From owner-freebsd-x11@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Aug 1 19:23:31 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-x11@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-x11@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7957D16A41F; Mon, 1 Aug 2005 19:23:31 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from carlson39@llnl.gov) Received: from smtp-3.llnl.gov (smtp-3.llnl.gov [128.115.41.83]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1A94143D49; Mon, 1 Aug 2005 19:23:31 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from carlson39@llnl.gov) Received: from wushu.llnl.gov (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by smtp-3.llnl.gov (8.12.3p2-20030917/8.12.3/LLNL evision: 1.16 $) with ESMTP id j71JNTMq010618; Mon, 1 Aug 2005 12:23:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Carlson To: ray@redshift.com In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.20050801043607.00a5aeb0@pop.redshift.com> References: <3.0.1.32.20050801043607.00a5aeb0@pop.redshift.com> Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 12:23:29 -0700 Message-Id: <1122924209.19849.18.camel@wushu.llnl.gov> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.2.2 FreeBSD GNOME Team Port Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org, freebsd-x11@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD desktop? X-BeenThere: freebsd-x11@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: X11 on FreeBSD -- maintaining and support List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 19:23:31 -0000 Hello Ray, I've been using FreeBSD 5.x as my primary desktop for almost a year now, and I've used it as a secondary for years. It can be a little difficult when compared to something like like Redhat but once you get it going its wonderful. First, you should update your ports, I use a cvsup script like this one: *default host=cvsup10.freebsd.org *default base=/usr *default prefix=/usr *default release=cvs tag=. *default delete use-rel-suffix *default compress ports-all Then I usually run portupgrade -ra, this will sort out any dependencies especially with libraries changing so often, After that, install the xorg window system. This is sort of the back-end to a nice GUI interface. $ cd /usr/ports/x11/xorg $ make clean install Then, pick a Window Manager you would like, I constatnly switch between Gnome, KDE and XFCE for no real reason, I just like the variety. But if you dont want to wait a couple of days, XFCE is probably the lightest Window Manager. $ cd /usr/ports/x11-wm/xfce-4 $ make clean install Do you want a session manager to come up automatically? You can use the default xdm, but I prefer gdm or kdm. $ cd /usr/ports/x11/gdm $ make clean install $ chmod +x /usr/X11R6/etc/rc.d/gdm.sh That should get you up and running. If you have a nVidia card, I recommend installing the driver in /usr/ports/x11/nvidia-driver. After all is said and done, run xorgcfg(1) to get a basic xorg.conf file created. Thats off the top of my head, be sure to check the handbook and google :) Mike C On Mon, 2005-08-01 at 04:36 -0700, ray@redshift.com wrote: > Maybe someone on the hackers or x11 list can help me get going the right > direction here. I can setup FreeBSD servers like the wind - tweak the kernel, > you name it. So this weekend I tried to install FreeBSD 5.4 on my desktop - > what a mess. I never could get anything to run, other than startx or xstart or > something. I ended up once with a blank desktop (I think I typed X) and another > time with the same desktop, but with 3 open windows. Anyway, I finally gave up. > > Anyone have any run down on loading FreeBSD as your desktop? I am trying to > go with FreeBSD because I use it for my servers, but I feel like I'm lacking a > broad understanding of how Unix handles windows. I get the impression there is > a server that deals with windows called X windows and then there are different > desktop managers (such as KDE, Gnome, etc) - but I don't understand the > interplay between them and the Kernel as it relates to how I normally see FreeBSD. > > I'm wondering if someone can give me an overview? > > I'm also wondering if I'm barking up the wrong tree. I know Mac uses Darwin, > which is based on BSD. And in the past, I have loaded up Redhat and SUSE and > ended up with a nice desktop - but with FreeBSD I didn't have much luck, even > though I installed just about everything on the install CD's. From what I could > see, there were a ton of things to configure, but I couldn't find any good > documentation on setting up my monitor or what the heck was going on overall - > even in my BSD books, not a lot of help. > > Anyway, I am wondering if maybe running SUSE or Fedora or something might be > better. I'm reading one article right now that says this thing called Xandros > Desktop 3 is great - so far it looks nice in the article and I may give that a try. > > I've been using Windows XP for my desktop for so long and am so used to so > many applications on it - I think it would be difficult (at this time) to change > over completely. Unless Wine really does work well enough to run some > applications I can't live without (e.g. Eudora or Pagemaker, etc). > > Anyway, any help anyone can provide would be great? I just feel like I'm > lacking a core understanding of how Windowing and desktop interfaces to the > Kernel. And like I say, as much as I would like to make this all happen on > FreeBSD, it seems like Linux maybe is a better choice? > > Anyone? > > Ray > > > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-hackers > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-hackers-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"