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Thread: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

  1. #1
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    Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Okay so, I have a netbook with Ubuntu 10.04 installed on it, then I installed the netbook-launcher via synaptic. After a while, I then installed xfce4 from synaptic (not xubuntu-desktop).

    So my question is, What's the difference, if any, between installing xubuntu, and installing ubuntu then installing xfce?
    I know that the themes, splash, gdm theme, and default apps are different. But is that it? Is my system still effectively Ubuntu?
    - "Make me a coffee..."
    - "No"
    - "sudo make me a coffee"
    - "OK"

  2. #2
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Well, in my opinion, even if you were to install Xubuntu, your computer is still Ubuntu. You just have the Xfce stuff instead of Gnome and the Xubuntu defaults instead of Ubuntu defaults. As I just installed a base Ubuntu system, then installed the Xfce defaults, without installing Xubuntu, there is quite a big difference. There are alot less files that are required for running a comfortable Xfce environment than with Xubuntu. Also, if you were to install Xubuntu and wanted to later remove Xfce, it would be highly difficult. Everything in the Xubuntu desktop is linked together by a meta package. So, if you wanted to remove Xfce, it would want to take out several other packages.

    In short, the difference is pretty massive. For convenience purposes, it's best to install the xfce window manager without installing Xubuntu-Desktop. I'm not sure that answered your question, but I tried.

  3. #3
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Thanks for your reply, and yeah you answered it to an extent. I agree with you about the 'mess' of installing it. I found that out when I once installed kubuntu-desktop in ubuntu and ended up with a mash up of KDE apps and gnome apps and some funky configs.

    I think I'll just leave it as it is, Ubuntu with Xfce installed on top. And to be fair, I kind of ended up making the Xfce look like gnome anyways...
    - "Make me a coffee..."
    - "No"
    - "sudo make me a coffee"
    - "OK"

  4. #4
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    88

    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Yeah. In all honesty, I prefer the gnome desktop over xfce. However, gnome is much more resource heavy, especially on my old computer with the small amount of RAM I have. >.<

    However, if you can get the hang of xfce, it's worth it. I currently have a linux mint theme on mine that I find quite beautiful. Not entirely sure how, but it defaulted onto my firefox as well and now firefox also looks great. xD

  5. #5
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Code:
    $ sudo apt-get install xfce4
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree       
    Reading state information... Done
    The following extra packages will be installed:
      aumix aumix-common desktop-base exo-utils fortune-mod fortunes-min
      gtk2-engines-xfce libexo-0.3-0 libexo-common librecode0 libthunar-vfs-1-2
      libxfce4menu-0.1-0 libxfce4util-bin libxfce4util-common libxfce4util4
      libxfcegui4-4 libxfconf-0-2 orage oss-compat tango-icon-theme thunar
      thunar-data thunar-volman xfce-keyboard-shortcuts xfce4-appfinder
      xfce4-mixer xfce4-panel xfce4-session xfce4-settings xfce4-utils xfconf
      xfdesktop4 xfdesktop4-data xfwm4 xfwm4-themes
    Code:
    $ sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop 
    [sudo] password for rob: 
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree       
    Reading state information... Done
    The following extra packages will be installed:
      a2ps app-install-data-commercial aumix aumix-common catfish exaile exo-utils
      fortune-mod fortunes-min gigolo gimp gimp-data gnumeric gnumeric-common
      gnumeric-doc gtk2-engines-xfce libbabl-0.0-0 libexo-0.3-0 libexo-common
      libgegl-0.0-0 libgimp2.0 libotr2 librecode0 libscim8c2a libsdl1.2debian-alsa
      libthunar-vfs-1-2 libxcb-keysyms1 libxfce4menu-0.1-0 libxfce4util-bin
      libxfce4util-common libxfce4util4 libxfcegui4-4 libxfconf-0-2 mousepad
      murrine-themes orage oss-compat pidgin pidgin-data pidgin-libnotify
      pidgin-otr psutils python-cddb python-mmkeys python-mutagen python-sexy
      ristretto scim scim-bridge-agent scim-bridge-client-gtk scim-gtk2-immodule
      scim-modules-socket tango-icon-theme tango-icon-theme-common tcl thunar
      thunar-archive-plugin thunar-data thunar-media-tags-plugin
      thunar-thumbnailers thunar-volman thunderbird vim-runtime wdiff xchat
      xchat-common xfce-keyboard-shortcuts xfce4-appfinder xfce4-clipman
      xfce4-clipman-plugin xfce4-cpugraph-plugin xfce4-dict xfce4-fsguard-plugin
      xfce4-mailwatch-plugin xfce4-mixer xfce4-mount-plugin xfce4-netload-plugin
      xfce4-notes xfce4-notes-plugin xfce4-panel xfce4-places-plugin
      xfce4-power-manager xfce4-power-manager-data xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin
      xfce4-screenshooter xfce4-session xfce4-settings xfce4-smartbookmark-plugin
      xfce4-systemload-plugin xfce4-terminal xfce4-utils xfce4-verve-plugin
      xfce4-volumed xfce4-weather-plugin xfce4-xkb-plugin xfconf xfdesktop4
      xfdesktop4-data xfprint4 xfswitch-plugin xfwm4 xfwm4-themes xscreensaver
      xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-default-settings xubuntu-docs xubuntu-gdm-theme
      xubuntu-icon-theme xubuntu-plymouth-theme xubuntu-wallpapers
    The difference is in red.

    And I already have abiword, feh ........ etc
    Last edited by nothingspecial; July 3rd, 2010 at 07:15 PM.

  6. #6
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    I run Ubuntu on my laptop, but the issues I have with my netbook is battery life which is why I decided to have look at using Xfce to save resources. I just wish I would find a way to edit the items in the menu's. Some of them are soo long, and in ubuntu I could choose to hide the ones I didn't want.
    - "Make me a coffee..."
    - "No"
    - "sudo make me a coffee"
    - "OK"

  7. #7
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?


  8. #8
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    Re: Different DE's, still Ubuntu?

    Quote Originally Posted by SmokeyThePanda View Post
    Thanks for the link mate, I'll give it a try
    - "Make me a coffee..."
    - "No"
    - "sudo make me a coffee"
    - "OK"

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