Debian desktop environment

[Antonino Saetta]

Hi,

After my surrender to Jessie I've thought of moving on with Stretch.

Currently I've installed it through the net, no problems at all.

So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop environment, other than Debian desktop environment?

I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...

Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

Thank you :)

PS. Here's a picture of what I mean: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/444531/how-to-install-debian-without-games-office-etc

[to...@tuxteam.de]

On Tue, May 24, 2022 at 01:27:29PM +0200, Antonino Saetta wrote:
> Hi,
>
> After my surrender to Jessie I've thought of moving on with Stretch.
>
> Currently I've installed it through the net, no problems at all.
>
> So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop

> environment, other than *Debian desktop environment*?

>
> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...
>
> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

The lightest desktop is no desktop :-)

Cheers
--
t

[Jeremy Ardley]

On 24/5/22 7:27 pm, Antonino Saetta wrote:
>
> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?
>

I use Mate.  It's closest to the old gnome so no fancy crap

Jeremy

[Greg Wooledge]

On Tue, May 24, 2022 at 01:27:29PM +0200, Antonino Saetta wrote:

> So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop

> environment, other than *Debian desktop environment*?

>
> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...

*sigh* It's complicated.

See, there's more than one Debian installer program, and there's more
than one IMAGE which uses the Debian installer as its core.

The "Debian desktop environment" setting is designed to choose whichever
desktop the DESIGNER OF YOUR INSTALLATION IMAGE decided should be the
default.

If you're using the official Debian netinst or DVD-1 installer image,
the default choice is GNOME.

If you're using a Debian "Live" image, the default choice is potentially
something other than GNOME. It'll usually say in the image's filename.

If you're using something other than pure Debian, the default could be
anything at all.

> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

I really liked tomas's answer to this. The way you're asking this
question means you've already fallen into the trap of thinking that
it's normal and expected to install a full-blown Desktop Environment
and that you're supposed to choose one of them.

A lot of us (myself included) don't use ANY of those. We just use a
traditional window manager, of which there are a few dozen.

If you UNSELECT all of the desktop options (including the stupid
"Debian desktop environment" choice that picks one for you), you get
an installation which has only the Standard packages, and no graphical
environment yet.

At that point, if you know which window manager you want to use, you
can do this:

1) Check for missing firmware and video drivers. You're already booting
to a text console, so you've bypassed the "I can't boot because
the Display Manager locks up because of missing firmware" trap.
Now you get to resolve that peacefully, without a DM trying to take
over the display at boot time.

2) sudo apt-get install xorg your-favorite-wm your-favorite-terminal ....

3) startx

If startx works, then you can continue booting to a text console and using
startx to launch the GUI each time. Or you can select a Display Manager
package and install that, if you want a GUI login. It's up to you.

Or, of course, you're free to use a Desktop Environment if that's what
you prefer. That's the thing about Debian: it lets you choose.

[Peter Ehlert]

I am with you on that.


BTW: the mate-desktop-environment-extras is a Great enhancement
MATE Desktop Environment (extra components, metapackage)
>
> Jeremy
>

[Peter Ehlert]

On 5/24/22 05:20, Greg Wooledge wrote:
> On Tue, May 24, 2022 at 01:27:29PM +0200, Antonino Saetta wrote:
>> So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop
>> environment, other than *Debian desktop environment*?

uncheck that box, select any other Desktop you want, or None.

by trial and error I believe it is actually Gnome, the new super
dumbed-down version.

I much prefer Mate

>>
>> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...
> *sigh* It's complicated.
>
> See, there's more than one Debian installer program, and there's more
> than one IMAGE which uses the Debian installer as its core.
>
> The "Debian desktop environment" setting is designed to choose whichever
> desktop the DESIGNER OF YOUR INSTALLATION IMAGE decided should be the
> default.
>
> If you're using the official Debian netinst or DVD-1 installer image,
> the default choice is GNOME.
>
> If you're using a Debian "Live" image, the default choice is potentially
> something other than GNOME. It'll usually say in the image's filename.
>
> If you're using something other than pure Debian, the default could be
> anything at all.
>
>> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?
> I really liked tomas's answer to this. The way you're asking this
> question means you've already fallen into the trap of thinking that
> it's normal and expected to install a full-blown Desktop Environment
> and that you're supposed to choose one of them.
>
> A lot of us (myself included) don't use ANY of those. We just use a
> traditional window manager, of which there are a few dozen.
>
> If you UNSELECT all of the desktop options (including the stupid
> "Debian desktop environment" choice that picks one for you)

I agree, the Stupid default is super annoying.

I believe that the "Debian desktop environment"is actually Gnome
(Gnome3) and it really sucks.
===

BTW: The Debian Installer is the best I have ever found, with only Two
exceptions... That default crap selection, and auto selecting all swap
partitions on the entire system for Formatting.

end of rant

[Brian]

On Tue 24 May 2022 at 13:27:29 +0200, Antonino Saetta wrote:

> Hi,
>
> After my surrender to Jessie I've thought of moving on with Stretch.

Careful! If you go on like this you will end up installing bullseye :).

> Currently I've installed it through the net, no problems at all.
>
> So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop

> environment, other than *Debian desktop environment*?

>
> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...

It needn't be GNOME, but it has been for quite some time.

> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

Lightest? In terms of disk space used?

apt install task-xfce-desktop
apt unstall take-gnome-desktop
apt unstall xfce4
etc

Lool at the additional disk space to be used.

--
Brian.

[Greg Wooledge]

On Tue, May 24, 2022 at 02:23:46PM +0100, Brian wrote:
> apt install task-xfce-desktop
> apt unstall take-gnome-desktop
> apt unstall xfce4
> etc

Freudian typos.

[Patrick Bartek]

On Tue, 24 May 2022 13:27:29 +0200
Antonino Saetta <antonino...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> After my surrender to Jessie I've thought of moving on with Stretch.
>
> Currently I've installed it through the net, no problems at all.
>
> So I was wondering, why am I asked to choose (or not) a GNOME desktop

> environment, other than *Debian desktop environment*?

To give you a choice of which desktop or desktops to install, or no GUI
at all. With Linux you can install and run multiple desktops, if you
want to.

> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...

It is, but you don't have to use/install it if you don't want to.

> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

XFCE, LXDE, LXQt are all considered "light" desktops. Running only a
window manager (I use Openbox. There are many others.) is even lighter.

B

[황병희]

Antonino Saetta <antonino...@gmail.com> writes:

> (... thanks ...)

> I thought that Debian is GNOME by default...
>
> Also, what's the lightest desktop? Default, XFCE or LXDE...?

Hellow, i am beginner with Debian. I install Debian 11 Bullseye on
Chromebook. But there is no Gnome desktop. I just launch each Linux app
such as Emacs, Gimp, etc., when i need it.

You see my screenshot:
<https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/raw/85192f6a3ed615b0ac3727c1571663c5ffea6364/ss/Screenshot%202022-05-25%203.40.40%20PM.png>

Sincerely, Linux fan Byung-Hee

--
^고맙습니다 _救濟蒼生_ 감사합니다_^))//

[didier gaumet]

Hello,

In fact you did not install Debian on your Chromebook but you enabled Debian inside Chrome OS on your Chromebook(1), right? In this case Debian runs in a Chrome OS container not on the hardware? Your screenshot seems to show a Chrome OS interface...

(1) https://chromeos.dev/en/linux

[황병희]

Hellow didier,

didier gaumet <didier...@gmail.com> writes:

> (... thanks ...)

> In fact you did not install Debian on your Chromebook but you enabled
> Debian inside Chrome OS on your Chromebook(1), right? In this case
> Debian runs in a Chrome OS container not on the hardware? Your
> screenshot seems to show a Chrome OS interface...
>
> (1) https://chromeos.dev/en/linux

Yes, you are right:
<https://gitlab.com/soyeomul/Gnus/-/commit/1fcfc61ac2c34c8c122c9cc665a55734210f94f6>

And i like Chromebook and Debian/Ubuntu ^^^

[Махно]

Hello. Just use i3. It is a tiling window manager designed for X11,
inspired by wmii and written in C.[5] It supports tiling, stacking,
and tabbing layouts, which it handles dynamically. Configuration is
achieved via plain text file and extending i3 is possible using its
Unix domain socket and JSON based IPC interface from many programming
languages. More info here:

https://wiki.debian.org/i3

[황병희]

Hellow Махно ,

Махно <mindaugas...@gmail.com> writes:

> Hello. Just use i3. It is a tiling window manager designed for X11,
> inspired by wmii and written in C.[5] It supports tiling, stacking,
> and tabbing layouts, which it handles dynamically. Configuration is
> achieved via plain text file and extending i3 is possible using its
> Unix domain socket and JSON based IPC interface from many programming
> languages. More info here:
>
> https://wiki.debian.org/i3

Wow thanks for reply and good guidance!

Unfortuantely, Chromebook does not offer X11. So i cannot try to
i3 with my Chromebook. However if i get other device, by chance, i will
try to i3, someday far later ^^^

And thanks again for kind reply ^^^

Sincerely, Linux fan Byung-Hee

--

^고맙습니다 _布德天下_ 감사합니다_^))//

[Keith Bainbridge]

On 24/5/22 23:23, Brian wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> After my surrender to Jessie I've thought of moving on with Stretch.
> Careful! If you go on like this you will end up installing bullseye :).
>

Bookworm?

SID?

--
All the best

Keith Bainbridge

keithrb...@gmail.com

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi,

Brian wrote:
> > Careful! If you go on like this you will end up installing bullseye :).

Keith Bainbridge wrote:
> Bookworm?
> SID?

In any case: Not Testing !

Currently a zillion of packages get marked for autoremovial from Testing
because of
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1011268


Have a nice day :)

Thomas

[Cindy Sue Causey]

Yeehaw to that! About 3 mornings ago, I woke up to 71 emails
containing the "marked for autoremoval" advisement. All appear to be
tied to accessibility (A11Y). Have mercy, it's all the bigger chat
topics: edbrowse, espeakup, fenrir, *orca*. I've NEVER seen that
quantity before and especially not those packages, but that's likely
just because of which lists I follow.

Cindy :)
--
Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA
* runs with birdseed *

[Kenneth Parker]

So *that* is what all those emails were about. 

I had to use Bullseye as Testing for, over a month, due to the level of the qemu package (as Buster's was lower than Mint).  I am *sure* glad I didn't try that with Bookworm!  (Yes, I had a major issue with Mint 20 and won't use Mint anymore).