What's this plasma thing?

[JudicatorMX]

Hi, everybody.
I've just started using linux and installed the latest Kubuntu.
The first thing I noticed is Plasma Workspace. It looks nice, but it slows down my laptop alot. Is it possible to turn it off and make a regular desktop with shortcuts, like in Windows, or some other Linux distros?
Thanx in advance.

[Rog131]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

> Plasma FAQ 4.3

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion as to what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions...

[josefko]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

At the beginning to speed up you can try to switch desktop effects off. See System Settings - Desktop - Desktop Effects.

If you try Plasma for a while, maybe you will like it, I think, it is a future of desktops. For example try Lancelot part for start of programs and you will forget standard icons.

[JudicatorMX]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Thanx guys, you really helped me. In addition I can say that it appears that the regular desktop runs slower than plasma (with effects turned of) on my laptop... So I'm stickin' with it

[doctordruidphd]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

If your desktop is running slow, try opening a terminal (konsole) and type

top

That will tell you what is using most of your cpu time.

[13thSlayer]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Just note that KDE is powerful, and for older machines it's hardly any good... you might be willing to try GNOME (installation - type "sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop" in a terminal) or XFCE (best for old machines - installation - "sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop")

[JudicatorMX]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Just note that KDE is powerful, and for older machines it's hardly any good... you might be willing to try GNOME (installation - type "sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop" in a terminal) or XFCE (best for old machines - installation - "sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop")

So if I get GNOME I'll have them both and I'll be able to switch between them? Or will this command delete the KDE?

[Bolly]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

You should have them both and can choose which you use when logging in. I think you get to use both sets of installed applications under either.

[13thSlayer]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Just note that KDE is powerful, and for older machines it's hardly any good... you might be willing to try GNOME (installation - type "sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop" in a terminal) or XFCE (best for old machines - installation - "sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop")

So if I get GNOME I'll have them both and I'll be able to switch between them? Or will this command delete the KDE?

You will still have KDE, just, on login screen, there is a "session type" thing. You will be able to choose whether to use KDE or GNOME or XFCE or anything else there.

[JudicatorMX]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Thanx guys.
I've installed other two GUIs, like you suggested, and now I know which suits me best. I know now how to install a GUI, so how do I delete one? I want to delete KDE, my laptop is too slow for this GUI. I also want to free up some space on my disk.

[13thSlayer]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

Thanx guys.
I've installed other two GUIs, like you suggested, and now I know which suits me best. I know now how to install a GUI, so how do I delete one? I want to delete KDE, my laptop is too slow for this GUI. I also want to free up some space on my disk.

Quote from Ubuntu's forums:
sudo apt-get remove kde
Worked perfectly, it removed all the packages except for konsole and konqueror which I removed myself.
(sudo apt-get remove konqueror
sudo apt-get remove konsole)
End of quote.
another way is trying to remove all packages manually... here is a command... sorry if i missed anything
http://paste.ubuntu.com/252096/
It's quite long so i posted to pastebin.
Oh, just a question, what environment did you choose?

[JudicatorMX]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

More and more I learn Sorry, I'm noob, just started using linux and I'm very confused.
When you delete Konsole, terminals for other GUIs are untouched? I mean in GNOME and XFCE. Well, I don't realy care about XFCE much, because I've chosen to leave GNOME.
And if I understand correctly, sudo apt-get remove deletes any installed application with all its packages?
Now trying to remove KDE. Nothing happens. Maybe that's because it already came with Kubuntu. Here's the output:

adminas@Saturn:~$ sudo apt-get remove kde
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree    
Reading state information... Done
Package kde is not installed, so not removed
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
 lirc libfreebob0 gnustep-base-common gnustep-base-runtime libbinio1ldbl
 linux-headers-2.6.28-11 libresid-builder0c2a gnustep-gui-common libjack0
 libcddb2 gnustep-back0.14 libgnustep-gui0.14 python2.5 setserial libcelt0
 linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic libsdl-ttf2.0-0 libmikmod2
 libgnustep-base1.16 gnustep-common libffado0 gnustep-gpbs libmowgli1
 libfluidsynth1 vdr python2.5-minimal libsdl-mixer1.2 libxml++2.6-2
 libsidplay2 libffcall1 gnustep-back-common libmcs1 gnustep-gui-runtime
 ladcca2 libimlib2 gnustep-back0.14-art python-chardet libscrollkeeper0
 freeglut3 libmms0 libneon27-gnutls libsmpeg0
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Of course it would be easier to download and install Ubuntu, but now atleast I learn something

[13thSlayer]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

More and more I learn Sorry, I'm noob, just started using linux and I'm very confused.
When you delete Konsole, terminals for other GUIs are untouched? I mean in GNOME and XFCE. Well, I don't realy care about XFCE much, because I've chosen to leave GNOME.
And if I understand correctly, sudo apt-get remove deletes any installed application with all its packages?
Now trying to remove KDE. Nothing happens. Maybe that's because it already came with Kubuntu. Here's the output:

adminas@Saturn:~$ sudo apt-get remove kde
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree    
Reading state information... Done
Package kde is not installed, so not removed
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
 lirc libfreebob0 gnustep-base-common gnustep-base-runtime libbinio1ldbl
 linux-headers-2.6.28-11 libresid-builder0c2a gnustep-gui-common libjack0
 libcddb2 gnustep-back0.14 libgnustep-gui0.14 python2.5 setserial libcelt0
 linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic libsdl-ttf2.0-0 libmikmod2
 libgnustep-base1.16 gnustep-common libffado0 gnustep-gpbs libmowgli1
 libfluidsynth1 vdr python2.5-minimal libsdl-mixer1.2 libxml++2.6-2
 libsidplay2 libffcall1 gnustep-back-common libmcs1 gnustep-gui-runtime
 ladcca2 libimlib2 gnustep-back0.14-art python-chardet libscrollkeeper0
 freeglut3 libmms0 libneon27-gnutls libsmpeg0
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

Of course it would be easier to download and install Ubuntu, but now atleast I learn something

Don't use Konsole to remove KDE, use other terminal.
Also, type "sudo apt-get auto remove" after you removed that, it removes stuff you no longer need.

[JudicatorMX]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

I did use other terminal. Though to remove KDE I had to use that long code, where every package was removed manualy. Everything's fine now.
What about starting Linux without GUI? It would be better for me to start linux in the command-line mode and then manualy start the GUI when needed. How can this be done?

[13thSlayer]

Re: What's this plasma thing?

I did use other terminal. Though to remove KDE I had to use that long code, where every package was removed manualy. Everything's fine now.
What about starting Linux without GUI? It would be better for me to start linux in the command-line mode and then manualy start the GUI when needed. How can this be done?

On login screen choose Menu->Console login. Not sure how to start a GUI from a console though.