a systray). Another possibility is using a third party application for they systray like trayer or stalonetray.

serrghi · 2008-03-29 19:55:45

of those two i would use xfce as i have no experience with e17. But i have to say this: openbox <3

miggols99 · 2008-03-29 21:09:41

pressh wrote:

miggols99 wrote:
I was thinking of installing e17 as well, as it includes Entrance, which I like. It also has quite a few of it's own apps, and looks good. How stable is it?
E17 is stable for day to day use. I don't remember when I last had a non-recoverable crash with e17 so that should not be a problem. E17 is also a bit faster compared to xfce in my opinion and I like its interface more.
The e17 applications, apart from exhibit (image viewer), desktop modules and control center stuff are not very useful. You'd do best to use your favorite gtk/qt applications for those things.
E17 does not come with a systray, though you can prevent applications from being closed by accident and you can swallow specific applications in iiirk (so you can imitate a systray). Another possibility is using a third party application for they systray like trayer or stalonetray.

The system tray throws me off a bit...personally I don't like the Xfce interface, e17 looks much nicer. Iiirk sounds good. How is the file manager? If it isn't that good I could use PCManFM, my favourite lightweight FM.

bgc1954 · 2008-03-29 21:18:40

miggols wrote:
Mmm very nice! Last time I used SLiM it wasn't very good looking.

Actually, Slim can look as good as you want. Just replace the /usr/share/slim/themes/default/background.jpg with one of your favorite pics renamed to background.jpg.

I'd also recommend E17 as I run it on two 32 bit comp's and a 64 bit with no problems. With all the development and pressh's updates, I've had a couple of minor visual glitches but nothing that has ever caused me operating problems. I also find it far more attractive than xfce4, imo.

Last edited by bgc1954 (2008-03-29 21:22:03)

iphitus · 2008-03-29 21:43:56

miggols99 wrote:

Please no "try them all yourself" posts...It takes too long to download them.

try them all yourself.

miggols99 · 2008-03-29 23:16:58

I've decided to go with installing...e17! Xfce doesn't seem so good anymore, and I'll be installing it either tomorrow or later in the week. I'll be posting screenshots of it on my blog

skottish · 2008-03-30 00:00:59

miggols99 wrote:

I've decided to go with installing...e17! Xfce doesn't seem so good anymore, and I'll be installing it either tomorrow or later in the week. I'll be posting screenshots of it on my blog

Sweet! Just find a new theme... FAST!!!!

http://www1.get-e.org/Themes/E17/
http://www.e17-stuff.org/index.php?xcontentmode=7000

Or try pressh theme (Kandy. It's posted at the second link). Or Detour. Or...

Last edited by skottish (2008-03-30 00:28:08)

schivmeister · 2008-03-30 07:00:45

yeah, e17 for president!

edit: hey this slim is nice

Last edited by schivmeister (2008-03-30 07:41:46)

SoftVision · 2008-03-30 08:41:33

I'd recommend xfce for a more complete DE. You'll be able to use some gtk2 themes and you'll have a very nice looking desktop as well. Its got inbuilt compositing as well so if you have a decent system you'll be able to enjoy transparency, etc without much/any performance loss. Since you don't want GDM, I'd say Slim. Just follow the instructions in the wiki entry and you'll have it up and running with themes also.

meinhimmel · 2008-03-30 08:45:02

xfce

praka123 · 2008-03-30 10:33:39

wait!..you said rolling release?
get ASAP gentoo(funtoo.org for portage snapshots and stage3 daily builds!) !

that way you'll get latest kde too!

Last edited by praka123 (2008-03-30 10:33:58)

miggols99 · 2008-03-30 11:45:45

praka123 wrote:

wait!..you said rolling release?
get ASAP gentoo(funtoo.org for portage snapshots and stage3 daily builds!) !
that way you'll get latest kde too!

I don't want to learn a new distro, and a day/night compiling or even a weekend won't work for me. I guess Arch is for me People still need to be able to use it

ph0tios · 2008-03-30 13:55:38

btw, does e17 still have that issue with its file manager?

skottish · 2008-03-30 16:21:38

ph0tios wrote:

btw, does e17 still have that issue with its file manager?

The devs at Enlightenment never answered the bug request. Whether it's still a problem I don't know:

http://bugzilla.enlightenment.org/show_bug.cgi?id=372

bgc1954 · 2008-03-30 17:12:06

Although I don't use xfce4, I do like thunar and there are lots of file managers around which will work in E17.

neowolf · 2008-03-30 17:57:41

iphitus wrote:

miggols99 wrote:
Please no "try them all yourself" posts...It takes too long to download them.
try them all yourself.

That really is the best answer whether it's appreciated or not. The only person that has to really like the DE you're using is yourself!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-03-29 11:29:35

Which desktop environment do you suggest?

#2 2008-03-29 11:48:50

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