Debian Switches Default Desktop to Xfce

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Debian Wheezy will be released with a small change. The default desktop environment will be Xfce instead of the long time Gnome choice. All you Gnome 3.x bashers relax a minute. It may be more a choice brought on by Debian's insistence on sticking with a single CD iso. It seems Gnome has gotten to big to fit on the first installation CD. Of course, speculation remains that there were other more subjective reasons for ditching Gnome as the default DE. It will still be available via the repos, along with KDE, LXDE, etc.

 

Read more about it in this Phoronix article --> http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE1NTk

[securitybreach]

Very cool

[V.T. Eric Layton]

I'm running Sid with Gnome 3. I wonder if it will update to Xfce automatically? I doubt it. I'd probably have to install it myself. That's OK, though. One of the reasons I installed Sid was to use Gnome 3 and get used to it a bit. It's not really that bad at all, I don't think... but that's just me. To each their own, you know. Speaking of DEs, when I ran Parted Magic the other day, I was impressed by how good looking LXDE has become.

[amenditman]

Speaking of DEs, when I ran Parted Magic the other day, I was impressed by how good looking LXDE has become.

Yup, LXDE is really good. Not quite up to Enlightenment's level of pretty, but fully functional, minimal resources needed, and very little learning curve.

[Guest LilBambi]

Very well rounded, light and nicely configurable GUI for default.

[sunrat]

Interesting move, and should do wonders for Xfce popularity. aptosid still manages to get KDE on a single CD with the kde-lite version (which is what I use), but then they haven't released a new install disc set for a while. Maybe Wheezy is including more default packages on the first CD.

 

In other Debian news, Wheezy's successor will be called "Jessie".

[raymac46]

If you've got broadband, Wheezy netinstall is so slick that is the way to go. The netinstall CD is pocket sized (150MB or so.) Like Eric, I tried Debian Wheezy out for Gnome 3. Xfce is nice but I'd just use Xubuntu in that case.

I can get used to Gnome 3, but Mint's Cinnamon is a delight to use - especially for ex-Windows or Gnome 2.X users. For longtime Gnomies, Mate is even nicer.

[saturnian]

If you've got broadband, Wheezy netinstall is so slick that is the way to go. The netinstall CD is pocket sized (150MB or so.)

 

I think I'll try "netinst" next time I install Debian. With netinst, you choose the desktop environment during the installation, isn't that correct?

 

I used Debian Live the last two time I installed Debian, which was good for testing things out on a couple of computers before proceeding with the installation.

[sunrat]

I think I'll try "netinst" next time I install Debian. With netinst, you choose the desktop environment during the installation, isn't that correct?

Correct. I think you have to select "Advanced" (or something like that) to choose a desktop other than default.

[raymac46]

Yes use the Advanced netinstall. It's not that difficult, sort of like a Ubuntu alternate install.

[securitybreach]

If you've got broadband, Wheezy netinstall is so slick that is the way to go. The netinstall CD is pocket sized (150MB or so.) Like Eric, I tried Debian Wheezy out for Gnome 3. Xfce is nice but I'd just use Xubuntu in that case.

I can get used to Gnome 3, but Mint's Cinnamon is a delight to use - especially for ex-Windows or Gnome 2.X users. For longtime Gnomies, Mate is even nicer.

 

Agreed

[V.T. Eric Layton]

...Mate is even nicer.

 

Yes, I'm running Mate in my Linux Mint installation.

[Guest LilBambi]

I like Cinnamon GUI that Mint developed. Sad to see that Debian isn't in the list of Distros that have it.

 

Maybe "Jessie" will have it when it goes Stable.

[raymac46]

It's a great time to be a keyboard - mouse dinosaur. Windows 7 - the last great classic Windows desktop - will be supported until 2020, and Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon - Gnome 2 with eye candy - will be around and supported until 2017. And we've always got Xfce if we need it.

Lots of time to kick back and relax and watch the whole touchscreen Metro-polis work itself out.