Using 2 desktop environments side by side

X

Xeonon

Hello, I am very new to FreeBSD, and Unix in general. That said I have managed to install FreeBSD, configure my wireless internet, and install KDE4, as well as set up a graphical log-in screen via KDM before hitting a road block. I have searched some but remain uninformed.

My question: Can I install Xfce and have the option to choose between it and KDE at log in?

Will I still be able to use KDM for graphical log in, and possibly even for choosing which desktop environment I load?

I have read that KDE4 is kind of bloated and after looking at some Xfce screen shots I like its look, and would like to try it.
 
My question: Can I install Xfce and have the option to choose between it and KDE at log in?
Click to expand...
Yes
Will I still be able to use KDM for graphical log in, and possibly even for choosing which desktop environment I load?
Click to expand...
Yes
My opinion is to install only one desktop environment. Not two. Menu will be a mess. And a lot of things. This is not about FreeBSD. Is the same on Linux. Still you can do it but you must configure both of them, setting up also KDE4'S things on xfce4 and xfce4's things on KDE4 like programs, tools, menus etc. I use xfce4 and is that I really need :D
 
Thank you for the quick reply. Yes, after I finished installing KDE4 and played around with it for a little while I found myself wishing that I had installed Xfce.

Would it be better to start over with a fresh install and just go with Xfce from the start, rather than to remove KDE4 and install Xfce?

I see that this would most likely be the same in both Linux and FreeBSD but I am relatively new to both. I switched from Windows to Linux about a month or so ago.
 
Code: 
cd /var/db/pkg
rm -rf *
cd /usr/local
rm -rf *
cd /usr/ports
rm -rf distfiles
With this just you removed all packages from your system :D
Start installing xfce4 :D No need to make again clean install of FreeBSD. This is a little dirty way to remove everything but do the job just fine :D
 
Awesome thank you again. I will remember this when I am enjoying the speed and general no bs arrangement of Xfce.
 
sk8harddiefast said:
Code: 
cd /var/db/pkg
rm -rf *
cd /usr/local
rm -rf *
cd /usr/ports
rm -rf distfiles
With this just you removed all packages from your system :D
Click to expand...

Well, yes. But back up first, because all of your customized config files in /usr/local/etc will be gone.

Also, * as an unqualified path to rm(1) is very dangerous. The first time you forget what directory you're in will not be pleasant. Give it a path to limit the scope of what is deleted:
Code: 
rm -rf /var/db/pkg/*
rm -rf /usr/local/*

As far as the original question, yes, it's certainly possible to have multiple window manager or desktop environments installed, and a login manager that selects between them. I've seen that done but never bothered doing it myself.
 
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