Re: Debian 7.x and desktop environments
On Sat 03 May 2014 at 15:11:04 +0200, filip wrote:
> There are many places where an inexperienced user can become stuck. It's
> an opportunity to become an experienced user.
A user who has read the Release Notes and the Installation Manual and
who has correctly set up networking during an install is now dropped,
completely against their expectations, into a deep, dark hole. I can
think of better ways of forcing experience on someone.
d-i was designed to produce a network capable (if desired) machine. With
wifi and without installing a DE it does not. Advice to not go for a DE
is best taken by those using a cable to install.
> Do not be afraid of /etc/network/interfaces ;-)
Fear does not come into it. The problem is time and effort, either to
rectify the situation afterwards or to be aware it will happen and head
it off by manipulating the installer before finishing with it.
> In that case, just plug it in to the wired network, and make sure the
> following lines are uncommented in /etc/network/interfaces
Which wired network? Plug the machine in? Aren't you making another
assumption or two?
> allow-hotplug eth0
> iface eth0 inet dhcp
Yes, with a cable connection this would be the optimum solution. The
lines would have to be typed because they are not there to uncommment.
For wifi the station name and PSK have to be given in addition. In
theory this is little extra work. But now think in terms of typing in a
63 random character PSK without making a mistake. Please don't suggest
using gpm - it isn't installed.
> and run:
> service networking stop
> service networking start
>
> The time to get frustrated, is when the interface doesn't come
> up because the card is not supported by the kernel ;-)
That may be one reason you had chosen to use wifi. Two frustrations in
one day is too much for a body to bear. :)
> You are correct, I am an experienced user who knows where he is
> going.
>
> I like to do it in stages. First get the operating system installed,
> and worry about the applications afterwards. Otherwise, you can waste a
> lot of time waiting for the application packages to install, and then
> discover that you made a mistake during installation and it doesn't
> boot.
Ok. This is what I do myself. But not with a wifi install.
> tasks-xfce-desktop is a meta package that includes xfce, and also a set
> of additional packages that are typically used on a desktop system,
> like libreoffice and iceweasel. Also, I'm not sure if package xfce will
> install a display manager for you. The desktop task packages do.
The Xfce4 metapackage doesn't install a DM or libreoffice or iceweasel.
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