• kri5
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  • From: L.G.C. UK
  • Registered: 2011-11-10
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Topic: Openbox or Xfce?

I'm trying to sort some things out on my #! installation (that's another post that I won't go into here) and i was wondering if the fact that some people are running Openbox and others Xfce would have any bearing on the advice that they give you?

Do some things like say, printer sharing via Samba work better with Xfce than it does with Openbox?

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
  • Registered: 2011-06-12
  • Posts: 89

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

Since I am not all that familiar with openbox, I'm not the best one to answer this question, but I wouldn't think that your choice of DE/WM would affect printer sharing via Samba.

However, something else to take into consideration (if you are trying to determine what DE/WM to stick with long-term with #!) is that #! XFCE is no longer officially supported.  Now all of that being said, there is plenty of knowledge on this site about both Openbox and XFCE and I am sure that no matter what your preference is, there are knowledgeable people here who can help.

mikhou

  • From: #! NightClub
  • Registered: 2011-06-02
  • Posts: 3,869

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

Like mentioned above Xfce is no longer an official part of #!. So, why not try Openbox? Personally I prefer Xfce. Samba is independent of your choice. Openbox is more for the tinkerer and Xfce is simpler.

Like always only you can choose the right one for you.

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  • Registered: 2011-03-09
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

it is a really simple decision. you want bloat? use Xfce. big_smile
no i'm joking. i use Openbox because i like the name better. never even tried Xfce.

try them out!

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  • pvsage
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

^ lol  Plus, I can never get a straight answer on how to pronounce Xfce.  "Ex Ef Cee Ee"?  "Ex-face"? something in between those two?

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  • hinto
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

^Or you can compromise and use LXDE.  LXDE is a DE, that uses OpenBox (or someother WM).
-H

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  • hhh
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

@pvsage, to sate your curiosity regarding pronunciation...
http://wiki.xfce.org/faq

  • From: Felton, California, USA
  • Registered: 2011-07-21
  • Posts: 353

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

hhh is right. I'm also glad that the link points out that it's Xfce -- big X little fce -- not XFCE.

I like Xfce, but I love Openbox and have used the latter with CrunchBang from the start. Give it a shot, kri5.

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  • kri5
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

Thanks for all the input guys, I'm currently using Openbox at present and although it doesn't have all the bling of Ubuntu (pre-Unity) I'm finding it fast and reliable, not to mention the small footprint.

If I was to try Xfce, i presume i'd be able to switch between Openboxand Xfce at login?
Also i see on the forum that there is a problem with Xfce and Slim.

Last edited by kri5 (2012-01-26 20:31:07)

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
  • From: North Carolina, USA
  • Registered: 2010-03-17
  • Posts: 68

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

I was first introduced to Openbox when I first tried #! a couple years ago.  I knew nothing about it, other than I liked how it looked with the screenshots.  I'm certainly no expert now, but I've learned a lot about using Openbox and using keyboard shortcuts and scripting wile using #!.  I wish you luck in your Openbox expedition.

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  • hinto
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  • Registered: 2010-12-08
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

^groovydaddy... we need to start a #! user group in NC wink
-H

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  • From: Kowloon
  • Registered: 2011-10-13
  • Posts: 407

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

The main difference between Xfce, Lxde and Openbox. Is that in Xfce and Lxde, both of them will add new application in the menu for you, and openbox doesn't do that by default.

I recommend Openbox, too. Even though I am now an i3 addict. Because it is even faster. big_smile.

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  • kri5
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  • Registered: 2011-11-10
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

Thanks for the welcome Groovydaddy.
I shall persist with Openbox.

kowloonboy:

The main difference between Xfce, Lxde and Openbox. Is that in Xfce and Lxde, both of them will add new application in the menu for you, and openbox doesn't do that by default.

I prefer that in Openbox, I can put what i want, where i want. big_smile

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
  • Eren
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

kri5 wrote:

Thanks for the welcome Groovydaddy.
I shall persist with Openbox.

kowloonboy:

The main difference between Xfce, Lxde and Openbox. Is that in Xfce and Lxde, both of them will add new application in the menu for you, and openbox doesn't do that by default.

I prefer that in Openbox, I can put what i want, where i want. big_smile

You can put them in Xfce with your custom menu. In Lxde there're some ways to do this but not prefered.

Last edited by Eren (2012-01-26 22:37:24)

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  • From: #! NightClub
  • Registered: 2011-06-02
  • Posts: 3,869

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

lcafiero wrote:

hhh is right. I'm also glad that the link points out that it's Xfce -- big X little fce -- not XFCE.

Thanks for this, I can no longer see that "XFCE"! smile

kri5 wrote:

If I was to try Xfce, i presume i'd be able to switch between Openboxand Xfce at login?
Also i see on the forum that there is a problem with Xfce and Slim.


Yes, you can switch between the two like with everything in Linux, even better as with KDE or Gnome, you won't see cluttered menus. wink

You can use Slim with Xfce but you would have to do some extra steps to avoid the mentioned problems. I am not the fan of the Slim decision.

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  • kri5
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

ivanovnegro wrote:

Yes, you can switch between the two like with everything in Linux, even better as with KDE or Gnome, you won't see cluttered menus. wink

You can use Slim with Xfce but you would have to do some extra steps to avoid the mentioned problems. I am not the fan of the Slim decision.

I believe some people have opted for and installed lightDM instead, would you be one of those and if so is it relatively easy and trouble free?

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
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  • Registered: 2011-06-02
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

^ Yes, I am one of those, it is totally trouble free but there is a problem, LightDM is only possible to install beginning with Wheezy under Debian.

But if you want to install it, it is just that, it will automatically ask what display manager you want as default.

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  • kri5
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

^ Great, may just give lightDM a go instead then, I've used it briefly on Ubuntu and quite liked it, although I don't personally have a problem with Slim, yet. lol

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
  • From: 75081, USA
  • Registered: 2012-01-20
  • Posts: 69

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

I ran xfce (xubuntu image) for about a year.  Over time I found it somewhat too heavy and also started having xfce package hell with it after a while.  Could have been something I messed up, to be fair.

Nowadays I use lxde or just openbox on my various boxen.  When running openbox barefoot (no DE around it) I've been using the fluxbox fbpanel, but seeing tint2 in #! has really influenced me to start going that way. 

Another vote for lightdm over slim.  It feels like a beta but already better than slim...

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  • Registered: 2012-01-04
  • Posts: 18

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

I am slowly switching all of my environments to openbox. Other than the random menu config and display customization, I love the rapid mouse wheel interface - bar-none. "Flicking" open items and desktops is clean and wonderful, the footprint is near zero, and I prefer the right-click approach to launch, it just clicks in my brain.


Schlzm

  • Registered: 2012-03-25
  • Posts: 6

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

For usability I recomment OpenBox (: This is my first time using it and I absolutely love it. Its different to the way the other DEs operate but in a totally sensible and elegant way. Plus, like Schlzm, my footprint is near zero (: I can't comment on XFCE but from my experience so far with OpenBox I totally recommend it

  • kri5
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Re: Openbox or Xfce?

I've tried Xfce didn't like it went back to Openbox, tried Xfce again for some reason I can't remember  but went back to Openbox.  I'm even trying various WMs thanks to 2ManyDogs but I keep Openbox as my default and truthfully any other WM would have to be something fantastic to move me away from Openbox completely.  Along with most people I love the clean desktop and the right click menu. big_smile

#! Statler (10-20120207) 32bit-BPO Openbox
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2011-10-20
  • Posts: 160

Re: Openbox or Xfce?

Openbox by a mile, even if obconf doesn't always play ball.

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