OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/24013/Xfce_4_8pre1_Released Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:51:02 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com One of the best environments around http://www.osnews.com/thread?449327 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449327 I still haven't tried HaikuOS, but coming from a BeOS experience (and thus searching for the old "truly responsive" Amiga feeling), XFCE is the environment that pleased me the most in the last years.
I will now probably install Linux on my netbook again.
(Being lazy due to my new netbook having Windows 7 pre-installed) Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:26:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (RRockMan) Comments What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449333 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449333 What about changing the horrible name and evolve into a strong Unity competitor, also making use of Wayland. Sorry GNOME folks, I just don't see a future for GNOME Shell. I tried it, and it keeps sucking big time. Just like Unity! Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Jason Bourne) Comments RE: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449346 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449346 I've used Gnome-shell full time for well over a year now and it doesn't suck. Mutter works and looks great and the shell itself is really comfortable to use.

Ever used kickoff or the vista/win7 start menu? That's pretty much gnome-shell. The overlay gives you the added bonus of window/desktop management.

XFCE never stayed on my desktops for long, but I'm more than happy to try it out again especially now they've rewritten the panel which was one of the things I didn't like. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (stabbyjones) Comments Looking forward to it http://www.osnews.com/thread?449351 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449351 I migrated from GNOME to XFCE early this year. While it lacks a bit of polish compared to GNOME, it is far more pleasant to use and maintain: functional, standards compliant, modular. And it's much kinder to my laptop battery. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:37:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Hypnos) Comments Comment by zizban http://www.osnews.com/thread?449354 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449354 I wish they bring back the feature to allow the panel to be covered by windows. Right now to do that you need to use devilspie, which is not exactly user friendly. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:44:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (zizban) Comments If that's moving up ... I think I'll come along http://www.osnews.com/thread?449357 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449357 I've been using xfce4 as my primary business and development desktop since xubuntu 9.04.
It has been solid, and I've got neither gnome nor kde to work on my thinkpad x61 as well as xfce.
Every new (k)ubuntu release I've tried them out again - I want new features! - but even though xfce has not added flashy features, I just can't be as productive anywhere else (I do use ubuntu gnome at home).

This is going to be so much fun! New features, and still a productive environment. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:50:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (seanpk) Comments any screenshots? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449364 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449364 pics or it didn't happen! Wed, 10 Nov 2010 01:20:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (hussam) Comments RE: any screenshots? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449381 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449381 I would also like to see screens of the new preview release. The project only has the source up for download, which is understandable... but I tried compiling and installing it myself and, as I expected, ended up giving up quick. I always have the worst luck with compiling, so I don't even know why I wasted the time attempting in the first place. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:51:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (UltraZelda64) Comments I like the concept behind XFCE http://www.osnews.com/thread?449399 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449399 I think both Gnome and KDE are doing too much/bloated, even if I am using mainly Gnome. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 07:43:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Toad) Comments RE: I like the concept behind XFCE http://www.osnews.com/thread?449406 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449406
I think both Gnome and KDE are doing too much/bloated, even if I am using mainly Gnome.

Well that's the glory of Linux.
If you don't like KDE or GNOME, then there's still a plethora of other DE available to use.

Personally I quite like Xfce. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Laurence) Comments Resizing maximized windows? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449434 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449434 It's been years since I tried XFCE. Looking interesting this latest release though.

Did they ever fix that feature/bug that allowed maximized windows to be resized? I used to constantly resize my maximize windows with my IBM Thinkpad's mouse nub by going to drag a vertical scrollbar and instead grabbing the window border and skewing it all over my screen. That was my #1 irk with XFCE. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:18:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sb56637) Comments RE: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449450 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449450 Its open-source.
You could fork for the sole purpose of re-branding.

That would stir up the community. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:59:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (FunkyELF) Comments RE[2]: I like the concept behind XFCE http://www.osnews.com/thread?449462 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449462 What comes to full-blown desktop environments, the options are pretty much down to Gnome, KDE and XFCE. Of course there are window managers and who knows what to choose from aswell. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:01:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (SJ87) Comments RE[3]: I like the concept behind XFCE http://www.osnews.com/thread?449465 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449465
What comes to full-blown desktop environments, the options are pretty much down to Gnome, KDE and XFCE. Of course there are window managers and who knows what to choose from aswell.

I don't think that's entirely fair. There's stacks of DEs that don't get as much limelight, like LXDE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXDE

And as you said, theres window managers as well - many of which are DEs in themselves: such as Fluxbox.

Heck, if you're not fussed about panels and tray icons, then theres stuff like DWM and it's many forks.

There's also a few UNIX DEs (which I believe are GPL) that dont appear to have been ported to Linux (JDE, Project Looking Glass, etc).

