Session Options

Robin

In my old Linux OS I enjoyed experimenting with different window managers and desktop environments. I could install a metapackage for a different d.e., log out of my Xfce session and log back into a different one.

Is that also possible with GhostBSD? And if I decide the new d.e. doesn't fit the bill, does un-installing a metapackage remove all the unwanted stuff?

Thanks in advance...

brianthehughes

I’ve tried this a bit.

I have found that using:

pkg autoremove

after removing the tested software seems to clean up any remnants.

Neville

Yes. It's possible with GhostBSD. You can install another desktop environment and login with slick-greeter. When you want to remove any unwanted dependencies first delete the meta package then run

pkg autoremove

vimanuelt

"Is that possible with GhostBSD?" No, as GhostBSD uses LightDM which may need to be adjusted depending on desktop being installed.

"...does un-installing a metapackage remove all the unwanted stuff?" No, it doesn't.

brianthehughes

In GhostBSD, the blending of any/all window manager software can make it challenging to get a true sense of what the tested software would be like on its own.

For example; having XFCE installed has Thunar (XFCE) and Caja (MATE) both installed.

In my experience this can also have some unpredictable and frustrating impacts on permissions, configuration files, etc.

Proceed, with caution. :-)

Robin

Thanks, y'all. I will take all this to mean that any experimentation should be done in a VM.