Does XFCE really work? - Page 5

RupertPupkin · #61 29th June 2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikee

If you want lightweight, you could always install good ole TWM.

Even better, I use WIndow Maker.

I think smr54 commented elsewhere that he actually found twm to be slower than other lightweight window managers, and on my F17 systems I've noticed that too. If I wanted to use a twm-inspired window manager with virtual desktop support I'd go with fvwm; it does seem faster than twm.

tashirosgt · #62 29th June 2012, 03:07 PM

Managers, managers - how many manager's does a man need?

It would be interesting to know the division of labor between gdm, gnome-session, xfwm4,xfdesktop,xfce4-panel. (All of these are present in the Fedora XFCE spin.)

I gather that a user needs 1) A display manager , 2) A window manager, 3) A desktop - or is there a "desktop manager" too? I understand that a user's desktop has "sessions". (Is there is a "session manager"?)

Do the window manager and display manager also need to have "sessions"? If I'm using the Xfce desktop, why does my /var/log/messages need to be spammed by debug output from gnome-session?

mikee · #63 29th June 2012, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RupertPupkin

Even better, I use WIndow Maker.

I think smr54 commented elsewhere that he actually found twm to be slower than other lightweight window managers, and on my F17 systems I've noticed that too. If I wanted to use a twm-inspired window manager with virtual desktop support I'd go with fvwm; it does seem faster than twm.

Wow, I used to use that too.
fvwm95, in fact!

sea · #64 29th June 2012, 03:38 PM

XFCE is based upon Gnome.
This means, you'll need ALOT of gnome things, hence so many gnome issues with xfce.

Thats the reason why many switch to either KDE (the bling bling ones), or LXDE (the minimalistic ones).

---------- Post added at 02:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:38 PM ----------

XFCE is based upon Gnome.
This means, you'll need ALOT of gnome things, hence so many gnome issues with xfce.

Thats the reason why many switch to either KDE (the bling bling ones), or LXDE (the minimalistic ones).

BBQdave · #65 29th June 2012, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sea

XFCE is based upon Gnome.
This means, you'll need ALOT of gnome things, hence so many gnome issues with xfce.

Not sure I follow...

Fedora Xfce Spin is a blend of Gnome programs and Xfce 4.8. How is Xfce 4.8 based on Gnome? And if so, why is F16 Xfce Spin so smooth and stable, but F16 (and F17) Gnome 3 buggy?

sea · #66 29th June 2012, 04:01 PM

Dont remember where i have read it.
Ok, so i have no proof for it, maybe i got blended by the many gnome-apps xfce is using.

I wouldnt think XFCE is based upon Gnome3, but gnome2.
However, i do think that gdm and polkit-gnome might be a good indicator?

Err... tried to google to but didnt find anything that proofs it.
Sorry for the misinfo, i was mislead due to wrong interpretions

BBQdave · #67 29th June 2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sea

Sorry for the misinfo, i was mislead due to wrong interpretions

You may not be wrong. I was curious, because Xfce (4.0.0 on) uses the GTK+ 2 libraries, and Thunar is similar to Nautilus. Maybe Xfce is following some rough blueprint of Gnome.

Either way, what still puzzles me, is that F16 Xfce is more stable than Gnome 3. So either Xfce is a better implementation of the Gnome blueprint or Xfce is a better designed DE (stable).

secipolla · #68 29th June 2012, 07:07 PM

Well, that was wrong, I suppose.
http://wiki.xfce.org/faq

Quote:

How to pronounce Xfce and what does it mean?

“Ecks Eff See Eee”. The name Xfce originally stood for XForms Common Environment, but since then, Xfce was rewritten twice and doesn't use XForms toolkit anymore. The name survived, but the F is nolonger capitalized (not “XFce”, but “Xfce”). Currently the acronym doesn't stand for anything (suggestion: X Freakin' Cool Environment).

So it later on moved to GTK but it's independent from GNOME.
As for the spin, F18 will probably use lightdm and then will have only the required GNOME components (not related to Xfce but the ones that Xfce doesn't provide).

BBQdave · #69 30th June 2012, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secipolla

So it later on moved to GTK but it's independent from GNOME.

That was my take too, the modern Xfce uses GTK, but is it's own project separate from Gnome. And my take on spins, nice blends

as far as the modern name of Xfce...

Cholesterol Free Desktop Environment - Wikipedia

RupertPupkin · #70 30th June 2012, 01:15 AM

I'll try to boot up an old version of Red Hat Linux that might have one of the old XForms-based XFCE 2.x versions running, back when it was a CDE clone that didn't use GTK+ at all.. It's really hard to find the pre-3.x versions now.

tashirosgt · #71 30th June 2012, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQdave

And if so, why is F16 Xfce Spin so smooth and stable

Makes me think of a bowling ball sitting in a ditch.

BBQdave · #72 30th June 2012, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tashirosgt

By that I mean are the people who say they have switched to XFCE really using XFCE exclusively? Are they doing normal things with their computers? - no mental health issues or anything like that?

Yeah, I think I am fairly sane

I have the bowling ball (F16 Xfce) moving on two machines. An old dell inspiron (secondary machine), and on my new Toshiba Satellite C655. They are my main machines for work and play.

Easy transition from Gnome 2 to Xfce 4.8. F16 Xfce is the only OS loaded on those two machines. The other machine I have is an old legacy eMac that I use as a file server.

That's my happen'n home network

mrmylanman · #73 10th July 2012, 02:22 AM

I cannot comment on XFCE under Fedora, but I used XFCE exclusively on Arch Linux for around a year, and have had no problems with it. It requires some tweaking, and I replaced Thunar with PCManFM, but I loved how light it was, and how quick it ran.

That said, I don't mind Gnome 3, so I stuck with that for Fedora 17.

k333y · #74 10th July 2012, 03:47 AM

I have been using the XFCE spin of Fedora 17, no issues here. However upon boot I get some error lines but once it loads no issues what so ever. I believe the issues have to do with me utilizing the default generic graphics driver and not the Nvidia specific ones. However I think, I will survive

exiledangel420 · #75 11th July 2012, 10:26 PM

I also use the fedora 17 xfce spin and no problems here other then upon the splash if I make it go over to the text boot up with the right arrow key. It occasionally locks up. I don't do it for that reason. But other then that the only problem I have had was the xarxhiver. I had to resort to using it due the gnome shell issues with my nvidia driver. Thinking about trying F16 alongside it to see if I have the same problems with the gnome shell.