The best Xfce-centric OS?

[ThinkBuntu]

Question for the Xfce heads in this forum. What's the your favorite or the best Xfce-centric OS? Of the top of my head, I can think of Zenwalk, Dreamlinux, SAM, and Xubuntu.

[izizzle]

I would agree with all of the above, except dreamlinux. Also, I would go with Wolvix because it has a strong base, and it is very fast. In my experience, i found it faster than zenwalk.

[igknighted]

Of the four you mentioned, I would rank them like this:

SAM Linux - Inventive layout, solid PCLOS background and easy features included for new users. This is a very nice distro. It is certainly not without flaws, however. Sound seems to have been finicky for many users and in the current stable version after updates the PCLOS theme will take over some backgrounds, but I feel SAM presents Xfce in a way that displays its abilities to the fullest in a way that makes it easily usable for new users.
ZenWalk - Solid, fast, very nice. This distro doesn't have many technical flaws IMO, but some "features" I dislike. For one, slack packages bother me. I think one of the strong features of linux in general is a strong package manager, and package management in ZenWalk is very awkward. Also, Zenwalk uses Lilo (again, blame Slackware) which many (including myself) find distasteful. Finally, I wish they would write their own installer. The installer (basically an ncurses GUI like Slack's) is awkward for those not familiar with the Slack installer.
DreamLinux - This distro is beautiful, but beyond the easy install its a mess to use. Just deleting desktop icons can erase desktop config files (yes, I tried this on several installs and re-checked and re-burned the disks). Very pretty, lacking in usability. Long term, if these oddities get straightened out this could be an amazing distro. They have a very nice control center and a very slick theme, a great installer and liveCD creation tool, and a very interesting package selection. Despite its issue so far, this project excites me.
Xubuntu - I find Xubuntu to be the worst DE mod of Ubuntu. Kubuntu got a great tune-up with feisty, but Xubuntu did not. It is laid out to be a cheap version of Gnome, but Xfce can be so much more. Many who try Xubuntu say it is just a lightweight alternative (in other words, they imply that it is a worse option to use only if gnome is too slow), but right now the compositing features are the best there are and customizability couldn't be better. I wish the Xubuntu staff would drop the Gnome-like panel layout, either turn on compositing by default or at least bring attention to it, and finally leave the right-click menu.

[ThinkBuntu]

I would agree with all of the above, except dreamlinux. Also, I would go with Wolvix because it has a strong base, and it is very fast. In my experience, i found it faster than zenwalk.
That's not an opinion, just a list of distros off the top of my head that install with Xfce. Wolvix presents itself as a primarily live distro, which is why the positive reviews of it as a desktop surprise me.

[b9anders]

it depends on what you're looking for - for the full featured and beautiful xfce desktop I would say Sam is the obvious choice - the only xfce desktop of that kind imo - it's the option to for for those who want that but don't want the bloat of kde and gnome.

xubuntu seem to aim for the same blend but the reuslt for me is that you don't get the best out of neither ubuntu nor xfce.

If speed and simplicity is more paramount, definitely zenwalk.

[angryfirelord]

Debian.

Seriously, if you install all of the xfce4 packages (and gdm if you want a graphical login), it runs great.

[xubu_caapn]

Zenwalk is fantastic. It's stable, very fast, and developing so quickly... I can't wait to see where this distro is going. Netpkg is a pain though, that's why I switched back to Xubuntu. You are VERY limited in Zenwalk concerning packages to install, which is really a shame.

[smoker]

i have sam linux installed in a vm at the moment, and find that pretty neat, seems much more refined than xubuntu, though these are the only two xfce distros i've tried.

[jclmusic]

i love dreamlinux! it's just a shame i couldn't get it to install. xubuntu is good too.

[ThinkBuntu]

i love dreamlinux! it's just a shame i couldn't get it to install. xubuntu is good too.
Dreamlinux love is skin-deep :^)

[bonzodog]

You forgot Frugalware. Thats a promising distro :D

[RAV TUX]

Wolvix (http://wolvix.org/)

[kadath]

I've only tried Xubuntu and Zenwalk. I prefer Xubuntu. It works better out of the box than Zenwalk, in my experience, and access to Ubuntu's repos makes maintaining my system a lot easier.

I'm not a big fan of Xubuntu's GNOME-ified setup of Xfce either, but I can understand why they do it. It's quite easy to change once you've got a handle on how Xfce works.

I gave Dreamlinux a look, but its OS X-wannabe vibe is really off putting. Their custom icons and website are very nice, however.

