Old laptop - waht if I want to use XFCE instead of KDE

[urdrwho5]

I really like the KDE desktop but I am using it on a very old HP Laptop. It is faster than Windows XP that is installed along side of Kubuntu but I think a leaner desktop would help this laptop.

Is there anyway to try XFCE and if I don't like it go back to my KDE with current settings?

[Worzel]

As long as you have the disc space you can install XFCE alongside Kubuntu and then just select whichever desktop you want to use when you log in. As far as I know neither desktop uses the others settings. Just use apt/ aptitude/ Muon to install (and remove if you decide against).

That said, I wouldn't set up email in XFCE just to avoid having stuff spread between the two desktop.

[urdrwho5]

I wasn't thinking about the disc space and it could be a problem. The drive on this laptop is fairly full. Oh well it isn't that big of a deal, I like KDE but I am always searching for a better way.

As long as you have the disc space you can install XFCE alongside Kubuntu and then just select whichever desktop you want to use when you log in. As far as I know neither desktop uses the others settings. Just use apt/ aptitude/ Muon to install (and remove if you decide against).

That said, I wouldn't set up email in XFCE just to avoid having stuff spread between the two desktop.

[Feathers McGraw]

It's a while since I've done this myself, but all you need to do is install this package:

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

Then log out and you should have a choice between logging into Plasma/KDE and XFCE at the login screen.

The key thing is to keep a record of what gets pulled in when you do the installation... check out the huge number of packages that will be installed (some of them are XFCE itself, and the rest are the default programs that are bundled with it. Both the KDE programs and XFCE programs will be available in your menus after installation, regardless of which DE you're logged in to):

