Hi,

Like, I assume many, on this mailing list, know what to do when they
opt not to install the default window manager or desktop. However, I
think, XFCE is a good choice, although on my T4400 2GB computer it
tends to be rather heavy. Window managers are attractive with respect
to low resource use, but they are unattractive with respect to user
configuration unless somebody in Devuan decides to write a script or
an executable to automate user configuration of the most popular
window managers. The latter is a job I don't know as I have never
configured a window manager. My eyes, although perfectly healthy, are
quite dictatorial to me. I need good readability and small fonts are
out of question to me as they cause too much eye fatigue. I also need
to have control of display brightness as average brightness is too
insense for me.

I think, window manager user configuration more or less rests on these tasks:
a) configure some menu structure to access user programs
b) configure a keyboard structure to access user programs
c) configure wallpaper and screen saver
d) adjust font sizes and screen brightness

This is what I can think of.

Edward

On 29/02/2016, T.J. Duchene <tj@???> wrote:
> On 2016-02-29 17:12, Stephanie Daugherty wrote:
> > Just to clarify about "default" desktop environment and what that
> actually
> > means.
> >
> > The "default" desktop environment is the one that gets squeezed onto the
> > first CD/DVD of a set of installation media, as well as the one that's
> > installed if you just click "desktop environment" in tasksel without
> > specifying. As far as Debian has been concerned, that's all it means. It
> > provides a strong suggestion to live CD/DVD creators of what desktop to
> > include, but no guarantee anyone will follow that suggestion. I'm
> assuming
> > the same thing will hold true for Devuan.
> >
>
> I just wanted to say that I agree with you, Stephanie. I certainly can't
> find any fault in your thinking.
>
> Everyone has been discussing XFCE on the list for a bit now. I agree
> that XFCE's future is somewhat cloudy at present, because of GTK2. It is
> also true that every DE has some hang-up. X11 has no standard desktop,
> so there is no end to this debate, and that is as it should be.
>
> Just my opinion, but if I had to pick a Devuan Default, it would
> probably be XFCE because:
>
> 1. Out of the box, it can provide a familiar design. Most people
> understand a taskbar and the window buttons.
>
> 2. The balance of dependencies versus functionality is at a very
> attractive ratio.
>
> 3. A far smaller install/footprint compared to the more common DEs.
>
> 4. It provides a built in compositor. While this may not seem like a
> selling point, tear free video is very important to a good impression
> with the average person.
>
> 5. It can easily be reconfigured to suit virtually anyone - new users to
> programmers.
>
> 6. Most importantly, the code base is very mature. When I have had
> other DEs fail (even on Debian Stable) XFCE is the one I can always
> trust to not let me down.
>
> I don't know if Devuan has inherited the 4.10 packaged in Debian, but I
> would heartily recommend 4.12, because the 4.12 has a significant
> upgrade to how multiple monitors are handled.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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