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On 04/12/2017 08:43 PM, Carl Hartung wrote:
You may already be aware of the 'GeckoLinux' projects available here:
Yes, fully aware.
You may also be aware of Portal:Cinnamon:
No, was not. Have not even looked in Cinnamon to date. I switched to Xfce for the same or similar reasons you left the KDE product.
Over the weekend, I followed the detailed 'zypper' installation instructions on the Portal:Cinnamon page. Cinnamon on Leap 42.2 is running beautifully on my new laptop. Moreover -- after just a few extra hours spent fine-tuning a few things -- I have successfully and completely (100%) replicated the entire functionality of my now retired "production grade, highly tailored" 13.2 KDE4 laptop.
Now, that *does* interest me. I will have to test drive Cinnamon in some near experimental session. Thanks for that.
Although I'm ecstatic, I'm also a little bit concerned. Does anyone know what the future holds for Portal:Cinnamon? I've e-mailed the apparent maintainer and not heard back (yet.)
Well, I know nothing about it, but if there is enough support, perhaps we could team together some long-term maintainers or -- if that maintainer is continuing the project -- maybe to help the maintainer.
Alternatively, does anyone have any experience or thoughts to share regarding the GeckoLinux option ... the Cinnamon 'flavors' in particular?
Yes. My personal thoughts on GeckoLinux are this: They make great Live disks for testing or to carry around with you for working externally on other PCs. Can be used for some rescue operations. I have used some of them to get a (sort of) feel for unfamiliar desktops. That is how I first "felt out" Xfce before deciding to go that route. However, the GeckoLinux Dev has done some major customizing on the desktops and install, and I felt that some of the customizing options were removed (I may be wrong, but that was my sense) or hidden, so I could not set things up the way *I* wanted them. Basically, I felt the Dev took the approach of "This is how I like it, it is nifty this way and I love it. Therefore, I think this is how you want it, as well and will love it just the way I do." Not so, of course. The various options are there because we each have our own personal preferences. Well-intentioned, I suspect, but nonetheless not the correct way to do things, IMHO. The other problem I have, which is shared among many other long-term openSUSE gurus, is that the GeckoLinux Dev is taking great pains to hide his/her identity, refusing to respond even to requests about this decision. I believe that you should stick with distros from people who are willing to be identified and open with their projects, which is one of the main requirements for the openSUSE Devs. So -- Use GeckoLinux to test and see if you like a particular Desktop environment. But, then, install openSUSE itself and set that Desktop up on it. Much more support, much more openness, and so forth. Good luck. -- -Gerry Makaro aka Fraser_Bell on the forums, IRC, and mail at openSUSE.org -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org