feathers-mcgraw@Hobbs-T440s:~$ sudo apt-get -s install xubuntu-desktop
[sudo] password for feathers-mcgraw: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  abiword abiword-common abiword-plugin-grammar abiword-plugin-mathview apg apport-gtk
  apt-offline aptdaemon-data avahi-utils bluebird-gtk-theme blueman brltty-x11 catfish
  cups-pk-helper dconf-cli desktop-base dmz-cursor-theme doc-base espeak espeak-data
  evolution-data-server evolution-data-server-common evolution-data-server-online-accounts
  exo-utils file-roller geoclue geoclue-ubuntu-geoip gigolo gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
  gir1.2-atk-1.0 gir1.2-atspi-2.0 gir1.2-freedesktop gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0 gir1.2-gmenu-3.0
  gir1.2-gnomebluetooth-1.0 gir1.2-gnomekeyring-1.0 gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-1.0
  gir1.2-gstreamer-1.0 gir1.2-gtk-3.0 gir1.2-gudev-1.0 gir1.2-ibus-1.0
  gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-3.0 gir1.2-notify-0.7 gir1.2-pango-1.0 gir1.2-vte-2.90
  gir1.2-webkit-3.0 gir1.2-wnck-3.0 gkbd-capplet gmusicbrowser gnome-accessibility-themes
  gnome-bluetooth gnome-calculator gnome-control-center-shared-data gnome-icon-theme-full
  gnome-menus gnome-mines gnome-session-bin gnome-settings-daemon-schemas gnome-sudoku
  gnome-system-tools gnome-themes-standard gnome-themes-standard-data gnome-user-share
  greybird-gtk-theme gsettings-ubuntu-schemas gstreamer0.10-plugins-base-apps
  gstreamer0.10-tools gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-tools gtk-theme-config
  gtk2-engines-murrine gtk2-engines-pixbuf gucharmap gvfs-bin gvfs-fuse hddtemp ibus
  indicator-applet indicator-bluetooth indicator-datetime indicator-keyboard
  indicator-messages indicator-power indicator-sound inxi language-selector-gnome
  libabiword-3.0 libcairo-perl libcamel-1.2-49 libchamplain-0.12-0 libchamplain-gtk-0.12-0
  libdigest-crc-perl libdotconf0 libebackend-1.2-7 libebook-1.2-14 libebook-contacts-1.2-0
  libecal-1.2-16 libedata-book-1.2-20 libedata-cal-1.2-23 libedataserver-1.2-18 libespeak1
  libexo-1-0 libexo-common libexo-helpers libgarcon-1-0 libgarcon-common libgdata-common
  libgdata19 libgdome2-0 libgdome2-cpp-smart0c2a libgee2 libglib-perl libgnome-bluetooth11
  libgnome-menu-3-0 libgnomekbd-common libgnomekbd8 libgoa-1.0-0b libgoa-1.0-common
  libgstreamer-perl libgtk2-notify-perl libgtk2-perl libgtk2-trayicon-perl
  libgtkmathview0c2a libgtkmm-3.0-1 libgtksourceview2.0-0 libgtksourceview2.0-common
  libgucharmap-2-90-7 libgweather-3-6 libgweather-common libido3-0.1-0 libintl-perl
  libjpeg-progs libjpeg-turbo-progs libkeybinder0 liblink-grammar4 libmessaging-menu0
  libminiupnpc8 libnatpmp1 libnet-dbus-perl libnm-gtk-common libnm-gtk0 libnotify-bin
  liboauth0 liboobs-1-5 libotr5 libots0 libpanel-applet-4-0 libpango-perl libportaudio2
  librest-0.7-0 libsignon-glib1 libsonic0 libtagc0 libthunarx-2-0 libtie-ixhash-perl
  libtimezonemap-data libtimezonemap1 libtumbler-1-0 libunique-1.0-0
  libunity-control-center1 libunity-settings-daemon1 liburl-dispatcher1 libuuid-perl
  libvte-2.90-9 libvte-2.90-common libvte-common libvte9 libwacom-common libwacom2
  libwnck-3-0 libwnck-3-common libwnck-common libwnck22 libwv-1.2-4 libxfce4ui-1-0
  libxfce4ui-2-0 libxfce4ui-common libxfce4ui-utils libxfce4util-bin libxfce4util-common
  libxfce4util6 libxfcegui4-4 libxfconf-0-2 libxml-twig-perl libxml-xpathengine-perl
  libxres1 libyaml-tiny-perl light-locker light-locker-settings lightdm-gtk-greeter
  link-grammar-dictionaries-en menulibre mousepad mousetweaks mugshot network-manager-gnome
  network-manager-pptp-gnome numix-gtk-theme onboard onboard-data oneconf oneconf-common
  orage orion-gtk-theme parole pastebinit pavucontrol pidgin pidgin-data pidgin-libnotify
  pidgin-otr pkg-config plymouth-theme-xubuntu-logo plymouth-theme-xubuntu-text
  python-aptdaemon python-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python-commandnotfound python-debtagshw
  python-defer python-gconf python-gdbm python-gi-cairo python-notify python-oneconf
  python-piston-mini-client python-psutil python3-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python3-cairo
  python3-crypto python3-gi-cairo python3-httplib2 python3-lxml python3-oauthlib
  python3-oneconf python3-pexpect python3-piston-mini-client python3-psutil python3-smbc
  python3-xdg ristretto sessioninstaller shimmer-themes simple-scan software-center
  software-center-aptdaemon-plugins software-properties-gtk speech-dispatcher
  speech-dispatcher-audio-plugins system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-gnome
  system-tools-backends thunar thunar-archive-plugin thunar-data thunar-media-tags-plugin
  thunar-volman transmission-common transmission-gtk tumbler tumbler-common
  ubuntu-release-upgrader-gtk ubuntu-system-service ubuntu-touch-sounds
  unity-control-center unity-settings-daemon update-manager update-notifier xbrlapi
  xdg-user-dirs-gtk xfburn xfce4-appfinder xfce4-cpugraph-plugin xfce4-dict
  xfce4-indicator-plugin xfce4-mailwatch-plugin xfce4-netload-plugin xfce4-notes
  xfce4-notes-plugin xfce4-notifyd xfce4-panel xfce4-places-plugin xfce4-power-manager
  xfce4-power-manager-data xfce4-power-manager-plugins xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin
  xfce4-screenshooter xfce4-session xfce4-settings xfce4-systemload-plugin
  xfce4-taskmanager xfce4-terminal xfce4-verve-plugin xfce4-volumed xfce4-weather-plugin
  xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin xfce4-xkb-plugin xfconf xfdesktop4 xfdesktop4-data xfwm4
  xscreensaver xscreensaver-data xterm xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-community-wallpapers
  xubuntu-default-settings xubuntu-docs xubuntu-icon-theme xubuntu-wallpapers zenity
  zenity-common
Suggested packages:
  gnome kde-standard xfce4 wmaker rarian-compat evolution evolution-data-server-dbg arj lha
  lzip lzop ncompress rpm2cpio rzip sharutils unace unalz unar zoo libgnome2-wnck-perl
  libgstreamer-interfaces-perl libgtk2-mozembed-perl libgtk2-appindicator-perl mpg321
  flac123 ogg123 mplayer vorbis-tools ntp gnome-control-center apache2.2-bin
  libapache2-mod-dnssd murrine-themes ksensors ibus-clutter ibus-doc click powerd
  unity-system-compositor unity-greeter-session-broadcast libfont-freetype-perl
  libgtk2-perl-doc libintl-xs-perl minissdpd natpmp-utils libotr5-bin url-dispatcher
