[ubuntu-za] Ubuntu v Xubuntu

[Bill Cairns]

I have been doing some wandering around the Internet to try and find
the answer, but I am afraid that I have come away even more confused
and ignorant.

If I want to use xfce rather than Gnome what is the difference between
installing Xubuntu or installing Ubuntu and then xfce? (I mean other
than the obvious differences in going through the installation
process).

I know that Xubuntu comes with some different software on the
installation disk - it includes Gimp (good) but not Open / Libre
Office (bad). But are there other significant differences that I need
worry about - especially at the more fundamental systems level?
(Getting sound to work on my machine is always a hassle - are there
any differences there for example?)

So my options are - install Xubuntu (I presume that the X is a Xhosa
click?) and then install all the other programs that I need.

Or; Install Ubuntu, install xfce, (uninstall Gnome?)

Either way of course I still have a lot of other programs that still
need installing. Presumably they would come from different
repositories (Ubuntu v Xubuntu) repositories. Is there any difference
between what is on the repositories? (If not, why are they different?)

I intend to stick with 10.04 on my main machine, but will play with
11.04 on my old machine to plan for the future ....

Bill