12.3 RC1 Packages question

[gwayne]

I am installing RC1 in a VM, I use the KDE version and I noticed that it installs also icewm… why ?

It made me decide to look at more packages that are installed… and their dependencies. I wonder if there is a way to build a dependency tree of a package.

[vazhavandan]

@gwayne

I am installing RC1 in a VM, I use the KDE version and I noticed that it installs also icewm… why ?

It made me decide to look at more packages that are installed… and their dependencies. I wonder if there is a way to build a dependency tree of a package.

if you look more closely you will may also find twm installed along with icewm. These two are fallback desktops in case KDE or GNOME fail to start. They may also act as technology demonstrators for light weight desktops:-) You can fix broken desktops by logding into one of those x-windows
icewm-lite ( 693.7 KiB),icewm (1012.2 KiB ),twm(222.7 KiB)= 1.9 MB which can fit even on a floppy disk. Just ignore them They hardly occupy any space.

[consused]

@vazhavandan

if you look more closely you will may also find twm installed along with icewm. These two are fallback desktops in case KDE or GNOME fail to start.

Exactly. It happened here a few month ago on my 11.4 Evergreen KDE 4.6 after long trouble-free service, when the desktop suddenly and repeatedly failed to initialize. I had always used “save desktop on exit”, but in this case one of the desktop save files was corrupted. The diagnosis and repair was made easier using a simple but relatively similar desktop.

Not having used IceWM before, I found it to be fast and simple to use with a kde-style menu, immediate access to all the files, and even multiple workspaces. The advantages in that situation were:

1. Many applications also worked on IceWm, so important work could be completed before dealing with the failure.
2. Use normal browser and bookmarked access to internet, e.g openSUSE forum, for research and assistance.
3. Diagnosis and repair, without dual booting or using that liveCD [without your apps or settings on it].

Of course, whether KDE or Gnome, it’s worth having a go with IceWM before the problem occurs, just for familiarity.

[nrickert]

@gwayne

I am installing RC1 in a VM, I use the KDE version and I noticed that it installs also icewm… why ?

As far as I know (and I am mostly guessing), the Yast installer wants to run under icewm. And that includes the part of the installer that wants to run immediately after the first boot.

Incidentally, what is automatically installed is “icewm-lite”. Recently, I have been switching that to 'icewm-default" in the installer. I’m finding that the default version of icewm (which has a more functional panel), is actually a pretty good minimalist desktop.

[vazhavandan]

@nrickert

Incidentally, what is automatically installed is “icewm-lite”. Recently, I have been switching that to 'icewm-default" in the installer. I’m finding that the default version of icewm (which has a more functional panel), is actually a pretty good minimalist desktop.

Using iceWMCP ,iceWMCP-addons you can easily edit the panel and add applets to it.

[nrickert]

@vazhavandan

Using iceWMCP ,iceWMCP-addons you can easily edit the panel and add applets to it.

What I mostly wanted for my laptop, was to be able to run “nm-applet” (the Gnome NetworkManager applet) and have it show in the tray. When I last tried, that did not work with icewm-lite, but does work in “icewm-default”.

[vazhavandan]

@nrickert

What I mostly wanted for my laptop, was to be able to run “nm-applet” (the Gnome NetworkManager applet) and have it show in the tray. When I last tried, that did not work with icewm-lite, but does work in “icewm-default”.

yeah icewm-lite is really light in features department whereas icewm-default behave like a full fledged desktop except that it has very few native applications.