[ThinkBuntu]

I've only tried Xubuntu and Zenwalk. I prefer Xubuntu. It works better out of the box than Zenwalk, in my experience, and access to Ubuntu's repos makes maintaining my system a lot easier.

I'm not a big fan of Xubuntu's GNOME-ified setup of Xfce either, but I can understand why they do it. It's quite easy to change once you've got a handle on how Xfce works.

I gave Dreamlinux a look, but its OS X-wannabe vibe is really off putting. Their custom icons and website are very nice, however.
Zenwalk is the nicest out-of-the-box Xfce I've seen. Nothing fancy going on with it, but very consistent. I was setting up an Arch Xfce install earlier, and it struck me how well-tweaked in subtle ways the Zenwalk desktop is.

[kadath]

Zenwalk is the nicest out-of-the-box Xfce I've seen. Nothing fancy going on with it, but very consistent. I was setting up an Arch Xfce install earlier, and it struck me how well-tweaked in subtle ways the Zenwalk desktop is.

Some of the apps included with Zenwalk (Audacious, MPlayer, htop, etc) are nice to have on a fresh install. I just seem to get better hardware support out of the box with Xubuntu. And like I said, I'm a sucker for Debian-based distros.

[smartboyathome]

i have sam linux installed in a vm at the moment, and find that pretty neat, seems much more refined than xubuntu, though these are the only two xfce distros i've tried.

I have tried a few XFCE-based distros (Xubuntu, Wolvix, SAM, Zenwalk) and would say SAM Linux is the way to go. It is fast, and runs great!

[new2*buntu]

Debian.

Seriously, if you install all of the xfce4 packages (and gdm if you want a graphical login), it runs great.

I agree (exactly what I am using now)

Edit: I just noticed the topic is kind of dead. Oh well....

[tdrusk]

I like my Xubuntu.

It's set up similar to Zenwalk, but has some advantages of Gnome also.

I like it :)

[init1]

Vector Linux. Hands down.

[jseiser]

Run it on arch.

[sujoy]

I prefer slackware anyday, get it with GNOME, KDE, XFCE, *BOX, whatever.

[Antman]

That's not an opinion, just a list of distros off the top of my head that install with Xfce. Wolvix presents itself as a primarily live distro, which is why the positive reviews of it as a desktop surprise me.

I couldn't get Wolvix to work with my laptop's 3945 wifi so I gave up on it. Also their forums seem rather dead.

Zenwalk on the other hand is pretty darn good. The 4.8 version had issues with my wifi too, but version 5 RC1 is pretty darn good so far and a 3945 package as it working fine now.

I installed it on two laptops (an older centrino and a duo) so far and it's pretty darn fast and stable (hasn't crashed yet). I'm still learning the Zen way to do stuff but so far it's pretty darn nice. I think their version 5 is going to be a hit.

Another favorite is Linux Mint's v3.0 XFCE edition. It's not as rock solid as Zenwalk (The Linux Mint xfce version has hiccuped on my machine several times) but its design and features are nice.

[new2*buntu]

I couldn't get Wolvix to work with my laptop's 3945 wifi so I gave up on it. Also their forums seem rather dead.

Zenwalk on the other hand is pretty darn good. The 4.8 version had issues with my wifi too, but version 5 RC1 is pretty darn good so far and a 3945 package as it working fine now.

Thanks for sharing that. I also have ipw3945 (if that is what you mean) and it always hasn't worked with Zenwalk. I will try it again soon.

[Antman]

Thanks for sharing that. I also have ipw3945 (if that is what you mean) and it always hasn't worked with Zenwalk. I will try it again soon.

Yes I mean the ipw3945. Zenwalk 5 final will have the iwl3945 and iwlwifi combo to work with the card, but it's not working fully in the RC1. Instead the package mentioned in this thread works fine in version 5RC1:
http://support.zenwalk.org/index.php?topic=13508.0

[altariel]

another vote for SAM here :)

especially for the nice and simple way to make it "speak another language" ... (which I found next to impossible on Vector Linux for example)

[juxtaposed]

Debian... with XFCE installed.

[Incense]

I would have to also vote for DreamLinux and Zenwalk.

[kellemes]

Debian... with XFCE installed.

Yeah, that's my cup of tea.. I'm using Debian for a long long time, can't get rid of it for some reason.. :)
Still, in order to get Debian optimized for speed you need to spend a little time and work for it.
Zenwalk gives XFCE with the best of performance out of the box, pretty cool.
Too bad I can't get fglrx going on Zenwalk for some reason..

Anyway, I think Zenwalk shows a bloody good setup of XFCE.

