Xfce ... WOW!!!

inp3dance · 2011-05-04 22:35:05

pogeymanz wrote:

Why use cairo-compmgr? Xfce has its own compositor built in. Just go to the settings menu and find the "Window Manager Tweaks" control to turn it on. It's WAY smoother than cairo-compmgr or xcompmgr

I tried to make work the cairo-compmgr mosaic plugin ( something similar to compiz-expo, shows all windows in miniature), but I gave up.

splippity · 2011-05-05 00:57:43

I had a question. Im thinking of switching to xfce because my memory usage gets to be too much when I have all of my "usual" stuff open like playstation media server and ktorrent and jdownloader.... you get the idea (I know that java crap eats up memory like its going out of style)
anyway I like k3b a lot and know that I can use it with xfce or any other environment if I want to run the libs but as soon as I close k3b will it free up that memory when the libs arent needed anymore? Im sure if I use ktorrent it will share libs and need more memory but Im thinking of witching to deluge or something else.
Just dont want to switch to xfce and still use up the same amount of memory running a kde app that I only use once and a while.
thanks.

x33a · 2011-05-05 04:39:23

splippity wrote:

...
anyway I like k3b a lot and know that I can use it with xfce or any other environment if I want to run the libs but as soon as I close k3b will it free up that memory when the libs arent needed anymore?
...

No the kde libs aren't offloaded when you quit k3b. At least not all.

akb825 · 2011-05-05 04:58:23

Whether or not the libraries remain loaded after exiting the application depends on the kernel's caching behavior instead of the desktop environment. Also, any memory used by the kernel for caching is immediately available for use for any application that needs the memory. So while it may not be "free" in the sense that there's no useful data in it, it is still "free" in the sense that any application can use it when needed.

SanskritFritz · 2011-05-05 11:54:05

There is a difference between libs and daemons. When you start a kde app, it may start some kde daemons, which stay running even after you quit that particular app, dolphin for example.

inp3dance · 2011-05-05 17:08:02

splippity wrote:

I had a question. Im thinking of switching to xfce because my memory usage gets to be too much when I have all of my "usual" stuff open like playstation media server and ktorrent and jdownloader.... you get the idea (I know that java crap eats up memory like its going out of style)
anyway I like k3b a lot and know that I can use it with xfce or any other environment if I want to run the libs but as soon as I close k3b will it free up that memory when the libs arent needed anymore? Im sure if I use ktorrent it will share libs and need more memory but Im thinking of witching to deluge or something else.
Just dont want to switch to xfce and still use up the same amount of memory running a kde app that I only use once and a while.
thanks.

If you use ktorrent, the QT and KDE libs will be already in your memory because of ktorrent, so what is required by k3b in addition will be negligible.
What can I advise for you is to stick with the applications of one desktop environment, if U want to preserve memory. I mean if you use for example Nautilus as file manager, or Empathy for IM client, they load a lot off addition desktop related stuff because they are bound together. And it is more truth for the KDE apps, if you load something, it bring a lot of services and a lot of libs.
If you use KDE apps in Xfce you will preserve practically only the memory used by Plasma and KWin. For me, this amount of memory is around 250Mb. ( Xfce uses around 70-80, KDE around 300 - 350MB ). But you will also save cpu time too, and battery life.

And by the way, ktorrent is quite a memory eater if you have lot of torrents loaded. I used it for quite a long time, and sometimes I had even 100 torrents loaded, not all active, but ktorrent arrived to use 500-600Mb of memory.

I don't know about the other clients, because I don't download as much nowdays, try tixati http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=31587. I can tell it downloads fast, but I don't know how much memory it uses with lot of torrents.

I hope I helped you a bit.

akb825 · 2011-05-06 03:06:06

I use and have been happy with Transmission. (it's in extra as transmission-gtk)

splippity · 2011-05-06 17:49:34

inp3dance wrote:

If you use KDE apps in Xfce you will preserve practically only the memory used by Plasma and KWin. For me, this amount of memory is around 250Mb. ( Xfce uses around 70-80, KDE around 300 - 350MB ). But you will also save cpu time too, and battery life.
And by the way, ktorrent is quite a memory eater if you have lot of torrents loaded. I used it for quite a long time, and sometimes I had even 100 torrents loaded, not all active, but ktorrent arrived to use 500-600Mb of memory.
I don't know about the other clients, because I don't download as much nowdays, try tixati http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=31587. I can tell it downloads fast, but I don't know how much memory it uses with lot of torrents.
I hope I helped you a bit.

yeah I like deluge as well as ktorrent but might look into tixati.

