I am a Ubuntu 10.4LTS user (gnome), with my main desktop machine.  I have an old laptop that I use to try different distros.  Although I am sticking with Ubuntu 10.4LTS for the time being I wanted to check out the latest Ubuntu release.  Between the changes in Gnome3, and Ubuntu's unity interface I wasn't impressed, not to mention the old laptop is getting to the point it can't handle the latest and greatest eye candy.   Someone suggested XFCE and I was impressed.  I installed it as an option on my desktop machine, I am using it more and find the transition simple enough.  I still have all my gnome apps in the Xfce menus, so I am not getting the stand alone Xfce experience.

My background: I am old enough to remember mainframes, so unix/Linux was natural to me.  I stared off with linux on headless servers but still used Windows for my computing needs.  Once I moved over I really found no reason to use Windows anymore. I didn't like KDE, although I thought it looked sharper, I just didn't like it.  I did like Gnome and Xfce has also impressed me.  As Gnome continues down its current path I will most likely switch.  I am a K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid)/minimalist person so I don't want or need anything fancy.

My old laptop is giving me so many problems, I can't try Xubuntu with Xfce or the Fedora-Xfce spin on its own.  I can however see myself switching to Xfce on my desktop on my next LTS install.

I joined this forum because I have a few questions.  Although I have searched and found answers somethings don't work.  I will search the forums a bit and then start asking.