MX Linux Forum

Sorry if this is out of place. I was wondering, given the interest in KDE here lately, if there was any interest in an official KDE edition of MX. KDE now is not much harder on resources than XFCE, it is very attractive, and it has a nice associated constellation of programs. Thanks to @MikeJade's respin, I'm using it successfully on a C2D Vista-era machine.

I know a lot of good work has gone into integrating MX with the default desktop. And perhaps adding another edition would amount to a loss in focus, and adding too much new development and maintenance work to the devs. But there is no doubt the MX-KDE combination would benefit from formal attention from the devs. I was just wondering what the feeling was.

Thanks and be well.

There is no interest among the Devs in developing and maintaining a KDE edition, sorry.

That's fine. Just wondering. Thanks.

I think a Community driven Respin is how it should be handled, it wouldn't be Official, it would still be a respin though.

I think MikeJade may have as close to this already and I've seen richb offer to provide some input as to what he uses.
I haven't tested it yet, but he is very active here engaging and helping users of his respin.

You never know what could/would happen if enough people get behind something. If people like that respin, they should jump behind it and help. :)

never liked KDE. No! tried it once and after an hr said 'forget it'! though i hear some eople like the newer version(s). MX is in a fine place for me.

There is no interest among the Devs in developing and maintaining a KDE edition, sorry ..

What Xfce alternatives is the MX team considering ?
.. I've seen some recent Fluxbox posts which seem to suggest it's still 'experimental '.
I've tried MX Fluxbox and IMHO its UI is superior to Xfce, despite my being unable to get anything to popup on the menu ( 'help', 'editor' etc)
.. Is the MX Xfce > Fluxbox 'evolution' the only one the MX team is exploring ?

AA BB wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 3:20 pm .. Is the MX Xfce > Fluxbox 'evolution' the only one the MX team is exploring ?

It is the only thing I am tracking, but someone like Jerry or dolphin oracle can give the definitive answer.

We really don't have the time or resources right now to spread ourselves across multiple DEs.

I was a KDE guy, back starting with Suse Linux, and after with Mepis in the Warren Woodford days.

I have gradually adapted to xfce and now like it. It does everything I need, is fast and stable.

Probably would not go back to KDE.
And the lighter desk top environments seem, for me, to require too much work to get everything working smoothly.

my being unable to get anything to popup on the menu ( 'help', 'editor' etc)

Post the details in the Fluxbox forum if you want help--make sure you have read the documentation first...

paul1149 wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:21 am KDE now is not much harder on resources than XFCE, it is very attractive, and it has a nice associated constellation of programs.

With just a vanilla install it might be better on resources than XFCE, BUT!, all the little bells and whistles can start chipping away at resources very quickly. I have not tried KDE in some time but as I remember most people that used it ran just about every blingy bit they could get. That's when KDE became a resource hog. If you have the horsepower and like shiny stuff go for it. The reason I went to XFCE many years ago was to get the balance of function and features it offers. I will stick with it.

SwampRabbit wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:27 pm I think a Community driven Respin is how it should be handled, it wouldn't be Official, it would still be a respin though.
I think MikeJade may have as close to this already and I've seen richb offer to provide some input as to what he uses.

That's the way to go. I don't think KDE needs to be "maintained", same as Gnome which I am using. What're needed, it seems MikeJade has already created a base. From my side, I will highlight the discussion forum and download link in MX Respins List.

entropyfoe wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 4:14 pm I was a KDE guy, back starting with Suse Linux, and after with Mepis in the Warren Woodford days.

I have gradually adapted to xfce and now like it. It does everything I need, is fast and stable.

Probably would not go back to KDE.
And the lighter desk top environments seem, for me, to require too much work to get everything working smoothly.

I need an environment with a panel and a system tray and reasonable customization: being able to move the panel and adjust its size, that's pretty much it, I could use probably everything, I don't feel the need to go back to KDE, Xfce works just fine for me.

I would love to try a wayland-based repsin of MX some day. Would KDE become that? Or would Mate beat it there?

I think it needs to be stated that any official MX-KDE edition would expect the devs to not just build it (not too difficult), but totally support it, via upgrades, bug fixes etc.
As far as I am aware, none of the MX devs are interested in doing this on top of supporting MX-Xfce.
It is a lot of extra work.

To add.

MX devs have high standards.
Any successful MX-kde the devs would expect it to be of the same standard as the Xfce version.
That means MX tools for kde - who is going to write them? Who is going to maintain them? Who is going to test them? Who is going to translate them?
The MX manual would also need to updated to include kde - Who is going to write it? Who is going to translate it?