  devhelp libunicode-map8-perl xml-twig-tools network-manager-openconnect-gnome
  network-manager-vpnc-gnome sox gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gnome-codec-install gnome-panel
  kdebase-workspace-bin docker python-gnome2-doc python-gdbm-dbg python3-crypto-dbg
  python-crypto-doc python3-lxml-dbg python-pexpect-doc albatross-gtk-theme
  shimmer-wallpapers libttspico-utils speech-dispatcher-doc-cs speech-dispatcher-festival
  speech-dispatcher-flite tumbler-plugins-extra libcanberra-gtk-module gnome-screensaver
  gir1.2-dbusmenu-glib-0.4 gir1.2-unity-5.0 fortunes-mod menu xfwm4-themes xfishtank
  xdaliclock xscreensaver-gl fortune qcam streamer gdm3 kdm-gdmcompat xfonts-cyrillic
The following NEW packages will be installed
  abiword abiword-common abiword-plugin-grammar abiword-plugin-mathview apg apport-gtk
  apt-offline aptdaemon-data avahi-utils bluebird-gtk-theme blueman brltty-x11 catfish
  cups-pk-helper dconf-cli desktop-base dmz-cursor-theme doc-base espeak espeak-data
  evolution-data-server evolution-data-server-common evolution-data-server-online-accounts
  exo-utils file-roller geoclue geoclue-ubuntu-geoip gigolo gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1
  gir1.2-atk-1.0 gir1.2-atspi-2.0 gir1.2-freedesktop gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0 gir1.2-gmenu-3.0
  gir1.2-gnomebluetooth-1.0 gir1.2-gnomekeyring-1.0 gir1.2-gst-plugins-base-1.0
  gir1.2-gstreamer-1.0 gir1.2-gtk-3.0 gir1.2-gudev-1.0 gir1.2-ibus-1.0
  gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-3.0 gir1.2-notify-0.7 gir1.2-pango-1.0 gir1.2-vte-2.90
  gir1.2-webkit-3.0 gir1.2-wnck-3.0 gkbd-capplet gmusicbrowser gnome-accessibility-themes
  gnome-bluetooth gnome-calculator gnome-control-center-shared-data gnome-icon-theme-full
  gnome-menus gnome-mines gnome-session-bin gnome-settings-daemon-schemas gnome-sudoku
  gnome-system-tools gnome-themes-standard gnome-themes-standard-data gnome-user-share
  greybird-gtk-theme gsettings-ubuntu-schemas gstreamer0.10-plugins-base-apps
  gstreamer0.10-tools gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-tools gtk-theme-config
  gtk2-engines-murrine gtk2-engines-pixbuf gucharmap gvfs-bin gvfs-fuse hddtemp ibus
  indicator-applet indicator-bluetooth indicator-datetime indicator-keyboard
  indicator-messages indicator-power indicator-sound inxi language-selector-gnome
  libabiword-3.0 libcairo-perl libcamel-1.2-49 libchamplain-0.12-0 libchamplain-gtk-0.12-0
  libdigest-crc-perl libdotconf0 libebackend-1.2-7 libebook-1.2-14 libebook-contacts-1.2-0
  libecal-1.2-16 libedata-book-1.2-20 libedata-cal-1.2-23 libedataserver-1.2-18 libespeak1
  libexo-1-0 libexo-common libexo-helpers libgarcon-1-0 libgarcon-common libgdata-common
  libgdata19 libgdome2-0 libgdome2-cpp-smart0c2a libgee2 libglib-perl libgnome-bluetooth11
  libgnome-menu-3-0 libgnomekbd-common libgnomekbd8 libgoa-1.0-0b libgoa-1.0-common
  libgstreamer-perl libgtk2-notify-perl libgtk2-perl libgtk2-trayicon-perl
  libgtkmathview0c2a libgtkmm-3.0-1 libgtksourceview2.0-0 libgtksourceview2.0-common
  libgucharmap-2-90-7 libgweather-3-6 libgweather-common libido3-0.1-0 libintl-perl
  libjpeg-progs libjpeg-turbo-progs libkeybinder0 liblink-grammar4 libmessaging-menu0
  libminiupnpc8 libnatpmp1 libnet-dbus-perl libnm-gtk-common libnm-gtk0 libnotify-bin
  liboauth0 liboobs-1-5 libotr5 libots0 libpanel-applet-4-0 libpango-perl libportaudio2
  librest-0.7-0 libsignon-glib1 libsonic0 libtagc0 libthunarx-2-0 libtie-ixhash-perl
  libtimezonemap-data libtimezonemap1 libtumbler-1-0 libunique-1.0-0
  libunity-control-center1 libunity-settings-daemon1 liburl-dispatcher1 libuuid-perl
  libvte-2.90-9 libvte-2.90-common libvte-common libvte9 libwacom-common libwacom2
  libwnck-3-0 libwnck-3-common libwnck-common libwnck22 libwv-1.2-4 libxfce4ui-1-0
  libxfce4ui-2-0 libxfce4ui-common libxfce4ui-utils libxfce4util-bin libxfce4util-common
  libxfce4util6 libxfcegui4-4 libxfconf-0-2 libxml-twig-perl libxml-xpathengine-perl
  libxres1 libyaml-tiny-perl light-locker light-locker-settings lightdm-gtk-greeter
  link-grammar-dictionaries-en menulibre mousepad mousetweaks mugshot network-manager-gnome
  network-manager-pptp-gnome numix-gtk-theme onboard onboard-data oneconf oneconf-common
  orage orion-gtk-theme parole pastebinit pavucontrol pidgin pidgin-data pidgin-libnotify
  pidgin-otr pkg-config plymouth-theme-xubuntu-logo plymouth-theme-xubuntu-text
  python-aptdaemon python-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python-commandnotfound python-debtagshw
  python-defer python-gconf python-gdbm python-gi-cairo python-notify python-oneconf
  python-piston-mini-client python-psutil python3-aptdaemon.gtk3widgets python3-cairo
  python3-crypto python3-gi-cairo python3-httplib2 python3-lxml python3-oauthlib
  python3-oneconf python3-pexpect python3-piston-mini-client python3-psutil python3-smbc
  python3-xdg ristretto sessioninstaller shimmer-themes simple-scan software-center
  software-center-aptdaemon-plugins software-properties-gtk speech-dispatcher
  speech-dispatcher-audio-plugins system-config-printer-common system-config-printer-gnome
  system-tools-backends thunar thunar-archive-plugin thunar-data thunar-media-tags-plugin
  thunar-volman transmission-common transmission-gtk tumbler tumbler-common
  ubuntu-release-upgrader-gtk ubuntu-system-service ubuntu-touch-sounds
  unity-control-center unity-settings-daemon update-manager update-notifier xbrlapi
  xdg-user-dirs-gtk xfburn xfce4-appfinder xfce4-cpugraph-plugin xfce4-dict
  xfce4-indicator-plugin xfce4-mailwatch-plugin xfce4-netload-plugin xfce4-notes
  xfce4-notes-plugin xfce4-notifyd xfce4-panel xfce4-places-plugin xfce4-power-manager
  xfce4-power-manager-data xfce4-power-manager-plugins xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin
  xfce4-screenshooter xfce4-session xfce4-settings xfce4-systemload-plugin
  xfce4-taskmanager xfce4-terminal xfce4-verve-plugin xfce4-volumed xfce4-weather-plugin
  xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin xfce4-xkb-plugin xfconf xfdesktop4 xfdesktop4-data xfwm4
  xscreensaver xscreensaver-data xterm xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-community-wallpapers
  xubuntu-default-settings xubuntu-desktop xubuntu-docs xubuntu-icon-theme
  xubuntu-wallpapers zenity zenity-common

