A few questions about Arch

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-15 17:14:19

Thanks to you guys, I installed Arch Linux and got my ethernet working. I managed to get all my hardware working but I still have a few basic Linux questions.

1. How do I install software that isn't in the Arch repository. (IE Not with Pacman)
2. Is KDE OK to be using? Everyone that I've spoken to reccomends XFCE4 or Gnome.
3. Can you run xscreensaver on KDE? If so how?

Thanks in advance for any help you might give me again.

Mr Green · 2004-06-15 17:22:23

1) use a PKGBUILD take a look at wiki....

2) Yes KDE is ok. but use what you want ....

3) Yes you can use xscreensaver under KDE configure it from control panel in KDE..

HTH

Mr Green

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-15 17:28:16

3) Yes you can use xscreensaver under KDE configure it from control panel in KDE..

Can you explain where and how you would go about doing this?

I've looked around the control panel and didn't find anyway to do this.

Zephirias · 2004-06-15 17:33:07

Try right clicking on the desktop and the there should be an option saying something like "Configure Desktop", and you should see a screensaver tab somewhere in that window.

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-15 17:36:51

Yes, I figured that part out but I only see the default screensavers that loaded with KDE (Blank Screen, Tux, Slideshow...) Not any of the xscreensaver ones.

There seems to be no options to change the default daemon either? Am I stuck with kscreensaver?

lanrat · 2004-06-15 17:37:52

1. You can use abs to create an arch package yourself (if it's not in turs and incoming or PKGBUILD is not already published on the forums) - man makepkg and read wiki docs for more information. Generally if you can compile a package from the sources is should be easy to create PKGBUILD (this is one of the strongest advantages of arch! If you want to be a real archer you just have to try abs/makepkg 8)). If you really need some package that is not available with the sources then you have to follow it's installation instructions/scripts. It is possible (but not advised) to extract for example some rpm or deb package with binaries from other distro but you must know that many distros have different layouts of dirs (like they often use /usr/local) - you should really try to make a package from the sources or convince someone to do it for you :-) (in the new and requested packages forum).

2. AFAIK KDE is fine (sometimes it gives some trouble as any up-to-date programs but usually you can find help on the forums or arch's irc channel). XFCE4 is very lightweight (comparing to kde or gnome), fast and simple. It is a good desktop enviroment to start with. It's of course possible to install both kde/xfce4 and other des/wms and just test them all - this is the best way IMO

3. I'm not using kde and xscreensaver but how about using google to find out like this? http://www.google.com/search?q=kde+xscr … 8&oe=utf-8 or at least use search option in arch's forums ?

Mr Green · 2004-06-15 18:06:44

pacman -S xscreensaver

sorry :oops:

Mr Green....

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-16 16:57:56

Sorry to ask another question but I've serached through the entire wiki and tried google and I didn't find anything.

I've been running KDE/Gnome from my root account. I don't think this is a good idea becuase than I or someone else can access all of my assets. I can create a new user from the console and login but when I try startx or startkde from my user account it loads XServer than exits quickly before entering the window manager. I have added the exec startkde or exec gnome-session to the /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.

Dusty · 2004-06-16 17:11:31

Try putting the .xinitrc in your home directory...
are there any errors in /var/log/XFree86.*.log?

errors have lines beginning with EE.

Dusty

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-16 17:24:42

Yes, I tried putting the xinitrc file in my /home/user/ directory.

This is the exact text that it says:

hostname: unknown host

Xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/user/.Xauthority
Xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/user/.Xauthority
Xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/user/.Xauthority
...

In the log there is only this error:

(EE)unable to locate config file

mcubednyc · 2004-06-16 17:38:31

LinuxNewbie wrote:

Yes, I tried putting the xinitrc file in my /home/user/ directory.

I think it needs the preceding ".". That is, the file should be:

/home/user/.xinitrc

Also, make sure it is executable by the owner, and that your user is the owner.

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-17 20:13:29

I got it working last night. Both KDE and Gnome both work. After about 2 hours I figured out that my user couldn't access his own home account or the /etc/ directory which wasn't allowing it to boot. I'm quite sure why this was set up this way, but it works now. Thanks to all of you!

Dusty · 2004-06-17 21:31:15

LinuxNewbie wrote:

Both KDE and Gnome both work.

I think you'll go into the perfect user hall of fame for that one. Nobody ever manages to get both of them working!!!!

xerxes2 · 2004-06-17 21:35:33

he he I don't get any of them to work, that's why I use xfce4 instead

LinuxNewbie · 2004-06-18 13:59:44

xerxes2 wrote:

that's why I use xfce4 instead

XFCE4 seems to be pretty popular amongst the Arch Linux users, or so I've observed. Is this because its so fast?

I tried XFCE4 and XFCE3 but it seemed a little to "bare-bone" for me. Also the xffm browser had a strange interface, and coming from Windows Explorer I like a more iconographic interface verses a more hierichal tree based.

Dusty · 2004-06-18 15:11:18

LinuxNewbie wrote:

I tried XFCE4 and XFCE3 but it seemed a little to "bare-bone" for me.

Hehehe. Try ion! :twisted:

KDE and Gnome are both good for feeling comfortable coming from Windows. After a while, a lot of people start to find them inefficient and counter-productive, but that's no reason not to use them until you feel the same.

Dusty

Arch Linux

#1 2004-06-15 17:14:19

A few questions about Arch

#2 2004-06-15 17:22:23

Re: A few questions about Arch

#3 2004-06-15 17:28:16

Re: A few questions about Arch

#4 2004-06-15 17:33:07

Re: A few questions about Arch

#5 2004-06-15 17:36:51

Re: A few questions about Arch

#6 2004-06-15 17:37:52

Re: A few questions about Arch

#7 2004-06-15 18:06:44

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#8 2004-06-16 16:57:56

Re: A few questions about Arch

#9 2004-06-16 17:11:31

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Re: A few questions about Arch

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Re: A few questions about Arch

#15 2004-06-18 13:59:44

Re: A few questions about Arch

#16 2004-06-18 15:11:18

Re: A few questions about Arch

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