Desktop <not a tech question, opinion question>

[Nils Kassube]

silver.bullet at zoho.com wrote:
> On Sun, 30 Aug 2015 20:46:26 +0200, Nils Kassube wrote:
> >1. You can install the individual packages which end with "-desktop"
> >and then select the individual version at the login screen.
> 
> Using a meta-package not necessarily is a good idea. 1. It might
> install a lot of unwanted crap, depending to the needs and experience
> of the OP I even would recommend to install packages with
> --no-install-recommends.

If you don't use the meta package you may not get all the standard 
features of the wanted desktop. And of course I wouldn't recommend to 
use "--no-install-recommends" because you would also be missing some 
things. Furthermore I don't think you can determine what would be "crap" 
before you have tried it. And most unnecessary packages have no effect 
if you don't use them (except wasting a little disk space of course).

> 2. For some WMs there are unlikely
> meta-packages.

As I understand it, the OP asked for other desktops, not other WMs.

> >2. You can download the iso images for the individual Ubuntu flavours
> >and then run from a live system of the individual flavour.
> >
> >The first option would probably save some download time while the
> >second option would leave your current system unchanged.
> 
> 1. Backup the install, so you could restore the install if needed.

That's certainly a useful idea. Another option would be to make a list 
of the currently installed packages. Later you determine which packages 
were newly installed and uninstall only these new packages.

> 2. Install an easy to use virtual machine, e.g. VirtualBox and install
> a backup of your real install and make snapshots when testing other
> environments.

Right, I didn't think of a VM - that's of course another option to avoid 
playing with the current system.

> There are unlikely installers for each DE/WM available and perhaps the
> OP already made a minimalist install, e.g. using the server image. I
> installed Wily from the server image without installing server
> software, to the contrary, before I started installing software, I
> removed a lot of packages, since Ubuntu not really provides a
> minimalist install. I should mention that I'm used to Arch Linux.

I suppose there are only very few people who would first install a 
minimalist system and then add a desktop which is probably bloatware in 
your view. :)


Nils