Re: New user need some help

[Kent West <westk@acu.edu>]

Ken Walker wrote:
> when i do
>
> apt-get install x-window-system
> apt-get install fluxbox
>
> on a base install of Debian stable
>
>
> then startx,i go strait into fluxbox
>
>
>
> and reboot, i get a debian login screen, which when logging in takes me
> strait to fluxbox.
>
> The login screen does not have any options apart from username/password,
> nothing there for different desktops or shutdown or such.
>
> but it does work.
>
>   
There are four common login managers, kdm (KDE's version), gdm (Gnome's
version), xdm (a generic X version), and wdm (a less well-known
"generic" version).

I believe xdm and wdm lack the ability to choose which environment you
log into. I know kdm has the option; I think gdm has the option. You've
probably got xdm or wdm installed. You can install the others with a
command like "aptitude install kdm gdm xdm wdm", and during the install
you'll be asked which one you want to use. You can change that choice
later with "dpkg-reconfigure xdm" or "dpkg-reconfigure kdm", etc.

If you wish to leave your login manager as one that doesn't have the
option, you can tinker with it's start-up files to specify which wm / de
to log into, but that's beyond my knowledge, so I can only suggest
google or "man [ xdm | wdm ]" to help you to figure that out.

-- 
Kent