Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

xfce4 or gnome3?

If none of the specific sub-forums seem right for your thread, ask here.
Post Reply
Message
Author
1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

xfce4 or gnome3?

#1 Post by 1885 »

I really like the new Debian 9 installation.
I installed Deb9 with gnome3 on my laptop . Lenovo with and i7 and 16gb of ram.
I'd like to try xfce4
I need to connect to a wifi printer (hp 8600)

Additionally
I have a lab with 21 nodes running 8.8 and gnome3. m(teaching computer science)
I'm thinking about switching everything to xfce4.

what I need.
- samba client
- Printer installation.
- cisco packetracer
- vmware
- virtual box
- nodejs
- java oracle
- apache2
- php7
- we have nvidia video cards. GeForce GT 610 - simple - I am happy with nouveau
Last edited by 1885 on 2017-07-22 14:34, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
dasein
Posts: 7680
Joined: 2011-03-04 01:06
Location: Terra Incantationum

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#2 Post by dasein »

And did you have a question?

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#3 Post by 1885 »

dasein wrote:And did you have a question?
will xfce4 enable
samba client
and
nvidia (nouveau)

When using nvidia wioth gnome3 we got the white screen of death quite often when nvidia drivers failed with deb8.8

deb 9 install seemed to solved this
Last edited by 1885 on 2017-07-22 15:07, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
dasein
Posts: 7680
Joined: 2011-03-04 01:06
Location: Terra Incantationum

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#5 Post by dasein »

1885 wrote:
dasein wrote:And did you have a question?
will xfce4 enable
samba client
and
nvidia (nouveau)
If you're asking if Xfce installs these packages automatically, then the answer is no.

If you're asking if you can install these packages for use with xfce, then the answer is something more like "couldn't they find someone with some basic computer knowledge to teach computer science?"

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#6 Post by 1885 »

Lysander wrote:I think a pertinent question is still lacking.
Yes . I need to be more clear.
We like some of the tools available with gnome3 but got tired of the white screen of death with the nvidia drivers.
Additionally gnome3 seemed to lag bit . I'm not 100% sure why.

What we really need is :
samba client (which works well with gnome3)
graphic support for nvidia . All our systems run simple nvidia 600 video cards.
printer support

So the question is? Will xfce4 do the above?

everything else we need should work.

Wheelerof4te
Posts: 1454
Joined: 2015-08-30 20:14

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#7 Post by Wheelerof4te »

We like some of the tools available with gnome3 but got tired of the white screen of death with the nvidia drivers.
Additionally gnome3 seemed to lag bit . I'm not 100% sure why.
How do you mean, you are not sure? Are you using free nvidia driver (nouveau) or non-free? With that much RAM and a i7 CPU, GNOME 3 should fly, even with nouveau. Did you mess with the system after installation?
graphic support for nvidia . All our systems run simple nvidia 600 video cards.
Nouveau used to work well with my veery old Nvidia card with 64 MB RAM on Jessie. Don't know about Stretch.

User avatar
GarryRicketson
Posts: 5644
Joined: 2015-01-20 22:16
Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#8 Post by GarryRicketson »

Will xfce4 do the above?
I think the OP is barking up the wrong tree here.
One can do all of the things listed above with a window manager as well,
or even from the command line, it all depends if the system admin configures the system to do those things.
Counting on or depending on a particular desktop environment to do
everything does not seem like a good approach to me at all.
I have a lab with 21 nodes running 8.8 and gnome3. m(teaching computer science)
I'm thinking about switching everything to xfce4.
Using some Desktop Environment and depending on it to do everything
is not "computer science",...
If I was running a "lab" and teaching computer science, I would give my students a base system, that they can log into, and get the command prompt. Does the OP even know what that is ?, from there the students would learn how to configure the system, make it do all of the things listed, with out any Desktop Environment, eventually when they (the students ) have learned how to do some basic configuration, and administer a system, they would be ready to start learning how to install and configure a Desktop Environment or preferably a Window Manager.
Either of which can be configured to do any of the things the system admin decides to alllow the users to do.
Dasein>>>If you're asking if you can install these packages for use with xfce, then the answer is something more like "couldn't they find someone with some basic computer knowledge to teach computer science?"
Really, I agree 100% here.
For example, even the wifi printer, can be installed and used with out a Desktop Environment, all the desktop environment does is make it little easier, maybe, assuming who ever configure the DE decides to allow the users to do that.
========== edited ============
If all the OP is trying to do is teach the students to be end users, and depend on a Desktop Environment, then it does not matter XFCE or Gnome, is about the same. XFCE seems to be more bug free, and dependable then Gnome these days. Either one can be set up to
perform the tasks, listed.
If the OP is really trying to teach computer science, they need to learn
about that first.
Here is some links that may help.
1st off teach the students how to do searches, and use the search programs on their machines as well.
Using key words like : Try this as a search

Code: Select all

What are the first basics to learn in computer science   
Many results:
2 of them are:
https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Introdu ... er_Science
======================================
[url]ttps://www.jamesmaa.com/2013/08/26/a-beginners ... r-science/[/url]
Have fun
Last edited by GarryRicketson on 2017-07-22 16:19, edited 1 time in total.

