> 3. Re: Migrating from Windows, barrier 1: DEs (Andrew Berg) > Message: 3 > Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:59:25 -0600 > From: Andrew Berg <bahamutzero8825 at gmail.com> > To: TCLUG Mailing List <tclug-list at mn-linux.org> > Subject: Re: [tclug-list] Migrating from Windows, barrier 1: DEs > Message-ID: <4ECEDA5D.2000401 at gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > On 11/24/2011 12:29 PM, gk wrote: >> Okay so you would rather be forced to have NO DE choice and no way to >> change it and something that breaks rather consistently? Thought >> not.. > Don't spread FUD. There are choices on Windows. In fact, SharpEnviro is > quite nice... Not FUD.. there is ONE authorized desktop for M$ products like there is for Macs. KDE4 runs on M$. Most of it is done the name of IP and other such draconian copyright laws. Theses "desktops" change with new releases. The easiest way is to run a login manager: exec startkde4 exec -ck-launch-session gnome-session exec.... exec... The above maybe not working examples are pull down menues available. KDM GDM XDM are all under active development in one phase or another. I know SLIM hasnt' been updated in 2-3 years or more. Those are 3 I can think of. It's one of those if you have to do the task more than once script it. startx from tty with /etc/X11/xinitrc or ~/.xinitrc will basically have the same commands Types -- three broad categories Stacking (aka floating) window managers provide the tradition desktop metaphor used in commercial operating systems like Windows and OS X. Windows act like pieces of paper on a desk, and can be stacked on top of each other. Tiling window managers "tile" the windows so that none are overlapping. They usually make very extensive use of key-bindings and have less (or no) reliance on the mouse. Tiling window managers may be manual, offer predefined layouts, or both. Dynamic window managers can dynamically switch between tiling or floating window layout. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Window_Manager https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Display_Manager This is the common methods used by linux in general to fire up the graphical interface. Paths, naming conventions, run levels, etc will be different. As far as packages they are based on dependencies the most common for most people QT/GTK2/3. So you are already going to install most apps as it is anyway and their libraries in a major base install. Depending on the distribution being used will depend on how many extra apps are deposited/installed versus what can be uninstalled. Some items once they are in are in ... Like HAL used to be and some legacy items still need it IF you can find it. I have gone from one DE/WM with everything working to no sound, no mouse, video issues and crashings, no nic card -- which makes it next to near impossible to get a box running; because like video now documents, movies, browsers and the sheer volume of bandwidth is growing and won't just fit on a floppy any more. There are those that have NO QT or GTK dependenicies -- Haskell anyone ;D