Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

Sproggy · 2010-04-06 19:41:00

I would say PCLinuxOS Phoenix edition ...

or

herd · 2010-04-08 16:37:28

I'm always surprized at how fast plain debian lenny with manually installed xfce performs in contrast to,
say xubuntu or fedora. If you can live without synaptic, a fully python- and gnome-free xfce is possible.
Also go for SliM as a substitute for gdm.

# apt-get remove "libgnome*" "libqt*" libpython libmono0

Will perform a huge liposuction on any overweight debian based install.

However, with such low-end hardware, applications like firefox or openoffice are plain useless.
Lower-spec alternatives exist, but they may also depend on slow interpreted languages like java,
mono and python, which is most undesirable.

Unfortunately, modern desktops have a growing dependency on hefty stuff like D-Bus, gstreamer, policykit
and whatever kit is all the craze these days. This does include xfce 4.6. So maybe the best way to
avoid these is to stick with xfce 4.4. In fact, on less than 512MB and 1GHz I'd recommend windowmaker
over xfce after all.

hth,

herd

vrkalak · 2010-04-10 01:12:48

I am an Xfce fanatic!!

I have every Linux distro that has Xfce, installed as default.

On my PC there are 4 distros, currently:

Xubuntu Lucid 10.04 Beta2
LinuxMint-8 Xfce CE
#!Crunchbang-10 'Statler'-Xfce
and my favorite ... Debian Squeeze -Xfce (built it myself)

You could install Xfce on most any OS, I suppose.
But, Xfce works best on distros that are minimalist, without any Gnome or KDE base.
Crunchbang-10 'Statler' with Xfce, runs great ... simple and fast, like Xfce was meant to be.

winotree · 2010-04-25 16:02:51

Any distribution is a good distribution for installing, or using Xfce. smile I even installed it on top of the EeePC 701's default Xandros a few years ago and it ran flawlessly despite numerous individuals telling me that it couldn't be done. Perhaps it was a good thing I tried it before reading their comments! ;D roll

Lately I've been using the default CrunchBang 10 alpha-1 also called Statler and it is IMO the best for me. It's stable, solid, fast. It takes everything this old man can throw at it on this little device and seemingly doesn't mind. Who could ask for more? Although -- I occasionally catch myself looking at other distributions, such as the new EB 4.0 which claims a rolling release of Debian Sid. SEE http://eeebuntu.org/ By the looks of the size of the ISO it appears to have a full complement of programs and apps -- maybe I'll look at it the next rainy day. smile

manie · 2010-07-15 19:53:39

How will XFCE do on Fedora 12??

mueller · 2010-07-17 19:32:22

It did really good and even better on fedora13 ;D

Fabion · 2010-10-14 05:23:00

I use Xfce on Arch. If I were to pick a distro that comes default with Xfce though, I guess I'd say Zenwalk.

Agreed that Xubuntu is a bad implementation. It just tries to emulate GNOME, which is a bad idea.

etech · 2010-11-15 23:10:13

I loaded Salix Xfce 13.1.2 to my Panasonic Toughbook (CF-72). Salix uses a text based installer that is fairly simple to follow if you have some Linux experience. Salix is a Linux distribution based on Slackware that is simple, fast and easy to use. Salix is also fully backwards compatible with Slackware Linux, so Slackware users can benefit from Salix repositories, which they can use as an "extra" quality source of software for their favorite distribution. Like a bonsai, Salix is small, light & the product of infinite care.

http://www.salixos.org/wiki/index.php/Home

roodap · 2010-12-05 10:52:28

lordcris wrote:

there is only one distro:
GENTOO

i second this opinion.:)
works verywell.
though all goodies cannot be installed/not provided in portage

danny0085 · 2011-01-16 12:12:26

No doubt the best distribution is linux ubuntu. Specially for new linux users

omns · 2011-01-16 17:39:24

At the moment I would say CrunchBang which has an outstanding minimalist Xfce desktop. I will be having a good look at Zenwalk once they announce an alpha/beta based on the final 4.8 rerelease.

kellemes · 2011-01-19 13:00:29

Fabion wrote:

I use Xfce on Arch. If I were to pick a distro that comes default with Xfce though, I guess I'd say Zenwalk.

+1
Since using Arch I stopped hopping distro's.
For folks having trouble with setting up and maintaining Arch I'd recommend Zenwalk, it's the best Xfce implementation I've seen.

khanning · 2011-01-23 17:33:03

I was using Xfce on Debian Lenny and Squeeze, but now I'm using my own LFS. Xfce is a great DE on any distro.

phrac · 2011-03-25 08:48:04

Another vote for Arch. For starters their wiki is probably the best in depth guide out there to get your xfce installation exactly how you want it.