You can see how much work is involved.

i agree. this is a Quality distro. i am afraid this thread may go down the tubes soon. ((( personally, you want KDE - pick a distro that features it!!!))) I am extremely pleased with MX and glad that I after serious thought i made the choice to try and now use mx on a daily basis for every facet of my life - work, art, busines, etc.

woodsman wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 6:50 pm i agree. this is a Quality distro. i am afraid this thread may go down the tubes soon. ((( personally, you want KDE - pick a distro that features it!!!)))

Please relax a bit, people are allowed to do want, like, and whatever they choose (within reason).

The statement has been made that there won't be an official KDE edition, users are free to Respin a KDE version, and use it if they would like.
antiX and MX provide the capabilities for that to happen, which is exactly why there are Respins with KDE.

We should welcome this sort of discussion, be happy there are choices, and wish them best of luck in their adventure.

sorry, i have just seen some threads lately get too heated with opinions and get closed - that is all.

i will take an aprazolam if that will help. i am sorry i chirped in. back under my rock.

I can see the idea of asking for a supported KDE version of MX Linux after reading about the talk about the direction of Xfce with CSD on top of that the Xfce developers broke the right click in Xfce 4.14 with that annoying scrolling menu that moves inadvertently resulting in an unwanted selection. If the Xfce goes in the wrong direction with future versions of Xfce it would be easier for the MX developers to go with another desktop environment if need be than to deal with all the hassles. KDE, Mate, etc but definitely not Gnome would be good to take in consideration. The only thing I see holding back KDE is that it has no Whisker menu or any menu that comes close to it. From the comments, the MX developers look busy enough the way it is and if anyone wants KDE it can be easily installed from the repos.

Mauser wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:41 pm I can see the idea of asking for a supported KDE version of MX Linux after reading about the talk about the direction of Xfce with CSD on top of that the Xfce developers broke the right click in Xfce 4.14 with that annoying scrolling menu that moves inadvertently resulting in an unwanted selection. If the Xfce goes in the wrong direction with future versions of Xfce it would be easier for the MX developers to go with another desktop environment if need be than to deal with all the hassles. KDE, Mate, etc but definitely not Gnome would be good to take in consideration. The only thing I see holding back KDE is that it has no Whisker menu or any menu that comes close to it. From the comments, the MX developers look busy enough the way it is and if anyone wants KDE it can be easily installed from the repos.

Close enough?

richb wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:53 pm

Mauser wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:41 pm I can see the idea of asking for a supported KDE version of MX Linux after reading about the talk about the direction of Xfce with CSD on top of that the Xfce developers broke the right click in Xfce 4.14 with that annoying scrolling menu that moves inadvertently resulting in an unwanted selection. If the Xfce goes in the wrong direction with future versions of Xfce it would be easier for the MX developers to go with another desktop environment if need be than to deal with all the hassles. KDE, Mate, etc but definitely not Gnome would be good to take in consideration. The only thing I see holding back KDE is that it has no Whisker menu or any menu that comes close to it. From the comments, the MX developers look busy enough the way it is and if anyone wants KDE it can be easily installed from the repos.

Close enough?

No, that looks like Windows 95, 98se, me, and 2000 menu.

Works for me. But all about choice. That is why I posed it as a question.

I wasn't clear enough in my OP that my question was directed primarily at the devs. It is they who would bear the burden of developing and maintaining a new MX edition. Though I find everyone's perspective interesting, I am not trying to marshal popular support for a new edition, against the choice of the devs in the matter. They are the ones that do the work, and what they say, goes, and I totally respect that and the reasons behind it.

Perhaps, though, the discussion can be edifying, to see how people feel about the current DE and where things might go. But no pressure was meant on my part. :)

Be well.

muxh better since my xanax kicked in. thanks.

Wondered about this myself, especially after noticing that most of the MX apps are QT rather than GTK and many of the devs have been around since the Mepis (a KDE distro) days.

This user suggests, please don't distract the developers. They are doing a great job. This is a fine distribution the way it is. I would be sad to see it mucked up. Anyone wanting a different DE, should install it and tailor it to their liking.

richb wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:53 pm Close enough?

Its not too bad actually, I thought KDE had a Windows 10 like menu or at least one distro I saw last.

anticapitalista wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:53 pm To add.

MX devs have high standards.
Any successful MX-kde the devs would expect it to be of the same standard as the Xfce version.
That means MX tools for kde - who is going to write them? Who is going to maintain them? Who is going to test them? Who is going to translate them?
The MX manual would also need to updated to include kde - Who is going to write it? Who is going to translate it?

You can see how much work is involved.

I could not agree more.

