Xfce Forum

Norwegiancod

Member

Registered: 2014-01-15

Posts: 1

Minimal Xfce 4.8 install

I'm new to Xfce and I'm planning to install a very minimal Xfce+Debian Wheezy desktop on my (very) old laptop. Specifically, I'm planning to use the guide located at http://auriza.site40.net/notes/debian/x … tallation/ but I wanted to make sure the Xfce-related packages listed in #5 and #6 are up-to-date for Xfce 4.8. Are there any changes that should be made to the author's selections from 2010 (for example, I think I read on Wikipedia that HAL is now deprecated)? For reference, here's a list of what he recommends to install:

5. Install basic Xfce desktop

# apt-get install --no-install-recommends \
xorg xfce4 slim alsa-base alsa-utils \
hal gamin dbus-x11 sudo xdg-utils

and

6. Install Xfce additional application

# apt-get install --no-install-recommends \
desktop-base gnome-icon-theme dmz-cursor-theme \
xfce4-terminal xfce4-taskmanager xfce4-screenshooter-plugin \
thunar-archive-plugin thunar-media-tags-plugin

Thanks for your advice!

Last edited by Norwegiancod (2014-01-15 18:27:40)

MagnusBerg

Member

Registered: 2004-12-17

Posts: 46

Re: Minimal Xfce 4.8 install

I suggest that you use the package manager Aptitude. You can run it without X after installing the core system. With Aptitude you got full control of the packages; if they are needed, up to date and get total knowledge about their dependencies. But I can tell that you don't need dmz-cursor-theme if you don't like that design gimmick.

I remember Xfce 4.8 as a slow version. With slow I mean that it was like using Gnome or KDE. No benefit with a lean environment on a older computer in other words.
But with 4.10 Xfce was back as the great environment I always have loved and I went back to use it. Why don't you install Debian Testing or Sid instead with Xfce 4.12?

Last edited by MagnusBerg (2014-01-16 20:43:03)

Oxihjen

Member

Registered: 2014-03-31

Posts: 4

Re: Minimal Xfce 4.8 install

I would also recommend jessie (testing release) for a non-server install. Because of the small amount of xfce dependencies, it's pretty solid, yet more uptodate. Wheezy (current stable) is typically being used for servers, but nothing holds you from using it ofcourse. My Jessie+Xfce is actually more stable (no bugs at all) than a Wheezy+KDE I used to have.. Unless you want a topnotch secure and stable install, I'd say go Jessie.

The article is partly outdated; As you mentioned HAL is deprecated and now part of udev, original Openoffice is discontinued and now Libreoffice (or Apache Openoffice) and maybe more things changed.

Also consider Midori webbrowser instead of Iceweasel; It has things like addblock and plugin support and aims to be lightweight.

Might be interesting: https://wiki.xfce.org/recommendedapps

Some simple commands which might help (or use 'aptitude'):

$ apt-cache search xfce
$ apt-cache show xfce4

(or replace xfce4 with a package name when desired)

Last edited by Oxihjen (2014-03-31 22:33:48)