You can easily remove gdm: apt-get remove --purge gdm. The function of a Desktop Manager is to log in graphically and start the appropriate x session. If you don't like gdm, then perhaps xdm is more to your liking, or you can just get rid of all desktop managers and boot to a standard login and start xfce manually when you want it. Joe
Thanks joe. I expect I'll break everything but that's a great way to learn