Group
I typically issue startx from command line mode as user root. This brings up an attractive KDE Desktop. UNIX Best Practices say to typically NOT to run as root unless you have to, so I'd rather run as as myself, another user (also connected to root group, as it happens, but I guess I can remove that association).
In any case, when I issue startx as myself (not root user), I get 2 or 3 crummy looking xterm consoles, no Desktop, a different command prompt (PS1), etc. Clearly some desktop configuration file(s) is not set up for this user. Alternatively, what is set up is in 2nd class, so to speak.

What must I do to get a handsome KDE Desktop for this user?
Thanks
George

Just copy /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.kde to your home directory .xinitrc and run startx:

cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.kde ~/.xinitrc


Cheers -

Chuck Bell


--------------------
"The mind that understands itself
Is the mind of a free man."
- L. Ron Hubbard

you could try the xwmconfig command. Thats a nice easy way to switch between kde, xfce4 etc.

Chuck -that was it, clean and simple.
Thanks

Chuck, and others
Is there something differnt that needs to be done to enable a non-root user to launch startx , other than establish the user's .xinitrc?
I have found missing .Xauthority file (causing a locking timeout), inability to create ~/.kde/share/config directiry, etc errors, when trying with another user..
How do these various files and directories originate? Is ther some other kde "ebablement" process?
Thanks
George