The most used programs for me everyday are:
playstation media server (mediatomb crashes on me with a lot of files served)
ktorrent (I never have more then like 10 torrent open at one time)
skype
kjots (I do like tomboy though)
k3b
chromium
obviously dolphin but I like nautilus and probably would like PCManFM

so Im guessing I could easily trim down my memory usage by changing to xfce and maybe use alternatives like I mentioned. But still think k3b is the most well rounded burning utility.
The thing keeping me with k3b is the ability to verify my media when burned. I didnt see any options in brasero or grave digger last time I used them.

combuster · 2011-05-06 21:41:05

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ? Ie, when I start pidgin, icon in systray is starting to wobble (yeah, I know) and cpu usage is starting to go crazy for about a minute.

tlmiller · 2011-05-06 22:02:18

I've used XFCE before, and I will take it any day over Gnome, but I do prefer KDE. Considering my wimpiest system I own is a dual core 1.2 GHz (culv) C2D w/ 2 GB ram, KDE still runs fine on that system.

If XFCE was a bit easier IMO to make look nice (KDE IMO looks good out of the gate if you have 3d effects), I'd probably like it more. But I'm just too old to go through a lot to get it set up. Just my personal opinion, though.

Mountainjew · 2011-05-11 01:42:16

combuster wrote:

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ? Ie, when I start pidgin, icon in systray is starting to wobble (yeah, I know) and cpu usage is starting to go crazy for about a minute.

Yeah i have this. It only seems to happen when there are 4 or more icons up there. I tried hiding some, but when i click the arrow to unhide them, it starts wobbling and the cpu usage shoots through the roof. Gonna have to test this on my ubuntu partition too.

halfzware · 2011-05-12 17:14:36

How is 180mb used after login a good value, especially better then gnome(3).

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Thats about 120mb used with nice theme,nice icons, compositing, all the applets that i need (folders, mount applet if i plug in an usb device, network, audio, battery, very nice IM implementation) and of course the gnome-do like function of gnome-shell.
PLus iv got close buttons on the "exposee" thing, dynamic virtual desktop and a panel thing.

I dont want to say that xfce is bulky (its not!) but it all depends on the configuration and imo gnome3 is very lightweight too, i couldnt understand the people trashing their desktops with all the stuff gnome users got used to (and complained it wasnt there with gnome3^^).
To me gnome3 it was the step from windowsxp=>xfce=>gnome3 and im loving it so far.

My point is that gnome3 is as fast as xfce (i was flabbergasted with the recent mutter performance, i dont know when but the last time i tried this it was slow, now its faster then compiz!) and it has some nice features i wouldnt want to miss after i dunno a month using it 4hours a day.

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ?

check again with top, the system monitor itself is using a lot of cpu , this could explain the spikes.

Last edited by halfzware (2011-05-12 17:16:11)

Unia · 2011-05-12 17:35:36

halfzware wrote:

How is 180mb used after login a good value, especially better then gnome(3).
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/6975/screenshotqqd.th.png
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

That is XFCE4? If so, details please!

anonymous_user · 2011-05-12 17:40:33

Sorry to burst your bubble but Im pretty sure thats Gnome 3. halfzware is just trying to show how light-weight it can be.

halfzware · 2011-05-12 17:47:37

yes its gnome3 and yes i wanted to show how lightweight_most_DE can be, kde is good too...i hate to admit that cuz no matter how often i try i cant get along with kde*g*

Last edited by halfzware (2011-05-12 17:50:59)

Mountainjew · 2011-05-12 17:52:49

halfzware wrote:

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ?
check again with top, the system monitor itself is using a lot of cpu , this could explain the spikes.

Not if you don't use the xfce system monitor, so that doesn't explain it.

Unia · 2011-05-12 18:24:57

Ah I see now, I didn't quite understand your first sentence.

