You keep saying that but not expanding on it....

What is xfce missing to be considered a desktop manager?

What exactly is missing that ROX adds to it?

Gnome, KDE,and XFCE
 

Gnome, is to big for my Laptop (which is currently only running 98), so I am going to use XFCE. However Gnome is still my favorite. My problem with KDE is that it is to much like the Mac and Windows GUIs (eg: primitive yet flashy). I like the K programs better then the Gnome programs though. :)

huh? how is it too big?

Requires to much memory, KDE will barely run. XFCE should be fine though. To make this clear I am running a very old laptop. :cry:

I find xfce to use about as much memory as gnome. Often it isnt the environment but the apps you choose. My laptop is 700mhz PIII and I use gnome, of course I have memory bumped up to 384mb. But at startup it uses about 85mb according to the free command.

It depends how you use XFCE, you can strip its components to minimum, so its memory usage will look like that:

Entire HOWTO is here if you are interested:
http://bsdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47695

fluxbox is the best no matter what.antix Lysistrata is the greatest.

I actually use the xfce panel on gnome but I prefer not to use the menu-plugin but rather to have launchers for my most used programs and use appfinder when I need one of the other apps.

I assume that kills all forms of session/settings management though? I am not sure most users would find that acceptable.

So you feel that would be a lot lighter than metacity and a lite panel, assuming this is still considered to be gnome?

As for launcher or even a XFCE/Gnome like menu I would suggest using fbpanel:
http://box-look.org/content/show.php?content=68023
http://fbpanel.sourceforge.net

It is a lot lighter/faster while having all needed functionality without any dependencies attached.

Dunno, I did not checked that, but it disables desktop icons for sure, anyway, nobody forces them to use it this way.

You will have to check that, I did not tried to lauch a minimal Gnome desktop iwthmetacity and gnome panel only.

One of the lightests would be pekwm/openbox + fbpanel,

Why all this bloody dropping of "Fluxbox - w00t!" ?!?!?!?! Fluxbox is a window manager! Nothing else! Why on Earth are you bringing Fluxbox into Desktop Environment discussions!?!?!?! *sheesh*

Either way...

Gnome gets my vote. Every now and then, I install KDE, but something ALWAYS happens, and I go back to Gnome - *contented sigh*. I just wish I had the time and patience to change the file manager from Nautilus to Rox-filer or Thunar.

tried that, and fspanel, pyanel, perlpanel....my fav panel is still xfce4 cause I like the iconbox ;)



I will have to try and see how slim I can make gnome. I actually disable the desktop in gnome as well. The question is - if you dont install anything but metacity and gnome-session is it still gnome or something else? :)

I just think people should realize that it is often the apps people choose that make a DE heavy and you can lighten up all of them from the default.

I was a KDE user back in 2000 and 2001 at school, and one day my account got messed up and was forced to start using GNOME. After that I have been 100% GNOME fan, I have tried newer KDE, and Xfce but I always come back to GNOME. Although I am looking forward to KDE 4, and the latest Xfce is pretty cool. :D

I dont know what your are talking about there. Ah well...

KDE is to flashy for my tastes, though the default setting of KDE on the Yoper Live CD is pretty good. On Gnome I use the good old Bluecurve theme, though I downloaded a custom window border. I can not understand why anyone would want fancy effects as anything more than a toy.

i have to go with gnome, KDE is too much like windows for my liking, it may be customisable and have alot of great features, but it's far to big and cumbersome for alot of PC's

While mainly a Gnome user, I find XFCE to be shaping up nicely. My vote goes to them.