Alternative to x11/gnome3 ?

[Victor Sudakov]

Polytropon wrote:
> > > > What alternative to x11/gnome3 can you advise? 
> > > > 
> > > > I would like a more lightweight desktop environment, however it MUST
> > > > support switching between GUI users without logging out (like 
> > > > Ubuntu or Windows).
> > > > 
> > > > I tried Mate but it does not seem to be able to switch between users
> > > > without logging out (at least the display manager Mate comes with
> > > > cannot do that).
> > > 
> > > If remember correctly, both Gnome 2 and Mate _can_ do this. 
> > 
> > But I have a virtual box with the Mate metaport installed, and the "switch
> > user" button is nowhere to be found in the Mate GUI.
> 
> Two possibilites:
> 
> a) This function has not become part of Mate, but it was part
>    of Gnome 2; maybe Cinnamon (the other Gnome 2 successor)
>    has it?
> 
> b) This function needs to be manually added to one of the menus
>    or bars (via their configuration tools).
> 

You say you use Mate, could I ask you to do me a favour and look how
to enable this function in your installation of Mate?

[dd]

> 
> I don't have much experience with Gnome 3 because it scared
> the fsck out of me after "gnome" defaulted from Gnome 2 to
> Gnome 3 - and I switched to Mate. :-)

I want to get rid of gnome3 too, I just need functional user switching
somewhere else.

> 
> 
> 
> > > Additionally, you can probably run a second X server on the
> > > same system and switch over for a second session... :-)
> > > 
> > 
> > That's exactly what gdm from gnome3 does. But I'm looking for an
> > alternative to gdm and gnome (and not startx).
> 
> Maybe wdm, the display manager inteded for use with GNUstep,
> can be used?

Maybe, or maybe not. I'm looking for at least one success story of
functional user switching.

> 
> > I have tried the stock xdm to run two separate local X-servers but this
> > failed miserably for some reason. Must be some conflict it was unable to
> > resolve, but the second X-server would not even start.
> 
> Running two X servers is not a trivial task, but possible
> with some work. However, the feature you're requesting should
> be available without all the trouble. :-)

I thought as much, should be available without all the trouble. But...

It surprises me however that nobody has stepped forward and said "I run
two local X-servers", or "I use user switching all the time with XXX" - 
why is that?

-- 
Victor Sudakov,  VAS4-RIPE, VAS47-RIPN
AS43859