What customizations do you do over the stock Debian install for Desktop use?

[td211]

I usually install Debian using the minimal netinstall then do the following:

- Install a minimal Plasma desktop with baseapps and spectacle
- Install Libreoffice and its Plasma theme integration
- Install flatpak and its Discover backend
- Install unattended-upgrades
- Replace pulseaudio with pipewire
- Configure zram.
- Install and Configure firewalld zones
- Enable YAMA (level 1) for extra security
- Use a custom snapper daily script for daily snapshots
- Enable backports

What do you do/recommend?

[Hallvor]

I do this, more or less: viewtopic.php?t=155919

[td211]

I do this, more or less: viewtopic.php?t=155919

Interesting post. I tried to add "nomodeset" to grub but SDDM ceased to work. It does delay the graphics driver loading but appears to break mine completely.

[Hallvor]

So you could reach the desktop, but still added nomodeset? Is that correct?

[td211]

So you could reach the desktop, but still added nomodeset? Is that correct?

Yes I just wanted to see what happens. I have no issue without it. I guess it doesn't play nicely with AMD GPUs.

[Hallvor]

If you can get to the desktop and install whatever drivers you need, nomodeset is superfluous; if you just boot to a black screen (can happen with Nvidia), it can save you.

[bbbhltz]

I start with a minimal netinstall and then install the minimal LXQt stuff, LibreOffice, Geany, Strawberry, mpv, Syncthing, and a bunch of Texlive stuff to work with Pandoc. I get Firefox installed then use the about:config to get rid of the stuff I'll never use (sync, accounts, that read later thing). Then I'll usually install Nicotine and beets. I do other stuff to get it the way I like it, but try not to spend too much time tweaking and ricing. Honestly, I could probably just start with the full LXQt desktop and remove a handful of stuff and I'd be fine.

[td211]

I start with a minimal netinstall and then install the minimal LXQt stuff, LibreOffice, Geany, Strawberry, mpv, Syncthing, and a bunch of Texlive stuff to work with Pandoc. I get Firefox installed then use the about:config to get rid of the stuff I'll never use (sync, accounts, that read later thing). Then I'll usually install Nicotine and beets. I do other stuff to get it the way I like it, but try not to spend too much time tweaking and ricing. Honestly, I could probably just start with the full LXQt desktop and remove a handful of stuff and I'd be fine.

I install a minimal KDE desktop because the default install using the live system version has a lot of unasked for apps installed (like thai terminal, fcitx, golden dict too?).

[jmgibson1981]

I do a basic install from a chroot because Im always tinkering. Saves downloading an iso. Minimal packages for the core system. Gnome-core, Firefox, evolution and anything else required for my system such as lvm2, firmware-linux-nonfree, rsync, timeshift, and podman. Nothing outside of my necessity. Make as few changes as possible to keep it clean. Then use the current distrobox installed in /usr/local to run all of my normal daily software. The core stays pure.

[Uptorn]

Way too many to share in a single post. I have an entire knowledge base directory and I've been considering authoring a book, granted I could muster enough motivation.

[sunrat]

KDE is pretty good out of the box. I install from netinstall with no DE and then add kde-plasma-desktop after reboot. Then add applications as I want to use them.
These tweaks to Plasma make it work how I like:
System Settings
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Window Behaviour > Advanced > Window placement - Minimal Overlapping
Startup and Shutdown > Logout Screen - Untick Show , On Login - Start with an empty session
Appearance > Global Theme - Breeze Dark
Input Devices > Mouse > Pointer speed - max

Dolphin
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Configure Dolphin > Startup > Make location bar editable, Show full path in location bar, Show on startup - HOME
View Modes > Details tab > Open files and folders - By clicking on icon or name
Details view mode
Show Panels > Information
Show Additional Information > Size, Created(?)
Configure Toolbars - add Up ^ button

Polkit
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mount disks in Dolphin without password:
Create /etc/polkit-1/rules.d/10-udisks2.rules

with this content:

Code: Select all

// Allow udisks2 to mount devices without authentication
// for users in the "users" group.
polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
if ((action.id == "org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount-system" ||
 action.id == "org.freedesktop.udisks2.filesystem-mount") &&
subject.isInGroup("users")) {
return polkit.Result.YES;
}
});

[td211]

I do a basic install from a chroot because Im always tinkering.

