Upcoming LXLE version brainstorming
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Maybe Arandr instead of lxrandr for configuring monitors. Although this is more complicated but allows mutliple monitors to not be mirrored and work better on multiple displays. Not many dependencies brought in either.
Thanked by 1lxle -
I agree with the folks in this thread who suggested a "better looking menu". While the existing LxMenu is certainly functional, usable, and stable, it looks like a "wart" on a beauty queen, IMO. LXLE is quite an aesthetically attractive distro in its default config, IMO. But that LxMenu is just meh; it is one of the few items that I have actively sought to change. After MUCH research, I have located an app menu/launcher called Slingscold which I believe is the perfect solution and have installed on my system. It pulled in 2 additional packages totaling approximately 270kb, so it's very light and responsive. If anyone else wants to give it a look-see, I've written a brief tutorial in the forum for "suggestions for 14.04 lts", which is actually very simple and straightforward:
http://www.lxle.net/forum/#/discussion/219/some-suggestions-for-14-04-lts/p1
Enjoy!
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an addition to the menu, perhaps, totally replacing the menu is unlikely.
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I agree with you lxle! In fact, I still have the LxMenu on the panel. Even though I have replaced the LxMenu functionality with the referenced menu/launcher, the LxMenu is still in my LxPanel because it is "familiar" and serves as a nice reference point for that familiarity. Not sure if I'll ever remove that LxMenu, for that reason.. Additionally, I use the Unity Paradigm. Slingscold looks AWESOME in that environment, but I'm not sure I'd like it as much in the WinXP Paradigm, or perhaps Gnome2. IMO, the LxMenu looks right in WinXP Paradigm, not so much in Unity. Personal preferences I guess, and I'm cool with that. I hope it's okay I cross-posted this in both forums, but it took me awhile to find the posts that suggested "new and improved" menus for LXLE, and THOSE are the folks I wanted to let know. I wasn't sure those posters would find it in the 14.04 suggestion thread.
And FWIW, I think it's totally awesome that you would even CONSIDER adding this as an option for the "LxMenu is ugly crew". I've already got it, so I'm happy, but perhaps other newer users aren't as confident to do what needs to be done to accomplish that. It would be cool if you provided them with that option out-of-the-box, just another tool in this swiss-army-knife that does everything distro! It's awesome that you cruise the forums, solicit feedback, and interact with your LXLE constituents. Canonical, you are NOT! Perhaps this is another example of your respin "keeping the best, deleting the rest..." Kudos, and thanks for this distro you graciously share with us!
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FWIW, I used to be one of the folks who suggested an ISO<700MB for installation on systems that cannot handle a DVD with 1.3GB ISO or cannot boot from USB. I think LXLE is an AWESOME distro, perfect for beginner/newbies, resuscitating older hardware, and truly with something for everyone. If only the ISO would fit on a CD for a small contingent of likely users....hmmm....
So I've been experimenting with a "base install" of LXLE, in which I have been removing all programs I consider to be potentially redundant, as well as a lot of extras, in an effort to achieve the CD-size ISO. I have disabled a lot of PPAs; I have removed Parcellite, Qshutdown, and Sunflower from Accessories; all games except FreeCell, Solitaire, LTetris, Frozen Bubble, & Minesweeper; Simple Image Reducer from Graphics; Filezilla, LinPhone, Steam, and uGet from Internet; FBreader, LibreOffice Draw, Impress, dBase, & Math from Office; Asunder, Audacity, Minitube, Pithos, and Vokoscreen from Sound & Video; Nepomuk from System Tools; and Ubuntu One from Preferences.
I then created an ISO of this "LXLE Base" using Remastersys (also installed on LXLE by default). Even with all of the removed programs functionality, the "Base" is still 1.2GB ISO folks!!! While this is still a fully functioning system for noobs, I would be reluctant to remove anything further, without severely impacting function. So for those who would like a CD-size ISO of LXLE, it is my opinion that LXLE cannot be reduced to a CD-size ISO and still retain the very characteristics that make it awesome! To be perfectly honest, the minimal reduction from 1.3GB to 1.2GB that I achieved isn't worth the loss of ALL the programs that were removed to achieve it! As a matter of fact, I've become even MORE impressed with lxle's selection of software to be included in LXLE. With everything he puts in there, and knowing what know now, I cannot believe it's only 1.3GB! In comparison, I have a custom remastersys ISO of my business installation of Ubuntu 12.04 deployed on several machines and that ISO is slightly over 3.5GB!
Bottom line, if you want an ISO to fit on a CD, you should be looking at Lubuntu or perhaps Zorin Lite; you can "build it up" to LXLE level, although I sincerely doubt you will achieve the performance, the responsiveness, the speed of LXLE. If you want what LXLE offers, but cannot boot from 1.3GB ISO or usb sticks, I can only suggest PLoP Bootloader CD. Boot from PLoP, like you would a LiveCD, select USB boot from the PLoP menu, and choose the USB stick that you have saved the LXLE ISO to. It really is the best option, and it's what I'll be doing for that very small contingent of potential users who are affected in that manner. It really is the ONLY way to get LXLE goodness on a machine without DVD or USB boot capability. FWIW...
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I have LXLE 12.04.3 installed in a VM, for tinkering & experimentation. Like it enough to have it installed on a Toshiba Laptop, with no issues whatsoever. Brought new life to that hardware! I have also installed the recently available LXLE 12.04.4 in a VM, again for tinkering, etc...
Comment...12.04.4 is really maturing nicely and I'm very pleased with the app selections and weeding out the buggy apps, such as Sylpheed (I've never had such a hard time with an e-mail app before?!), etc... I also note the default theme is even better looking, IMO! And I note the boot splash lxle logo and menu icon has changed, which also fits the theme better. 12.04.3 was the default LXDE logo, and now it's the 3 grey dots icon...an improvement. Personally, I think the lxle splash logo would look great as the menu launcher icon, but I can't find that jpg/png anywhere on the system...where is it located?
Question...I keep 12.04.3 up-to-date, but why isn't that system updating itself to resemble 12.04.4? I'd like my 12.04.3 to update to the 12.04.4 appearance & app selection. Is this possible without reinstallation? Conversely, will 12.04.3 update to 14.04.1 when available? Or is LXLE like Mint, keeping the kernel constant? And is there an ETA for LXLE 14.04.1 yet? Sorry for all the questions, just really excited about LXLE and the path it's taking, and looking forward to what's coming next!!!
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Can you imagine if every time you got your system just like you like it, the update changes the look and adds programs. That would be beyond frustrating, LXLE updates the software/OS but doesn't update your desktop.
Desktop changes and additional software are per release only, and will probably stay that way forever.
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Thanks for the response lxle! Good to know and that makes sense! Another reason LXLE is "newbie friendly"; desktop stays "locked" unless you specifically want to change something. I'm starting to see the wisdom in the thought process of how you initially came up with LXLE as an out-of-the-box installation for friends/family that you support. Looks like I might have to dust off my tutorial for installing the /home directory on its own partition, so I can see what updated LXLE looks like without losing my data & preferences.
How about that LXLE splash screen logo that I can't seem to find? Where is that located? I'd like to point my menu launcher to that icon and see how it looks. Just curious...
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where on the lxle system? i've looked in /etc and /boot and /usr directories but can't seem to locate anything with that lxle logo. just seems like I'm overlooking it somehow.
NVM - FOUND IT in the /lib/plymouth directory. I'm off to customize...
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