How to start KDE or GNOME (Debian STABLE)
 

Well, I managed to get Debian 3.1 installed, even though I wanted to install the unstable version. I could not find unstable sources that had the Desktop Environment packages so I had to resort to using stable. I figured you could update to the most recent, right?

After the installation, I am at the login prompt. I log in but how do I log into KDE or GNOME? With other distros (the easier and better ones), you just type 'startx' or 'startkde' and it would boot into X with your GUI. In Debian, it has no idea what I'm talking about. What do I do?

First make sure you have one of them installed, login as root
and type

apt-get install kde

OR

apt-get install gnome

OR if you want both ( you'll have to wait awhile )

apt-get install kde gnome

This should install a graphical login ( usually one or all of xdm gdm kdm ) and will set the to lauch at boot, it will ask you which one you want to use.

If for some reason of of these aren't installed ( they should be as there a dependancy ) try

apt-get install kdm ( or xdm or gdm, whichever you prefer )

As for unstable just change the file /etc/apt/sources.list and change the line from stable to testing or unstable so it should look like this:

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ unstable main non-free contrib

the address maybe slightly different as you may have chosen a local mirror. Also remove security lines, unless your going to testing.

Then do

apt-get update
apt-get dist-upgrade

Do this before the install of kde/gnome or you'll be doing them twice.

For mplayer, kplayer, java, kwin styles, skype and win32 codecs these might prove useful you can simply add them below the offivcal debian respoitories:

# MPlayer Repository
deb ftp://ftp.nerim.net/debian-marillat/ sid main
# KPlayer Repository
deb http://kplayer.sourceforge.net/ ./
# Sun's Java
#deb ftp://ftp.mirrorservice.org/sites/ftp.blackdown.org/java-linux/debian/ unstable non-free
# Skype, kwin styles and other stuff, Respoitory
deb http://debian.neo.pl/wfmh unstable main contrib non-free

Hope that helps.

I appreciate your detailed response! :)

I will give this a try in the morning at the office and will report back.