Fwd: [xubuntu-users] Replacing LightDM with XDM

[Pasi Lallinaho]

Hey George,

forwarding this to the developer mailing list.

I'm pretty sure we won't switch at least for 14.04 (we have more
features and improvements landing for LightDM), but it's always possible
to rethink this after the LTS. Maybe this will also raise up some questions.

Cheers,
Pasi

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[xubuntu-users] Replacing LightDM with XDM
Date: 	Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:14:28 -0500 (EST)
From: 	George F. Nemeyer <tigerwolf at tigerden.com>
Reply-To: 	Xubuntu Support and User Discussions
<xubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>
To: 	xubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com



I have 30 machines running Xubuntu 13.04 in a public kiosk-environment.

I need to replace the lightDM display manager with XDM, because I need to
strip all ability to change *anything* on the machines (network settings,
session settings, decorations, logout/reboot/shutdown, etc.) out of the
login screen.  LightDM seems to be in a constant state of change, and what
little configuration seems possible either dosen't work as described, or
has other issues, such as putting a right-click panel option into XFCE
which leads to options allowing any user to be able to reboot or shut the
machines down.

I've had only partial success converting to XDM.  XDM works and is
configured to look as I want it, and it allows logins, but once a user
session starts, there's lots of strange behavior:

 - The package manager starts, allows you to select a package to install,
   but does nothing when you tell it do do so.
 - Other programs have similar oddities.  These *seem* to be ones that do
   some cross-interfacing with system functions.
 - Some, but not all, panel icons won't launch the underlying program at
   all.
 - Wireless, audio volume, and other icons normally in the 'notification
   area' aren't there, even for admin users who should have access to
   those functions.

I suspect that LightDM is starting something like dbus, session bus, or
some other daemonish-process(es) that are not started by XDM.  The LightDM
configuration is not fully documented (no man pages), and much of the
Internet forum guidance is simply wrong for the versions in 13.04.  It
uses non-plain-text configuration files, so I haven't any real idea of
just what all it does when logging in with it.

Has anyone been able to run with XDM successfully, and if so, what did you
do?

Likewise, if anyone has a clue on what LightDM does and insight how to get
rid of it, I'd be very grateful.

=^_^=  Tigerwolf

-- 
xubuntu-users mailing list
xubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-users


-- 
Pasi Lallinaho (knome)                      » http://open.knome.fi/
Leader of Shimmer Project and Xubuntu       » http://shimmerproject.org/
Graphic artist, webdesigner, Ubuntu member  » http://xubuntu.org/



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/xubuntu-devel/attachments/20131127/f687c001/attachment.html>