Soumyadeep · 2011-05-14 17:45:25

combuster wrote:

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ? Ie, when I start pidgin, icon in systray is starting to wobble (yeah, I know) and cpu usage is starting to go crazy for about a minute.

i am also facing this issue, it seems to happen if the panel height is too small. Try setting it above 24.

Soumyadeep · 2011-05-14 17:46:53

combuster wrote:

Does anyone else have weird spykes in cpu usage that is probably triggered by xfce-panel ? Ie, when I start pidgin, icon in systray is starting to wobble (yeah, I know) and cpu usage is starting to go crazy for about a minute.

i am also facing this issue, it seems to happen if the panel height is too small. Try setting it above 24.

combuster · 2011-05-14 19:42:04

I have to set it above 32px. I've already filed a bug report:

https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7593

This could be related to gtk theme engines or themes themselves, I was using graybird from git and had that problem and with several other themes, using Axiomd right now and no problems for now. I hate bugs that I can't pinpoint with 100% certainty Any help and observations are welcome.

Misfit138 · 2011-05-14 22:03:20

Xfce was my DE of choice for a few years. Slow development and bugs which never got fixed drove me away. Like it or not, big ol' KDE seems the most usable, consistent and actively developed DE nowadays.
But, I still have a soft spot in my heart for that little rat! I will always be a fan.

combuster · 2011-05-15 01:02:47

Yep, bugs are there (ie xkb-switcher plugin memory leak) but it looks like that response from devs aren't bad at all, compiled xkb-plugin from git today and problem solved. Regarding slow developement, give me a fast window manager, basic compositor, panel, few apps like file manager, a way to customize it to the bone - and me happy

disastrophe · 2011-05-16 15:29:41

The bugs in Xfce always seemed fairly trivial to me. Certainly no worse than some of the past gnome2 silliness I can recall. And once Thunar started using gvfs I really didn't have many complaints left at all.
With a large influx of new users and hopefully more dev love coupled with the Xfce team's (much better) attitude toward its users. I think they will end up filling gnome2's shoes much better than gnome or at least the potential certainly exists.

-edit: That is if the gtk shitstorm ever settles down (thanks gnome3!)

Last edited by disastrophe (2011-05-16 15:50:53)

Rasi · 2011-05-16 18:22:27

fukawi2 wrote:

Maybe I need to look closer... I couldn't find anything equivalent to the "Connect to Server..." dialog.

just enter the address in adressfield. e.g. "ssh://user@domain:port"

MurdersLastCrow · 2011-05-17 11:00:54

http://www.vuntz.net/journal/post/2011/ … ome-panel!

I think Gnome 3's Fallback has a good fighting chance at being as capable as Xfce4 with all the improvements they made to gnome-panel with Gnome 3. Even if they don't plan on supporting a lot of nice new features for gnome-panel, they gave it a good final swat for bugs and fixed up some long-annoying issues. I highly recommend reading that article to see what's changed and give it a shot- you may be surprised that you may wish to keep Gnome, after all. Gnome's fallback mode has always been a few megabytes lighter than Xfce on this machine, but YMMV.

Arch Linux

#26 2011-05-04 22:35:05

Re: Xfce ... WOW!!!

#27 2011-05-05 00:57:43

Re: Xfce ... WOW!!!

#28 2011-05-05 04:39:23

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#29 2011-05-05 04:58:23

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#30 2011-05-05 11:54:05

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#31 2011-05-05 17:08:02

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#32 2011-05-06 03:06:06

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#33 2011-05-06 17:49:34

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#34 2011-05-06 21:41:05

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#35 2011-05-06 22:02:18

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#36 2011-05-11 01:42:16

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#37 2011-05-12 17:14:36

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#38 2011-05-12 17:35:36

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#39 2011-05-12 17:40:33

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#40 2011-05-12 17:47:37

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#41 2011-05-12 17:52:49

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#42 2011-05-12 18:24:57

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#43 2011-05-14 17:45:25

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#44 2011-05-14 17:46:53

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#45 2011-05-14 19:42:04

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#46 2011-05-14 22:03:20

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#47 2011-05-15 01:02:47

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#48 2011-05-16 15:29:41

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#49 2011-05-16 18:22:27

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#50 2011-05-17 11:00:54

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