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#1 2008-08-22 22:21:41
- dhave
- Arch Linux f@h Team Member
- From: Outside the matrix.
- Registered: 2005-05-15
- Posts: 1,112
Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
I've never been a Gnome user and don't really plan to become one, but I would like to install Gnome -- or enough of Gnome as is necessary -- to try out how Metacity handles current-generation 3d effects. I need a little advice, though:
(1) Can I try Metacity without going whole-hog with Gnome? Or is it part-and-parcel of Gnome?
(2) If I do install Gnome, how complex is it to uninstall everything later? Is pacman -R enough to do the job? I know, of course, that I can simply leave Gnome installed and chose not to use it, but I'll be wanting to get rid of Gnome and everything Gnomish after my trial -- unless I'm just blown away, which is always possible.
I currently have KDE4.1 and Xfce4 installed, and I don't plan to remove them.
Thanks.
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#2 2008-08-22 22:29:26
- finferflu
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- From: Manchester, UK
- Registered: 2007-06-21
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Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
(1) Metacity is the Gnome default Window Manager, and it has Gnome dependencies.
(2) pacman -Rcns gnome should do it 
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#3 2008-08-22 23:13:16
- dhave
- Arch Linux f@h Team Member
- From: Outside the matrix.
- Registered: 2005-05-15
- Posts: 1,112
Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
(1) Metacity is the Gnome default Window Manager, and it has Gnome dependencies.
(2) pacman -Rcns gnome should do it
Thank you, finferflu. I think I'll take the plunge.
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#4 2008-08-22 23:53:18
- ssjlance
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- Registered: 2008-08-20
- Posts: 9
Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
In my case, pacman -Rc gnome worked for removing it.
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#5 2008-08-23 00:03:18
- dhave
- Arch Linux f@h Team Member
- From: Outside the matrix.
- Registered: 2005-05-15
- Posts: 1,112
Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
Well, I'll say this much for Arch. You can get Gnome up and running in under five minutes, if you have a reasonably fast internet connection (I needed 40+ packages).
As far as the Gnome/Metacity compositing effects go: they're, shall we say, understated by by comparison with KDE4/Kwin and Compiz-Fusion. Nice shadows along window edges, a generally more lush appearance than vanilla Gnome and perhaps than KDE4.1, plus some very basic Alt-Tab window switching with a little transparency. That's all I've discovered thus far.
Either they're aiming at a different target -- i.e., trying to be light on resources while intentionally downplaying the razzamatazz that you can get with Compiz and Kwin -- or they're just behind in their development. Since I have the choice of Compiz and Kwin, I really don't mind if Gnome moves along a different path. But then I don't know a thing about the Gnome roadmap for special desktop effects and haven't yet attempted to find out.
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#6 2008-08-23 18:03:30
- freakcode
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- From: São Paulo - Brazil
- Registered: 2007-11-03
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Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
You should use metacity from SVN, metacity on repos is fairly outdated.
And yes, metacity just enabled compositing for simple effects and for enabling use of RGBA windows. Anything fancier would go off metacity.
Last edited by freakcode (2008-08-23 18:05:34)
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#7 2008-08-23 18:38:01
- dhave
- Arch Linux f@h Team Member
- From: Outside the matrix.
- Registered: 2005-05-15
- Posts: 1,112
Re: Getting into -- and out of -- Gnome
You should use metacity from SVN, metacity on repos is fairly outdated.
And yes, metacity just enabled compositing for simple effects and for enabling use of RGBA windows. Anything fancier would go off metacity.
So what are most Gnome people using if they want fancy effect? Replacing Metacity with Compiz?
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