FreeBSD (GhostBSD) Question?

[Don Wilde]

On 7/22/20 11:41 AM, Polytropon wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Jul 2020 09:45:08 -0700, Don Wilde wrote:
>> I don't see that any of these GUI installers help a whole bunch for what
>> I want. I can see their usefulness for those who come from the Doze or
>> Mac -- or even Ubuntu -- worlds, but that's not where I want to go. I'll
>> just do it the old-fashioned way because I want to know what's getting
>> installed.
> The problem with desktop environments, not limited to MATE,
> or Xfce, or Lxde, is that they come with their equivalent
> of "accessories" - little programs that you might or might
> not need. If you wish to avoid this, install a graphical
> file manager and a window manager, but keep in mind that
> this is _not_ a desktop environment anymore!
My only addition beyond that is a programmer's editor with scripting 
capability. I like old-fashioned EMACS and (sorry about the heresy) 
replace VI / VIM as the default editor.
> I tend to do this because I wish to have control over what
> is being installed, and I also use software from any "GUI
> lands" which are part of the Linux and UNIX experience:
> KDE programs, Gtk programs, and I don't care about "visual
> consistency" - it has been gone, it no longer exists, not
> even on the Mac (and "Windows" has said goodbye to it
> long time ago). So I only need to required libraries, but
> not the stuff a full desktop would include.
I hadn't even gone that far. For me, it wouldn't be the 'visual 
consistency' that I'd be worried about, it'd be the underlying GUI/WM 
library hooks.
> For example, I have a "service system" that runs FreeBSD
> with the IceWM window manager (theme "metal2"), plus the
> program wbar (Warlock bar), and a Mac background image.
> It looks very expensive, and I tend to start all the
> different Gtk / Qt / ... programs via terminal, except
> for those already present in wbar (typical stuff like
> Firefox, an audio mixer, WiFi manager, LibreOffice and
> so on).
I don't even go that far. That's why I keep Ubuntu 18 around. :) I just 
don't choose to fight it any more, as you describe in your next 
paragraph. :)
> Most desktop environments have moved to "let's include
> everything, maybe someone needs it, and when it's not
> there they'll complain" approach. "Old-fashioned" desktops
> like Mate or Cinnamon have quite good control over what
> additional parts to install, Gnome 3, in my opinion, does
> not fit: even though you can configure a lot, it feels
> like you have to fight the system to make it do what you
> want, instead a system supporting your workflow.
Exactly!

-- 
Don Wilde
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