On 17/08/17 09:16, Harald Arnesen wrote:
> Rick Moen [2017-08-17 00:55]:
>
>> So, here's a point: If you have a Linux system with Thunar (graphical
>> file manager) and the xfwm4 window manager, I'm betting that those _are_
>> 99% of what you think of as 'XFCE4'.
> Not quite.
>
>> I'm betting that you don't actually have a specific desire and need
>> (also) for xfdashboard, Xftasklets, Xfce4 Screenshooter, Xfce4
>> Dictionary, Xfburn, Ristretto, XFCE Terminal, Parole media player,
>> Midori Web browser, Eatmonkey download manager,
>> notification-daemon-xfce, the Xfce4 Volstatus system tray notification
>> icon, Xfce4 Power Manager, Gigolo GIO/GVfs front-end, a couple of dozen
>> Xfce4 panel plugins, and around a dozen Thunar plugins, You might not
>> even be totally in love with the Xfce4 panel, _or_ even (gasp!) prefer a
>> different panel not normally bundled as part of the XFCE4 metapackage.
> I use several of these.
>
>> _Or_ you might prefer, as many XFCE4 users do, the window manager named
>> 'awesome' rather than xfwm4.
> No, not me. Tried it, didn't like it much.
>
>> And if you started out with less than the entire marching band of those
>> things (which with artwork and bindings are the ensemble known as
>> 'XFCE4') and at any point you decided you wanted any of them or all of
>> them, you can trivially add those with a single apt-get command.
>>
>> So, why do you need to start with the whole marching band? And,
>> moreover, install a 'task' metapackage whose presence requires
>> installation, at all times, of all of the constituent packages
>> thereafter.
> If I install the whole of XFCE4, I only have to remember the names of a
> couple of other packages to get the screen to look the way I want.
>
>> 'A la carte' is not a swear word, you know. But somehow, most of an
>> entire generation of Linux newcomers have been conned into thinking it
>> is. My point is merely that I think this tunnel-vision is unfortunate.
> You have several good points, and I may try some of your ideas, but it
> all comes down to choice. I think the reason I prefer a simple,
> ready-made desktop is that it's one of the least important things on my
> computer. I have other things to fiddle with, so I want the user
> interface to "just work" - and for me, XFCE4 does.

Xfce4 is OK, I use debian squeezy linux at work and use Xfce4 because it
is friendly and useful and light; at home I am a luddite geek and keep
things simple...

DaveT