Xfce Forum

jakfish

Member

Registered: 2019-12-23

Posts: 61

xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

All my computers run xfce and I've always considered it the superior desktop, especially for small-screened computers.

I'm looking at purchasing the GPD MPC 2 and unfortunately, it can't run X, only wayland. From forum posts here, I understand that xfce ver 4.20 occasionally works with wayland, but buggy, non-persistent, etc.

xfce fills my needs perfectly:

* its lightweight nature

* its genmons

* its ability to embed the panel in a window title bar, thus saving screen real estate on small computers

Obviously, no other desktop will top the support of this forum, but is there any similar Linux desktop that would hold me over until xfce finally plays nice with wayland?

An ability to run scripts via a genmon-like widget along with panel embedding is what I'm looking for.

I apologize for my odd post in a xfce forum, but an alternative xfce-ish desktop would only be a stopgap measure until later xfce versions triumph.

Many thanks for any advice.

eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 795

Re: xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

Wayland/Labwc runs fine with Xfce4. There are a few hiccups but they are working on them. I run Wayland/Labwc/xfce4 most of the time now and don't find it lacking at all. For the issues that do exist there are some workarounds and scripts to smooth things out.

What is the reason your new machine can't run X?
This is Debian's report.
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/GPD/MicroPC

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I AM CANADIAN!
Siduction
Debian Sid
Xfce 4.20 with Wayland/Labwc

jakfish

Member

Registered: 2019-12-23

Posts: 61

Re: xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

Very much appreciate you weighing in, thank you.

The link you cite--I believe--is for the original MPC. The MPC 2 is very recent. I have an original MPC, which runs Manjaro/xfce without complaint.

That said, your comments that xfce (ver 4.20?) may actually play better with wayland than I realized is most encouraging. Which Linux are you using (I'd prefer to use Manjaro or Linux Mint)?

That said:

* will xfce/wayland allow a functioning home screen?

* will the panel embed in the window title bar?

* will genmon work?

Once again, thank you for your post.

eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 795

Re: xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

I use Debian Sid. Not sure what you mean by a "Home Screen"? I've never tried to embed the Panel into a title bar. Didn't know that was a thing. Genmon can be added into the panel and should work without issue.

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I AM CANADIAN!
Siduction
Debian Sid
Xfce 4.20 with Wayland/Labwc

jakfish

Member

Registered: 2019-12-23

Posts: 61

Re: xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

When I say "home screen," I was referring to the desktop; too much Android these days, I guess.

xfconf-query -c xfce4-panel -p /panels/panel-0/disable-struts -t bool -n -s true

will allow the panel to sit in a title bar. It's a fine command for a small screen.

I hadn't known that more current versions of Debian, including Sid, now use wayland. I found a .deb for xfce4 4.20 in the Debian repo so a xfce/wayland union looks more encouraging than I thought.

If you have time, I would greatly appreciate your testing of the strut command above. I'd love to know how that works in wayland. The new MPC has few xfce users, so I'm flying on a wing and a prayer.

Thanks for sticking with this post.

eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 795

Re: xfce Alternative for Just One of My Far-too-many xfce Computers?

I'm away from my laptop for a week on a fishing trip. I can try when I return.

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I AM CANADIAN!
Siduction
Debian Sid
Xfce 4.20 with Wayland/Labwc