You realise how spoiled you are by the ease at which software can be installed in Linux only when you’ve done the same in Mac OS X or Windows. apt-get or aptitude will install a wide variety of software and in the case of aptitude will remove the software and all it’s dependencies afterwards.
Yeah, I’m saying goodbye to Unity and embracing XFCE (for the moment at least. Choice is good!)
# aptitude install xfce4 xfce4-goodies
The following NEW packages will be installed:
desktop-base{a} exo-utils{a} gtk2-engines-xfce{a} hddtemp{a} libexo-1-0{a} libexo-common{a} libexo-helpers{a} libgarcon-1-0{a} libgarcon-common{a} libkeybinder0{a} libtagc0{a} libthunar-vfs-1-2{a}
libthunar-vfs-1-common{a} libthunarx-2-0{a} libtumbler-1-0{a} libxfce4ui-1-0{a} libxfce4util-bin{a} libxfce4util-common{a} libxfce4util4{a} libxfcegui4-4{a} libxfconf-0-2{a} lm-sensors{a} mousepad{a}
orage{a} ristretto{a} squeeze{a} tango-icon-theme{a} thunar{a} thunar-archive-plugin{a} thunar-data{a} thunar-media-tags-plugin{a} thunar-volman{a} tumbler{a} tumbler-common{a} xfburn{a}
xfce-keyboard-shortcuts{a} xfce4 xfce4-appfinder{a} xfce4-artwork{a} xfce4-battery-plugin{a} xfce4-clipman{a} xfce4-clipman-plugin{a} xfce4-cpufreq-plugin{a} xfce4-cpugraph-plugin{a}
xfce4-datetime-plugin{a} xfce4-dict{a} xfce4-diskperf-plugin{a} xfce4-fsguard-plugin{a} xfce4-genmon-plugin{a} xfce4-goodies xfce4-mailwatch-plugin{a} xfce4-mixer{a} xfce4-mount-plugin{a}
xfce4-netload-plugin{a} xfce4-notes{a} xfce4-notes-plugin{a} xfce4-panel{a} xfce4-places-plugin{a} xfce4-power-manager{a} xfce4-power-manager-data{a} xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin{a} xfce4-screenshooter{a}
xfce4-sensors-plugin{a} xfce4-session{a} xfce4-settings{a} xfce4-smartbookmark-plugin{a} xfce4-systemload-plugin{a} xfce4-taskmanager{a} xfce4-terminal{a} xfce4-timer-plugin{a} xfce4-utils{a}
xfce4-verve-plugin{a} xfce4-volumed{a} xfce4-wavelan-plugin{a} xfce4-weather-plugin{a} xfce4-xkb-plugin{a} xfconf{a} xfdesktop4{a} xfdesktop4-data{a} xfwm4{a} xfwm4-themes{a} xscreensaver{a}
0 packages upgraded, 82 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 40.9 MB of archives. After unpacking 144 MB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
Once installed, logout and select XFCE from the login menu.
XFCE has it’s own quirks and gotchas but it feels lighter and more responsive than Unity. The most difficult part was making the top menu bar autohide. I had to remove the “running programmes” list to get at the panel preferences. Only later did I notice the “Panel” item when you right click some of the menu widgets. The full screen mode in Gnome Terminal gets me back the extra 2-3 lines of terminal I missed. So winning all around as a certain actor once said …
Installing Gnome 3.2 is just as easy and looks gorgeous!
aptitude install gnome-shell