Edit: By the way, there are a lot of folks having issues with NETPKG..
Zenwalk is a Slackware-based distro, Slackware gives no package-managementsystem by default. So you don't need NTEPKG to install packages since basically you're compiling from source, and so the list of packages you have at your exposal is without limit.

[cardinals_fan]

Even with the lacking package management, Zenwalk is awesome - the best distro I've tried so far. Xubuntu shows an enormous amount of potential (with an Ubuntu base and Xfce), but it falls a bit short right now. Wolvix disappointed me - they were still using Xfce 4.2, a major letdown. I have high hopes for when I install Arch this summer - the first thing I'll do is put Xfce on it. Attached is a screenshot of my Xubuntu desktop (the Zenwalk one is similar), and no, my English/History grades aren't that low (I just got back from a week-long absence).

EDIT: Read my post later on for better info.

[kpkeerthi]

I installed Zenwalk 5.0 on vmware recently. Very impressed with the well-rounded XFCE desktop and default application selections. Had a little problem virtualizing Zenwalk and their forum was also helpful. netpkg is also quite good. Have not faced any problems installing or upgrading packages thus far.

I agree Xubuntu's default XFCE needs some polishing. But Zenwalk wins hands down if you consider the out-of-the-box factor - needs little to no customization at all.

[RSLxH]

Debian Etch with an Xfce desktop is reliable and very fast. Dreamlinux with its Mac-Style Xfce desktop is just awesome.

[RAV TUX]

Question for the Xfce heads in this forum. What's the your favorite or the best Xfce-centric OS? Of the top of my head, I can think of Zenwalk, Dreamlinux, SAM, and Xubuntu.

In Random order:

1. Wolvix

2. Xubuntu

[kadath]

I've been using Xubuntu since 6.06, but I think Zenwalk 5.0 will be the release to make me switch. Xubuntu just isn't as fast or light as it could be, and the devs don't seem to have any direction for it. It's too bad. Zenwalk has made tons of progress in just the past year, and every release is an improvement over the last.

It'll be some work learning how to do things the Zen/Slack way, but I'll probably be better off once I do.

[exploder]

Another Xfce based system you might want to consider is Mint Xfce Community Edition. It is still beta but has some very nice features.

[linux phreak]

I switched from ubuntu to Xubuntu and i like it better than ubuntu.Xubuntu is responsive although it lacks many features that ubuntu has.Ubuntu was slow in my system with constant crashes and Xubuntu is way better.

[chris4585]

Another Xfce based system you might want to consider is Mint Xfce Community Edition. It is still beta but has some very nice features.

+1 i love xfce mint, its pure awesomeness, i like it better than gnome mint

[cardinals_fan]

My ranking (including Live CDs):


Zenwalk (http://www.zenwalk.org):
Fast, nice looking, and smartly designed. Only ding is the weak package management.
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9020/screenshotzenwalk50deskpq1.th.png (http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshotzenwalk50deskpq1.png)
KateOS (http://www.kateos.org/):
Another pleasant Slackware derivative. Better installer, with one of the nicest gui's around. Same package issues.
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/6964/kateos36ensz6.th.png (http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kateos36ensz6.png)
Xubuntu (http://www.xubuntu.org/):
The best package management of the lot (Debian-based), but the product feels a bit half-baked. It's as if they just wanted to make a lighter GNOME distro rather than a unique Xfce one.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/823/thunarnk2.th.png (http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thunarnk2.png)
SLAX Popcorn Edition (http://news.softpedia.com/news/SLAX-Popcorn-Edition-24968.shtml):
Since the release of SLAX 6.0.0 a few days ago, this version seems to have vanished. It only had Xfce 4.2, but that was excusable back when it was released. I hope that it returns with 4.4 soon. Note that the link goes to Softpedia where it was reviewed (and can still be downloaded), as they no longer have a page.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/562/slaxpopcornlarge003zq5.th.png (http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=slaxpopcornlarge003zq5.png)
Wolvix (http://wolvix.org/):
This may be a bit unfair, since I only tried Wolvix Cub rather than the larger version, but including Xfce 4.2 after the release of 4.4 struck me as sacrilegious. 4.4 had too many improvements to ignore. Surprisingly ugly.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3278/662largebr7.th.png (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=662largebr7.png)

EDIT: Wolvix does have 4.4. Apparently I tried an old version. Sorry to the Wolvix folks, although it's still last on my list.

I hope to try Xfld and SAM soon.