...

Uninstalling xubuntu-desktop will not uninstall the dependencies, you'll have to uninstall them yourself.

I suggest copying and pasting the output from apt-get into a text file and saving it somewhere just in case you want to uninstall the lot in the future.

The system keeps a log of installations and upgrades at /var/log/apt/history.log, take a look with less:

less /var/log/apt/history.log

Here's a short extract from mine:

Start-Date: 2014-12-18  12:49:01
Commandline: apt-get install pdf2djvu
Install: pdf2djvu:amd64 (0.7.17-3ubuntu3), djvulibre-bin:amd64 (3.5.25.4-4, automatic), libgraphicsmagick3:amd64 (1.3.18-4, automatic), libgraphicsmagick++3:amd64 (1.3.18-4, automatic)
End-Date: 2014-12-18  12:49:06

The reason I said to copy and paste the output from apt-get into a text file is that it's in the right format for pasting into an apt-get remove command, whereas the log file has version numbers too so you couldn't copy + paste so easily!

[jlittle]

LXDE is way lighter (in memory usage) than XFCE; I have a box where OS + desktop runs in 167 MiB, and with 1 GiB firefox and LibreOffice run nicely, vastly quicker than XP. I suppose you could

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop

[NickStone]

If you want to try XFCE, I think the best option would be to download Xubuntu and burn it to a DVD or USB stick and boot up using that, don't install at this stage. It will run slow from a DVD (runs faster on a USB stick) but your only trying it out so speed shouldn't be that much of a problem.