On Sun, Oct 08, 2017 at 03:48:13PM -0700, Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Adam Borowski (kilobyte@???):
>
> > Generally, all desktop environments but hardly anything else in Debian
> > Jessie require systemd for an important part of operation.
>
> In testing of Debian Jessie and querying of package metadata, I found
> these Debian 8 'Jessie' DE metapackages require package systemd via
> sundry package dependency chains.
>
> gnome
> gnome-desktop-environment
> gnome-core
> mate-desktop-environment
> mate-desktop-environment-core
> cinnamon
> kde-standard
> kde-full
> razorqt
> task-lxde-desktop
> lxde
>
> However, FWIW, these did not:
>
> xfce4

It's only a Recommends, but if it's unsatisfied, you can't shutdown,
suspend, or, as the original poster wants, mount removable filesystems
from the GUI.

> e17 (not actually a metapackage)
> fvwm-crystal
> gnustep (w/wmakerWM package)
>
> I subsequently upgrade my test VM (running in VirtualBox) to Debian
> Squeeze without systemd-dependency problems. At that time, it employed
> just Window Maker without any DE. I haven't yet bothered to test or
> check DEs in Debian Squeeze since then, mostly because I (personally)
> continue to see no value in DEs.

The original poster mentioned pcmanfm and thunar, thus he uses LXDE or XFCE
(although unlike Gnome they can use each other's tools well).

As for WindowMaker, I used to swear by it around 1998 -- but it doesn't seem
as if it has any improvements since. Which, unlike some folks here, I don't
mean as a compliment.

I see that GnuStep in unstable/buster/ceres/beowulf starts looking okayish,
and uses WindowMaker as its WM, but it's not anything I'd use myself.

Meow!
-- 
⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀ We domesticated dogs 36000 years ago; together we chased
⣾⠁⢰⠒⠀⣿⡁ animals, hung out and licked or scratched our private parts.
⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ Cats domesticated us 9500 years ago, and immediately we got
⠈⠳⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ agriculture, towns then cities.     -- whitroth on /.