[RAV TUX]

My ranking (including Live CDs):
Zenwalk (http://www.zenwalk.org):
Fast, nice looking, and smartly designed. Only ding is the weak package management.
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9020/screenshotzenwalk50deskpq1.th.png (http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshotzenwalk50deskpq1.png)
KateOS (http://www.kateos.org/):
Another pleasant Slackware derivative. Better installer, with one of the nicest gui's around. Same package issues.
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/6964/kateos36ensz6.th.png (http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kateos36ensz6.png)
Xubuntu (http://www.xubuntu.org/):
The best package management of the lot (Debian-based), but the product feels a bit half-baked. It's as if they just wanted to make a lighter GNOME distro rather than a unique Xfce one.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/823/thunarnk2.th.png (http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thunarnk2.png)
SLAX Popcorn Edition (http://news.softpedia.com/news/SLAX-Popcorn-Edition-24968.shtml):
Since the release of SLAX 6.0.0 a few days ago, this version seems to have vanished. It only had Xfce 4.2, but that was excusable back when it was released. I hope that it returns with 4.4 soon. Note that the link goes to Softpedia where it was reviewed (and can still be downloaded), as they no longer have a page.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/562/slaxpopcornlarge003zq5.th.png (http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=slaxpopcornlarge003zq5.png)
Wolvix (http://wolvix.org/):
This may be a bit unfair, since I only tried Wolvix Cub rather than the larger version, but including Xfce 4.2 after the release of 4.4 struck me as sacrilegious. 4.4 had too many improvements to ignore. Surprisingly ugly.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3278/662largebr7.th.png (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=662largebr7.png)EDIT: Wolvix does have 4.4. Apparently I tried an old version. Sorry to the Wolvix folks, although it's still last on my list.

I hope to try Xfld and SAM soon.Of the 5 you reviewed I would place:

Wolvix (http://wolvix.org/) & Xubuntu (http://www.xubuntu.org/) tied for the #1 position.

[cardinals_fan]

The "official" list, though not entirely complete, is here (http://www.xfce.org/download/distros).

[RSLxH]

Hmmm.... it's a hard decision... Dreamlinux ;)

http://dreamlinuxforums.org/gallery/18_01_02_08_8_50_39.

http://dreamlinuxforums.org/gallery/2_19_01_08_5_00_16.png

[r4ik]

Just gave SAM RC1 a spin and i must say i am VERY impressed.
In fact it made me scratch my head,almost installed it.
But i will wait for the final and reconsider..

[kadath]

Hmmm.... it's a hard decision... Dreamlinux ;)

[images snipped]

You chose Dreamlinux, yet posted screenshots of its Gnome interface.
Hmm.

[cardinals_fan]

You chose Dreamlinux, yet posted screenshots of its Gnome interface.
Hmm.

You're right. The Dreamlinux team's release announcement about Dreamlinux Desktop 3.0 beta says that it includes
Window Managers:

Gnome 2.20
Xfce 4.4
Compiz-Fusion


and that
Dreamlinux Desktop Edition 3.0 is a complete redesign of the distro, now supporting a totally independent architecture named Flexiboost, based on overlaid modules.

The latter feature allows the co-existence of two (or more) separate window managers (currently Gnome and Xfce), sharing the same customized appearance. Both working environment share all the applications available.

Xfce and GNOME are NOT window managers, and the only way that they can be used together is mix-and-matching multiple components (ie GNOME with Xfwm4 as the window manager rather than Metacity). Further research shows that such "co-existence" is really just an option from the login manager to use Xfce or GNOME - certainly nothing new there!

[julian67]

I think Xubuntu Feisty was amazingly good, wish it was an LTS and also that Ubuntu did more with backports like Debian. Xubuntu Gutsy....hmmm...OK, somehow it all slowed down....and no beryl, and compiz just too much trouble outside of Gnome....but anyway I'm using it and hoping 8.04 gets back on track with more Xfce/gtk and less Gnome. I think it's a shame that Xubuntu went from being one of the best and fastest Xfce distros in Feisty to being a bit of clunker in Gutsy.

Zenwalk 5 is excellent, great distro, very nice to use, faster than Xubuntu and a good community, not the range of packages of Xubuntu though.

I have one laptop with Antix installed (Mepis (debian) based with fluxbox by default). I added Xfce to that and upgraded it to Debian Sid and it's excellent, noticably lighter than Xubuntu, huge range of packages available and easy to keep right up to date.

I like Wolvix as a live CD, but not to install. It's very useful and fast even running from CD. I used it this morning to show a customer that her PIII Windows PC is not actually made of broken/junk components and that the hardware is all good and it can work very well, but not while she's running illegal XP with full collection of malware onboard. She's decided that instead of needing to buy a new PC with Windows she needs to pay me to install Ubuntu and set it all up for her :-)