Best way to install another DE?

[Benjamin5th]

I want to have multiple DE's onto Xubuntu just to try them out. I've heard that depending on the way you install them, you also get all the applications associated with that DE as well. Can I install just the DE, and not the applications that come with it?

[Bucky Ball]

Just the desktop environment.

Lubuntu = install lxde, NOT lubuntu-desktop (that's when you'll drag in the WHOLE of Lubuntu);
Unity = Ubuntu;
etc. There are a heap. Just make sure you're installing the DE only and NOT *buntu-desktop anything.

I quite liked RazorQT and Enlightenment myself.

When you install a DE, log out, choose it from the Sessions menu, log in. That's it. ;)

[Benjamin5th]

So how would I say that in the terminal? Sudo install ubuntu?

[Bucky Ball]

Nope. You don't want Ubuntu. You want its DE. So:


sudo apt-get install unity

That should do it. You can also install from the Software Centre, or with Xubuntu, Synaptics. Have a look around in there.

Before you do install unity, or anything else, sticking to the terminal, run:


sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

This will bring everything up to date, then install Unity. The last command WON'T upgrade your release to another one. Just the packages you have installed in this release, if they need it. ;)

[Benjamin5th]

Will this make sure I only get the DE and not the applications associated with it?

[vasa1]

Type
apt-get install -s unity in your terminal to see what will be installed. Nothing will actually be installed: the -s indicates you're just doing a simulation.

You can use apt-get install -s for checking what will be installed for anything that's available via apt-get :)

Another tweak is to use
apt-get install --no-install-recommends -s unity

Yet another option is to use apt-cache. Run
apt-cache show unity

[sammiev]

Type
apt-get install -s unity in your terminal to see what will be installed. Nothing will actually be installed: the -s indicates you're just doing a simulation.

You can use apt-get install -s for checking what will be installed for anything that's available via apt-get :)

Another way of getting information is to use apt-cache. Run
apt-cache show unity

+1 and if you have Synaptic Package Manager installed, it will also show you what is going to be installed before you install the packages.

[vasa1]

... if you have Synaptic Package Manager installed, it will also show you what is going to be installed before you install the packages.
Do you know whether Synaptic install "recommends" by default? If so, new users may not know that.

[deadflowr]

Do you know whether Synaptic install "recommends" by default? If so, new users may not know that.

For me, there is a line in preferences that says, consider recommendations as dependencies.
It is toggled on, but a simple uncheck, apply and reloading the packages stops that.
You can then mark which recommends you want to install from the right click menu option.

[sammiev]

For me, there is a line in preferences that says, consider recommendations as dependencies.
It is toggled on, but a simple uncheck, apply and reloading the packages stops that.
You can then mark which recommends you want to install from the right click menu option.

+1 and thanks.

[Benjamin5th]

Nope. You don't want Ubuntu. You want its DE. So:


sudo apt-get install unity

That should do it. You can also install from the Software Centre, or with Xubuntu, Synaptics. Have a look around in there.

Before you do install unity, or anything else, sticking to the terminal, run:


sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

This will bring everything up to date, then install Unity. The last command WON'T upgrade your release to another one. Just the packages you have installed in this release, if they need it. ;)

I tried what you said, but unity still isn't an option when I start up my computer.

[vasa1]

What do you have in /usr/share/xsessions ?

[vasa1]

And what was the actual command you used to install "unity" or did you do it via the GUI?

If you have a few USB sticks and no download restrictions, it maybe cleaner to test various complete distros and then install the one you like.

[deadflowr]

When you installed unity you did indeed install unity.
However installing unity does not install the xsession packages to launch it via lightdm(the login screen).
You could at this point launch it from, let's say, a running session.
But who wants that.

Instead you need to session package
(It is at this point unclear which version of Ubuntu is being used so the package differs between Ubuntu 12.04 and Ubuntu 14.04.
In Ubuntu 12.04 it should gnome-session.

sudo apt-get install gnome-session
If memory serves correctly.
And in Ubuntu 14.04 it is ubuntu-session.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-session
This/these will add unity/ubuntu to the login options.

[vasa1]

When you installed unity you did indeed install unity.
However installing unity does not install the xsession packages to launch it via lightdm(the login screen).
You could at this point launch it from, let's say, a running session.
But who wants that.

Instead you need to session package
(It is at this point unclear which version of Ubuntu is being used so the package differs between Ubuntu 12.04 and Ubuntu 14.04.
In Ubuntu 12.04 it should gnome-session.

sudo apt-get install gnome-session
If memory serves correctly.
And in Ubuntu 14.04 it is ubuntu-session.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-session
This/these will add unity/ubuntu to the login options.

It's ubuntu-session even in 14.10. See apt-cache show ubuntu-session.

[Bucky Ball]

Nicely. Thanks. ;)

[Benjamin5th]

Thanks guys :) that did it!

[vasa1]

Thanks guys :) that did it!
But see http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2252102