So there is plenty of choice out there.Edited 2010-11-10 16:21 UTC Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:21:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Laurence) Comments RE[2]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449488 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449488 Yes, I know it's open-source. And all it takes is Olivier to change a single string, nothing more. I don't feel like forking anything since I don't want to pose any kind of disrespect against the founder. If there's something weird in the open source world is someone taking your code and sabotage it. I hope eventually he wakes up for this. - Right now, I believe it's an incredible right time for "second grade" desktop to emerge between the transitions of GNOME/Unity/Shell. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Jason Bourne) Comments RE[3]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449499 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449499
Yes, I know it's open-source. And all it takes is Olivier to change a single string, nothing more. I don't feel like forking anything since I don't want to pose any kind of disrespect against the founder. If there's something weird in the open source world is someone taking your code and sabotage it. I hope eventually he wakes up for this. - Right now, I believe it's an incredible right time for "second grade" desktop to emerge between the transitions of GNOME/Unity/Shell.

1. I hardly understand why you even mention Unity. It's only a piece of software ONE distribution ships. There are so many other GNOME desktop distributions.

2. Gnome-panel will still be available and is in the process of being ported to gtk+ 3.

3. The "XFCE" branding isn't that bad. People just need to grow up and stop picking on naming. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:16:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (hussam) Comments RE[4]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449529 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449529 1. I mention Unity because we're talking about something that will be shipped as default with Ubuntu, which is the main and most used Linux distribution. Ubuntu is so popular that the complexity of just having it as default is enough to cause changes in the entire desktop ecosystem.

2. GNOME-Panel will be another background force on behalf of GNOME Shell's rejection level. Future statistics will prove this. But Unity alone might be the actual GNOME Shell killer.

3. I think it's bad. The logo is bad. I am grown up. I am just sorry that a very good project is branded wrongly. Look Linux Mint logo for example. I like the design. Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:45:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Jason Bourne) Comments RE[3]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449535 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449535 He probably invented that project when he was about 15. Could polish the logo a bit and deemphasize the mouse rodent, or make it really cute and give it more prominence so the girlies like it ;) .

An call it either Nibbly or Nimble DE or Vista - a desktop wth a view.

Just kidding, it's all fine with me as it is. I mean what could be simpler than XFCE? Thu, 11 Nov 2010 02:09:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Barnabyh) Comments RE[5]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449552 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449552
1. I mention Unity because we're talking about something that will be shipped as default with Ubuntu, which is the main and most used Linux distribution. Ubuntu is so popular that the complexity of just having it as default is enough to cause changes in the entire desktop ecosystem.

No not really. There are lot more fedora, archlinux and opensuse users.
Also for Ubuntu to actually affect upstream code or default configuration, it would mean they actually have to contribute to upstream which ubuntu has always been against. Ubuntu's policy is "upstream works for us".
Ubuntu can stop existing this second and nothing will change.
Redhat and opensuse can stop existing and no more gcc/glibc/gnome/openoffice/wayland/xorg...

Even with xfce, http://www.xfce.org/download/distros scroll down to LunarEdited 2010-11-11 06:27 UTC Thu, 11 Nov 2010 06:19:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (hussam) Comments RE[5]: What about changing the horrible name? http://www.osnews.com/thread?449572 http://www.osnews.com/thread?449572
1. I mention Unity because we're talking about something that will be shipped as default with Ubuntu, which is the main and most used Linux distribution. Ubuntu is so popular that the complexity of just having it as default is enough to cause changes in the entire desktop ecosystem.


Let's get some sense of perspective about Ubuntu and Linux' celebrity status here, the Microsoft of the Netscape days in 2006-2010. Canonical and Linus Torvalds might not be anti-trust bastards but even go back to Torvalds comments about MINIX in 1992 and I think the Professor has the pompous edge. But not the popular ideas.

Sure, GNU/Linux introduced UNIX-like software and kernel in a popular manner, that if not user friendly, is collabrative enough to get help where its needed.

But it has outgrown other projects, like *BSD, Solaris, BeOS, SCO(I'm gonna get hate mail) etc., although most of those were from 1991 onward.

Now things like the re-emergence of E-Comstation 2.0, Amiga and MorphOS, or ReactOS aren't getting backstabbed by Ubuntu's popularity. Their servers go with Amazon EC2 cloud, and 10.04 desktop had terrible bugs for an LTS version. Too many changes.

OpenBSD 4.0 had too many changes resulting in the second remote security install bug, although certain people need to run software on the BSDs and their customizations. Its a pity the OliveBSD desktop project for OpenBSD folded a few years ago.

2. GNOME-Panel will be another background force on behalf of GNOME Shell's rejection level.


I love the old GNOME-Panels. But the GNOME shell ruins it if its like a bleeding Start Menu. Enough of the Start Menus!! Kickoff Sh*t!!
TOP Applications/Places/System seperator... Quick Launch sep... you know the rest

BOTTOM

Taskbar sep... Desktops sep... Trashcan [I wonder why
only Ubuntu uses one trashcan in the corner/Nautilus sometimes and doesn't place it on the desktop. At least from 9.10 previous. The one thing Ubuntu did best ;) ] Thu, 11 Nov 2010 11:24:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (vaughancoveny) Comments