Wheelerof4te
Posts: 1454
Joined: 2015-08-30 20:14

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#9 Post by Wheelerof4te »

I think the OP has some kind of graphics or system problem on GNOME 3 and asks will XFCE4 will have those same problems. My answer is: depends on the problem. Is it because of bad driver installation, or something more deeper? We don't know since OP didn't specify the problem. He simply asks if XFCE4 will make his problems go away, which is a wrong assumption.

And yes, if everything is ok, even XFCE4 can run those programs. As Garry noted, most of it can be done even without DE, on the CLI.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#10 Post by stevepusser »

The programs that the OP is concerned about don't care about whether the desktop is xfce4 or GNOME. There may be some GNOME tool you like to manage those programs, but those can be run on the xfce4 desktop if they are really necessary.

Xfce4 doesn't require any hardware video acceleration like GNOME 3 does, so it's more resistant to failure if something is going wrong with that and the video driver. But as others have noted, that's mostly a problem with the proprietary Nvidia driver; nouveau shouldn't have those issues. Even the proprietary driver shouldn't have problems if some simple caveats are kept in mind.
MX Linux packager and developer

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#11 Post by 1885 »

Using some Desktop Environment and depending on it to do everything
is not "computer science",...
Your right! thanks for all the posts.

I'm going to test a few systems with xfce4 . I like to have everyone on the same page.
The point about using command line to control processes is a great point. I am constantly asking the students to practice command line then I ask them to use gnome3.
Xfce4 doesn't require any hardware video acceleration like GNOME 3 does
Hopefully this will help when updating video drivers.

Once again. Thank you. I've learned a lot from this forum.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#12 Post by stevepusser »

You can be more resistant to proprietary Nvidia driver failures by sticking to the versions in the non-free section of the Debian repo. They have a lot of customization and tweaks to prevent failures. If you're getting the drivers directly from Nvidia and then installing per their instructions, that could be a large part of the problem.
MX Linux packager and developer

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#13 Post by 1885 »

I installed xfce4 on my Lenovo laptop on top of Debian9
The first thing I noticed chrome and chromium start faster.
I was able to get a printer installed.
HP-Officejet-Pro-8600


I need to work on the following:
smb://server/client
and
screenshot

I'll research both of the above .
I like to stick to standard methods rather than hacks.

I like it!

Code: Select all

 lspci 
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 06)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller (rev 06)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller (rev 06)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI (rev 05)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #2 (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d5)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #2 (rev d5)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev d5)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev d5)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #1 (rev 05)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM86 Express LPC Controller (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode] (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 05)
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM107M [GeForce GTX 860M] (rev a2)
08:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 3160 (rev 93)
09:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 10)
0a:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5249 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)
root@vita:/home/cwc# 

Wheelerof4te
Posts: 1454
Joined: 2015-08-30 20:14

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#14 Post by Wheelerof4te »

Great!
Post the output of the following command, so that we can be certain your graphics card works as intended:

Code: Select all

inxi -F
If inxi is not installed by some miracle, install it first:

Code: Select all

apt install inxi

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#15 Post by 1885 »

I like it! inxi -F

What do you think?

root@vita:/home/cwc# inxi -F

Code: Select all

System:    Host: vita Kernel: 4.9.0-3-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit)
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)
Machine:   Device: laptop System: LENOVO product: 20378 v: Lenovo Y50-70 serial: 3462383200340
           Mobo: LENOVO model: Lenovo Y50-70 v: 31900058Std serial: CB32306606
           UEFI [Legacy]: LENOVO v: 9ECN26WW(V1.09) date: 05/27/2014
Battery    BAT1: charge: 37.4 Wh 96.6% condition: 38.7/54.8 Wh (71%)
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-4710HQ (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB 
           clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 2502 MHz 2: 2500 MHz 3: 2500 MHz
           4: 2500 MHz 5: 2500 MHz 6: 2500 MHz 7: 2500 MHz 8: 2500 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           Card-2: NVIDIA GM107M [GeForce GTX 860M]
           Display Server: X.org 1.19.2 drivers: modesetting,nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           tty size: 79x19 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel
           Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.9.0-3-amd64
Network:   Card-1: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi
           IF: wlp8s0 state: up mac: a0:88:69:78:6e:55
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169
           IF: enp9s0 state: down mac: f8:a9:63:3d:4f:ee
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (3.8% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD10S21X size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 406G used: 7.3G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda4
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 32.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 51.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 45.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 230 Uptime: 2:34 Memory: 1034.0/15968.0MB
           Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.3.5


User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#16 Post by stevepusser »

It's using the nouveau driver--the vesa driver was unloaded.
MX Linux packager and developer

Wheelerof4te
Posts: 1454
Joined: 2015-08-30 20:14

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#17 Post by Wheelerof4te »

^Yes, I have figured that out and deleted the post. My mistake. Anyways, glad the OP fixed his problem, but I still think it would be better he troubleshooted it with the GNOME DE. Could have helped others.

Oh, well.

1885
Posts: 127
Joined: 2014-06-05 04:23

Re: xfce4 or gnome3?

#18 Post by 1885 »

Wheelerof4te wrote:^Yes, I have figured that out and deleted the post. My mistake. Anyways, glad the OP fixed his problem, but I still think it would be better he troubleshooted it with the GNOME DE. Could have helped others.

Oh, well.
Things seem to be working well.

I got the folloqwing installed on my Lenovo:
- samba-client installed (apt-get install gvfs-backends)
- VMware
- screenshot
- and added a printer wireless

Video works well. I don't play games so all is good.

Thanks!

Post Reply