How do I run KDE and Gnome on the same distro?
 

Hello,

I've installed slackware 14.1 in a VMware virtual machine and I wanted to know how I could run Gnome as well in the same distro and be able to switch between KDE and Gnome? I would also like to experiment with other linux distros, some have Gnome as the default window manager and similarly like to be able to use KDE as well. What is the process for doing this?

Simply install both and then select one through your login display manager.

Slackware doesn't come with GNOME, so if you want to install it, you might want to try dropline GNOME.

How about using some other desktop manager in slackware, such as XFCE? How do I switch between KDE and XFCE? When I ran "slackpkg search xfce" I found the following:

[ installed ] - xfce4-weather-plugin-0.8.4-x86_64-1_slack14.1
[ installed ] - Thunar-1.6.3-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - exo-0.10.2-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - garcon-0.2.1-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - gtk-xfce-engine-3.0.1-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - libxfce4ui-4.10.0-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - libxfce4util-4.10.1-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - libxfcegui4-4.10.0-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - orage-4.8.4-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - thunar-volman-0.8.0-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - tumbler-0.1.25-x86_64-4
[ installed ] - xfce4-appfinder-4.10.1-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-clipman-plugin-1.2.3-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-dev-tools-4.10.0-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-mixer-4.8.0-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-notifyd-0.2.4-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-panel-4.10.1-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-power-manager-1.2.0-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-screenshooter-1.8.1-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-session-4.10.1-x86_64-3
[ installed ] - xfce4-settings-4.10.1-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-systemload-plugin-1.1.1-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-taskmanager-1.0.0-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfce4-terminal-0.6.2-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfce4-volumed-0.1.13-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfconf-4.10.0-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfdesktop-4.10.2-x86_64-1
[ installed ] - xfwm4-4.10.1-x86_64-2
[ installed ] - xfwm4-themes-4.10.0-x86_64-1

I'm not sure where the facility for choosing a desktop environment is on the KDE login screen (I can't see one), but you can run xwmconfig to choose a default environment.

If you install both then either KDM or GDM has an option to start whichever DE you want. So first install both and then see in login manager an option for it.

Ah, you'll probably need to change the theme for KDM to allow you to see the list of options for choosing a window manager/desktop environment - as I mentioned, the default one doesn't show you that option. In KDE, if you choose System Settings from the menu and then Login Screen, go to the Theme tab. The Circles and Oxygen themes seem to have the option for choosing the environment. Once you've made the change, log out and then choose Session Type on the login screen.

If you are not using a display manager, the Slackware command xwmconfig allows you to change your choice of window manager/desktop environment after you log in and before you "startx."

Let me expand on this question..........

Is there a way to set up the system, that it auto boots to a particular desktop, defined by the user? (without the selection in the login screen aka one user doesn't like whatever desktop the other uses)

Thanks

I believe Slackware uses the xwmconfig script to accomplish this.

If GNOME is not listed as an option, just edit ~/.xinitrc directly & replace the final line ("exec kde-session" or similar) with "exec gnome-session"

EDIT: Sorry @frankbell, didn't read the thread properly!

There is separate thread on Slackware and autologin that you might find useful.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...in-4175529368/