LXDE / What kind of software should I use to keep it light

[Tereva]

Hi there,

If I understand correctly every windows manager is build from a language and comes with specific lib and stuff.

So if you install a gnome soft on a KDE wm, you will have to download tons of gnome (and stuff related to the language what was use to dev Gnome) on your system.

Can someone tell me what the situation with LXDE ?
Which kind of soft / dev language should I try to find, and which one should I avoid to limit lib and so on ?

For exemple, I would like to give Treeline, but I need 24 more package for it to work ! (mostly q4T package)
So I wonder if this is a good idea, and how to find a soft that used same package/lib / dev language, than LXDE

Thanks for any insight

Tereva

[melodie]

Hi,

If I understand you well, you seek for light/standalone applications. Lxde don't need specific language programs, but if you want to keep it the lightest possible in size as well as in resources, you'll avoid all apps that show obviously that they need lots of depends to work. The list to avoid would be : qt4, java, gnome libs, kde libs. At a certain point you will not be able to avoid a few of them, because of the need for some comfort. Bleachbit, (excellent program to help find and erase unuseful leftover files) needs a few Gnome components (this is an example). Yet, I succeeded in avoiding to install java, but not qt4, as some apps I really want to use need it.

For Treeline, I'm not sure, I tried it once only. Is it to keep tasks to do ? If so, you could give a try to Osmo, which is calendar, adressbook, and task manager at same time... if what you want to do is something else, you may want to explain about it.

[Neal ManBear]

LXDE is GTK2 based. Many GTK applications should install with few dependencies added. As Melodie says, watch what is to be added as a dependency. Some applications may seem light, until you see the list of dependencies.

[skyhawk]

I have generally tried to choose applications that are GTK-based, as Neal mentions in his post. Another important consideration, however, might be to choose apps that are as full-featured as possible, making possible the installation of one app where two or three might otherwise be needed to accomplish the same tasks. But, if you see an app that you really want, despite it being somewhat "heavy", go ahead and install it. It can always be uninstalled later, if its performance is not up to your expectations. VLC, for example, is almost a must-have because it can handle almost any audio/video format.

LXDE is so "light" that it can handle a "heavy" app with little extra burden on system performance. I am reading the many woes associated with KDE4, while I cruise smoothly along the cyber-road using LXDE. It certainly beats KDE 3.5 that I used with Mandriva Free 2007.0.

[melodie]

I have generally tried to choose applications that are GTK-based, as Neal mentions in his post.

Hi,

Consider that Neal sayd "gtk2", which is not the same as "gtk" !!!

Another important consideration, however, might be to choose apps that are as full-featured as possible, making possible the installation of one app where two or three might otherwise be needed to accomplish the same tasks.

But some do 2 over 3 things that you do not need. The *nix first year's philosophy used to be "one app for one task, but that does it well".

But, if you see an app that you really want, despite it being somewhat "heavy", go ahead and install it.

Agreed.

It can always be uninstalled later, if its performance is not up to your expectations.

But, if you want to be sure that all it's depends are all uninstalled along with it, check what depends it has in it's properties : in Synaptic, it is in the right menu click when you select the title of the application.

ie: pigdin does not uninstall properly (farsight* packages). I'm sure a few other programs don't either.

VLC, for example, is almost a must-have because it can handle almost any audio/video format.

Or mplayer. Theses days I use only this one.

I agree on the rest, though I use Openbox only. ;-))

[djohnston]

VLC, for example, is almost a must-have because it can handle almost any audio/video format.

I agree 100% with that. VLC will play almost anything you can throw at it. VLC Media Player streams in unicast and multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network. You will not find this combination in most other media apps. You can also use the Services Discovery option to find Podcasts, Shoutcast radio listings, and Freebox TV and radio stations.

Although this app handles almost any media type, I would say it still adheres to the *nix principle of one app per task, with the best app for the task.

[Tereva]

Hi there,

Thanks everybody for the info.

Yes I try to keep the system as light/clean as possible.
Once you has tasted a fast wm that load in no time, it is difficult to imagine to get back to something like KDE, even if it is more good looking.

So choosing GTK2 applications is the way to go when it's possible.