So you do it using "debootstrap"?
I was forced to do that from a Fedora live system because I couldn't get a Debian stable ISO with a backports kernel, which is needed for my hardware.

[jmgibson1981]

Yep. From either another booted installation of something or I keep an LTSP server on my lan for the purpose as well as general recovery and such. I figure with the exception of new releases I likely already have the majority of packages on my squid server already as almost everything on my lan is Debian / Ubuntu in some cases. No sense downloading a new iso. I've spent a ton of time with Fedora Silverblue as well but it gives me difficulty as I don't like layering packages if I can help it. Once Nautilus became a crashing mess in the latest version I gave it up for now.

[wizard10000]

Been running Debian since 2012 and have never done a stock install.

When Crunchbang Linux ended I converted a Crunchbang Waldorf install to pure Debian Wheezy (Wheezy was Testing at the time). TBH it would have been easier to wipe and reinstall but I was pretty stubborn at the time and I was sure I could make it work

Since then only minimal installs with openbox although I switched to labwc a couple weeks ago.

[Uptorn]

Been running Debian since 2012 and have never done a stock install.

When Crunchbang Linux ended I converted a Crunchbang Waldorf install to pure Debian Wheezy (Wheezy was Testing at the time). TBH it would have been easier to wipe and reinstall but I was pretty stubborn at the time and I was sure I could make it work

Since then only minimal installs with openbox although I switched to labwc a couple weeks ago.

What were some things that you found needed special attention during and after the conversion process?

[wizard10000]

What were some things that you found needed special attention during and after the conversion process?

This was a dozen years ago, but basically just identifying and replacing Crunchbang packages with Debian packages while also not breaking the install. Would have taken much less time to just install Debian and restore from backup

[reinob]

Been running Debian since 2012 and have never done a stock install.

When Crunchbang Linux ended I converted a Crunchbang Waldorf install to pure Debian Wheezy (Wheezy was Testing at the time). TBH it would have been easier to wipe and reinstall but I was pretty stubborn at the time and I was sure I could make it work :)

Since then only minimal installs with openbox although I switched to labwc a couple weeks ago.

My first debian install was using debootstrap to remove ubuntu (pangolin something or other) from under its feet. It worked :)

That's the good thing about linux in general, you can install it anywhere just by copying the right files to the right place (modulo boot sector, UEFI, etc.)

[LouisR4]

I typically start with a minimal Debian install too and add the following:

XFCE stands out in most cases if you require a very light environment.
I immediately set up Firefox and VLC because I use them the most.
I allow the firewall and the few basic security things but do not tinker much with other advanced options.
Oh, in that case I use Timeshift for backups and not Snapper because it is relatively easier for me.
I also add the non-free repo for packages such as propriety drivers or some codecs.
Oh, and I like to keep the ‘auto update’ button enabled for security patches so that you don’t have to be reminded.

[td211]

My first debian install was using debootstrap to remove ubuntu (pangolin something or other) from under its feet. It worked

So you wiped the root using a Live USB then debootstrapped or you did it somehow from Ubuntu itself?

[reinob]

My first debian install was using debootstrap to remove ubuntu (pangolin something or other) from under its feet. It worked :)

So you wiped the root using a Live USB then debootstrapped or you did it somehow from Ubuntu itself?

No. I had Ubuntu installed (on HDD) and used debootstrap, from within Ubuntu, to replace the stuff. I may have used a temporary partition, but in any case after the next reboot debian came and ubuntu was gone :)