Nick · 2011-03-25 13:43:28

Zenwalk 7.0 was also just released. Seems like a good step forward for Zenwalk and worth trying!

xf∞ · 2011-03-25 13:55:55

xubuntu.
But for taste and color ... all markers different.

Anzhr · 2011-03-25 15:16:18

Mint Xfce based on Debian testing is easiest.

#! Sxce is great but based on Debian stable.

Xfce on Debian testing is my favourite.

bohu · 2011-03-26 05:25:40

There are two excellent choices:

Choice #1: Right now I am running SalineOS. http://www.salineos.com It is Debian Squeeze with XFCE, wine, slim, and easy installation of multimedia codecs. I changed sources.list to Debian testing and so far it has been great!

Choice #2: The new Linux Mint XFCE will be based on Debian testing and should be ready in another week or so. XFCE 4.8 is in Debian Experimental right now and should come down to unstable and then testing really soon. So Mint XFCE will be a good distro to have installed.

Last edited by bohu (2011-03-26 05:26:50)

Anzhr · 2011-03-26 09:30:56

I'll have to look into Saline when I need a new install.

rusty · 2011-04-16 19:06:31

Between VirtualBox and my old T43 I have tried pretty much every Xfce/distribution combo there is, and my favorite is the Ubuntu Minimal CD + Xfce4. It feels as peppy as Arch or Debian, and since it's Ubuntu it's much easier to get up and running. And since 10.04 (I think), Ubuntu has LXDM in the repos, so you can have a nice GNOME free login manager for 32-bit machines (32-bit Slim in Ubuntu is buggy as crap). I used to be a huge Xubuntu guy, and I still have it installed on my work computer, but it feels slower and slower with every release. But as long as they keep releasing minimal CDs, Ubuntu Minimal + Xfce will be my preferred way to run Xfce.

vrkalak · 2011-04-17 23:13:48

I have both Crunchbang-Xfce and LinuxMint-Xfce . . . both Debian-based and set to 'testing'

danny0085 · 2011-04-20 00:52:16

This article might help you to decide what is the best linux distro for you

ComputerBob · 2011-05-12 02:09:54

After being a very happy KDE3 (only) user for 4 years, I switched to Debian (Testing) Xfce 4,6 on my 2 PCs more than a year ago, and since then, I've been a very happy Xfce (only) user.

I'm currently holding off on upgrading to 4.8 because Debian Testing has been getting a continuous stream of Xfce-related upgrades for the past week or so, and I'd like to wait until that stream slows down or stops.

Maybe this coming Sunday. wink

Last edited by ComputerBob (2011-05-12 02:36:29)

Anzhr · 2011-05-12 11:14:18

ComputerBob, I'm using Xfce 4.8 on Debian Testing and it's beautiful. They rolled in the wm components first, then Thunar and the panel and so on. Everything is stable. Thunar is great: fast in mounting shares. The new panel is great.

It's not a huge leap, but it is certainly worth the upgrade.

ComputerBob · 2011-05-13 04:14:08

@Anzhr - Thanks for the info and encouragement. I'm really looking forward to running 4.8 soon.

Last edited by ComputerBob (2011-05-13 04:14:22)

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#26 2010-04-06 19:41:00

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#28 2010-04-10 01:12:48

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#29 2010-04-25 16:02:51

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#30 2010-07-15 19:53:39

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#31 2010-07-17 19:32:22

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#32 2010-10-14 05:23:00

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#33 2010-11-15 23:10:13

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#34 2010-12-05 10:52:28

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#35 2011-01-16 12:12:26

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#36 2011-01-16 17:39:24

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#37 2011-01-19 13:00:29

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#38 2011-01-23 17:33:03

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#39 2011-03-25 08:48:04

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#40 2011-03-25 13:43:28

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#41 2011-03-25 13:55:55

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#42 2011-03-25 15:16:18

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#43 2011-03-26 05:25:40

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#44 2011-03-26 09:30:56

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#45 2011-04-16 19:06:31

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#46 2011-04-17 23:13:48

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#47 2011-04-20 00:52:16

Re: Which is the best distro to install XFCE on

#48 2011-05-12 02:09:54

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#49 2011-05-12 11:14:18

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#50 2011-05-13 04:14:08

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