Switch Lubuntu back to LXDE?

[Rex Bouwense]

You are only seeing the demise of lxde in Lubuntu. It still exists in some 40 other distributions and for the time being is still in the Ubuntu repositories.
Sparky is based upon Debian testing.

[DuckHook]

LXDE as an officially supported flavour will go away, but I doubt that LXDE as a DE will. The repos host all sorts of unofficial DEs that one can install, from Enlightenment to Cinnamon. I suspect that LXDE will be around for a long time—just not as an "official" flavour.

See the link in my sig: The Best 'buntu Flavour.

[roler2]

I am cursed! I tried to install LXLE and SparkyLinux. Both crashed at exactly 22%. Utilizing a USB, both booted to a live session just fine. After that. . .no luck and I liked SparkyLinux. I will have to get used to LXQT, it is just. . .right now. . .very frustrating because I am so used to LXDE. I just like the simplicity of LXDE. In terms of other LXDE Distros, many of them appear to be depleted, or not currently updated. LXLE and Sparky are the only two I have found that have recent OS updates. I didn't really understand why both booted to a live session just fine and then crashed at the same 22% when attempting an install when both Lubuntu 19.04 and Peppermint installed just fine.

[DuckHook]

Did you read through the link in my sig? It shows how to install LXDE from a command line environment. You can thereafter add only the apps you want, and won't get a leaner build than that.

[cruzer001]

Did you read through the link in my sig? It shows how to install LXDE from a command line environment. You can thereafter add only the apps you want, and won't get a leaner build than that.

^^^ +1
Thats what is nice about Linux. If you can't find what you want, then you can build your system to taste. No one need be stuck with something they do not like.

[roler2]

@DuckHook Yes I did read your link. Nicely done! However SparkyLinux already has LXDE but I could not install it as it crashed at 22%, so did LXLE. Peppermint OS is also based upon Lubuntu but looks a lot like LXQT, and so did LXLE. I would prefer SparkyLinux but could not install it. Let's say I install Lubuntu 19.04 or Peppermint and want the LXDE desktop. Which do I install from the command line? LXDE, lubuntu-desktop or lxde-core? And how do I uninstall LXQT or the Peppermint desktop, which does not look anything like the lubuntu desktop yet it is based upon Lubuntu?

[DuckHook]

The idea would not be to install Lubuntu or Peppermint, because they already come with a DE which will pollute your eventual environment. Instead, install the server version of Ubuntu which is command line only. No DE. Bare bones. Uber geek. But you won't be leaving it there. Afterwards, from command line:

sudo apt install lxde

It's as simple and as easy as that.

What this will do is install a very lean and simple LXDE environment—no Lubuntu, no Peppermint, no SparkyLinux. From there, you can use apt to install whatever additional packages you want. The result is a customized desktop environment based on LXDE with no vestige of Qt or anything else that you don't like.

[roler2]

Thank you again! I did install Ubuntu Server and LXDE. Unfortunately, I read that the Ubuntu Server kernel has to be updated manually, given it is still on an earlier version and apparently cannot be updated automatically. LXDE installed a lot of Debian extras, which I could not figure out how to uninstall, and actually, was also kinda confusing to configure, especially the taskbar, much more so than the Lubuntu Desktop. I think I will just have to get used to LXQT. I have Lubuntu currently installed on. . .well. . .for me. . .a really wonderful old P4 32-bit. I have another 64-bit, but it isn't as good as the 32-bit. So I was hoping to keep the 32-bit running past 2021, but I will obviously have to give that up too.

Given that LXDE might not be in the Ubuntu Repositories in 2020 when 20.04 is released, and certainly the Lubuntu Desktop will be LXQT-based, I will just have to get used to LXQT and give up my beloved 32-bit. Sad.

However, thank you again for your wonderful suggestion!

[ajgreeny]

I am not sure about the server kernel versions, nor your comment about manually updating, but I suggest you don't use the server version; use the https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...tion/MinimalCD site to download a MinimalCD version using the same kernels as the standard desktop version, just without any GUI at all, then add LXDE and any other packages you want.

I have done this in the past but generally just use Xubuntu.

[cruzer001]

The server iso will do the same thing as the mini.iso, but takes a few more steps to install. The kernel is the same and it will auto update.

At the beginning of the server install you need to hit the F4 key and choose basic install and later in the process you will be asked to choose what kind of server you wish to install, you then choose "none" (or however it was termed). That will give you a console (text) only install. Thats using the Alternate Server ISO. Not sure if this applies to the standard server iso, I do not use it.

The server.iso has wifi built in, the mini.iso does not and thats a big plus if you live in a wireless house. Thats the only difference I am aware of when used for a mini install. If using a cable hookup then stick with the mini.iso, its just easier to figure out.