Thx again

Tereva


PS:
For Melodie :
I'm looking for a small light multi-plateforme contact manager.
The idea is to store the data file on the dropbox directory, them to use the soft on my different computer (included the one at work under XP).
I notice Osmo as well, but I don't want a task manager /calendar... only a address book, so I put it on the "waiting list" for the moment.
If you have some softs to advice, feel free to do it !


PPS :
For All
Just so I won't go in bed as silly as now :

What is the difference between GTK+ et GTK2 ?
GTK+ is in C
GTK2 is in Perl (right ?) and is a different set of lib and not compatible with GTK+

[melodie]

PS:
For Melodie :
I'm looking for a small light multi-plateforme contact manager.
The idea is to store the data file on the dropbox directory, them to use the soft on my different computer (included the one at work under XP).

I use Contacts, and once while copy the file that stores the contacts to another computer. It's from the Pimlico suite, meant really for smartphones, but can be used on normal computers too. It needs evolution-data-server, and the backup file is in .evolution directory.

You can create groups and add each contact to one or several groups.

If you have some softs to advice, feel free to do it !

See above.


PPS :

What is the difference between GTK+ et GTK2 ?

First is old style, all grey rather ugly, second is the new look allowing to use all kinds of nice themes GTK2 written.

[Neal ManBear]

GTK2 is C, as was GTK.

[melodie]

GTK2 is C, as was GTK.

Thanks for precising, I didn't know what language is used. :-)

[Neal ManBear]

One other bit of info - GTK = Gimp Tool Kit
It was originally a set of tools created for use in developing Gimp, the Gnu Image Manipulation Program. It was adopted by the developers of the Gnome project and has since seen many improvements and enhancements. Everyone who uses Gnome, LXDE and XFCE owe some thanks to the Gimp developers for their excellent tool kit.

[parnote]

VLC, for example, is almost a must-have because it can handle almost any audio/video format.

I agree 100% with that. VLC will play almost anything you can throw at it. VLC Media Player streams in unicast and multicast in IPv4 or IPv6 on a high-bandwidth network. You will not find this combination in most other media apps. You can also use the Services Discovery option to find Podcasts, Shoutcast radio listings, and Freebox TV and radio stations.

Although this app handles almost any media type, I would say it still adheres to the *nix principle of one app per task, with the best app for the task.

I'll agree that VLC is a great piece of software, but take a look at the list of dependencies when/if you install it. It pulls in a TON of qt3 and qt4 libs ... not something you necessarily desire if you are trying to stay as close to the Gtk+ 2.0 roots of Xfce or LXDE as possible.

I prefer to stay with Gtk+ 2.0 apps on my installation of Phoenix, which means that VLC is out (unless someone ports the qt3 and qt4 libs over to Gtk+ 2.0). For me, MPlayer is the answer.

parnote

[Tereva]

Hi there,

Heu... I was on the LXDE wiki home page and I noticed that :

Programming language    C, GTK+

So, LXDE is in GTK2 or GTK+ ?


Tereva

[Tereva]

I think I'm wrong :

You don't compare GTK 2 and GTK +, but GTK and GTK+ (which is in 2.0 release)

Right ?

If so, GTK+ and GTK 2 is the same lib !!

Tereva

[melodie]

I think I'm wrong :

You don't compare GTK 2 and GTK +, but GTK and GTK+ (which is in 2.0 release)

Right ?

If so, GTK+ and GTK 2 is the same lib !!

Tereva

GTK2 really is GTK+2 which is the successor of GTK+. (Some abuse of language seem to be the rule here: GTK2/GTK+2). Look at Wikipedia for example.

Here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GTK%2B

GTK+ is an object-oriented widget toolkit written in the C programming language;
...

GTK+ 2 has succeeded GTK+. Its new features include improved text rendering using Pango, a new theme engine, improved accessibility using the Accessibility Toolkit, complete transition to Unicode using UTF-8  strings, and a more flexible API. However, GTK+ 2 lacks compatibility with GTK+ 1, and programmers must port applications to it.


...

Environments that use GTK+

    * GNOME is based on GTK+, meaning that GNOME programs use GTK+
    * Xfce is based on GTK+, though its applications typically do not depend on as many libraries (this is the difference between something being branded as a "GNOME program" or as a "GTK+ program")
    * LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is based on GTK+
....

Those desktop environments are not required to run GTK+ programs. If the required libraries are installed, a GTK+ program can run on top of other X11-based desktop environments or window managers;