Just to add my personal opinion on the matter, as someone who has, for several years, used MX Linux and maintained KDE Desktop Environments on it for friends and family -- I Love MX Linux with the XFCE Desktop! I think that MX Linux already does one thing well, and there is no need to go astray. I never did like KDE until I came to MX Linux and tried one of Adrian's respins, and my friends and family were wondering what I was running and how I could get them off Windoze, and I've been larnin' 'em on MX Linux with KDE ever since! I mean, no one can deny that Plasma is pretty. But no. I don't think the devs should waste their time with all that nonsense. There is no better way to learn than to make your own respin, and it really isn't that hard to install the KDE Desktop, boot into it and strip out all the XFCE elements. For those who do not wish to do it themselves there are community respins. I even made one myself and made a thread about it: viewtopic.php?f=127&t=56880 . If anyone expresses interest, and I find the time, I'll put up a General Snapshot too. I did make one. But yeah... Part of the joy of playing with Linux is playing with different Desktop Environments and Window Managers; but if people want to switch it up on the same OS they should probably start with Vanilla Debian or Vanilla Arch. MX Linux already is a thing! There is a certain workflow to XFCE that I like, so I prefer the devs stick with that. There is a certain pizzazz to MX Linux running KDE, and many of my friends and family love it! So, I've maintained MX-KDE respins for awhile. I did try many of the other community respins, including Mike Jade's (very few quirks with his - nice job!); but the Personal Respin I put up on Sourceforge the other day is still the best MX-KDE Respin I've used to date: https://sourceforge.net/projects/mx-19-1-kde-by-jki/

Enough outtah me! Just keep doing what you're doing! All your work is fantastic. Leave the getting side-tracked thing to others, like my ADHD self!

forgive the probable stupidity of my question

i have several laptops ... on my first I installed KDE and got it the way I liked

i then used the same snapshot on several other laptops... so the snapshot has the default xfce, KDE plasma and fluxbox on it

if I want to make a snapshot - spin that is KDE only, how would I go about that?

do I have to delete all things XFCE related and go from there?

this is only important in terms of creating a spin, since I am real happy to have all 3 environments on my own laptop but i have friends that i think would prefer KDE Plasma and desktop options would confuse the beejayzus out of them

if I want to make a snapshot - spin that is KDE only, how would I go about that?

do I have to delete all things XFCE related and go from there?

Yes, snapshot is creating a copy of your system, you can exclude some files but in general whatever you have on the computer you have on the snapshot, there's no mechanism to exclude entire packages even less entire desktops environments.
(BTW, for full customization and to make sure new accounts get the right customization you might need to play with /etc/skel files)

junoluna wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:14 am if I want to make a snapshot - spin that is KDE only, how would I go about that?

do I have to delete all things XFCE related and go from there?

this is only important in terms of creating a spin, since I am real happy to have all 3 environments on my own laptop but i have friends that i think would prefer KDE Plasma and desktop options would confuse the beejayzus out of them

A spin is just a version of MX with what you want on it.

For any alternate desktop respin (KDE, Mate, what have you), it would be best to remove as much of Xfce as you can without destroying the install.

Mind you many MX tools are won't work with KDE.

We're gonna have 90 different KDE respins by the end of the week at this rate

lol ... probly

don't worry ... my spins would not be fit for human consumption ... 'friends of mine don't count'

was just wondering if i could create an iso with just the one desktop environment but i guess that involves getting rid of xfce altogether rather than an option in the snapshot creator.

i don't really mind which DE i use ... i personally prefer using KDE plasma but am ok with XFCE (it really does not use more resources any longer).. i am also spending a lot more time in fluxbox recently ... i find it really cool

in any case, installing KDE Plasma and setting it up the way you like does not take very long at all ... in fact, the bear bones install comes out of the box in better shape than KDE Neon so i don't think we really need an official version ...

junoluna wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:43 am lol ... probly

don't worry ... my spins would not be fit for human consumption ... 'friends of mine don't count'

I'm not knocking it at all

If you hunt for some of manyroads respin threads it will give you ideas on where to start.

Maintaining a respin can be a lot of work, doing one off respins is easier, but if you plan on making it a repeatable process to maintain a respin baseline let alone update it as MX updates and what not... it could be a lot.

junoluna wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:43 am was just wondering if i could create an iso with just the one desktop but i guess that involves getting rid of xfce altogether rather than an option in the snapshot creator.

MX isn't created so people can do respins, so I don't see this option coming to fruition.

If there was going to be a Community KDE Respin, I (personally) would hope users would come together to do it, test it, and support it and users that use it. We already have people drop threads here about their respin then they vanish until their next "release". Leaving the rest of us to support their respin, which isn't right or fair.

I am working a respin, but since I now am doing packaging... users come first.