Promoting LXDE

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smhardesty
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:41 pm

Promoting LXDE

Post by smhardesty »

While I'm logged in this evening, I thought I'd ask another question. I guess this is the best place for this. If not, feel free to move it wherever.

I know there are literally tens of thousands of Linux users worldwide that are searching for lightweight Linux distros both to revive older computers and also to create a lightning fast system on newer computers. Knowing that, I'm kind of surprised that there aren't more people seeking info/help on this forum. LXDE isn't a dead project as a few seem to believe, but interest seems to be less than I would expect.

So, my question is, what can I do to promote LXDE to others? I know the most common answers to that question like, mentioning it to friends, posting info on the various social websites, etc, etc. Is there something else I can do, or we all can do to promote this fantastic DM? The more I use LXDE/Openbox, the more I'm liking it. All 4 of my laptops are running like brand new machines. I have yet to experience a single problem. I keep finding more ways to do things by nosing around in different areas. My wife absolutely loves her laptop with the LXDE/Openbox combo. She has commented a couple of times now about how fast it is. If she notices it, it must be obvious. She is NOT a real savvy computer user.

So, tell me, guys. What can I/we do to spread LXDE to other Linux users?
drooly
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by drooly »

Good question.

LXDE is readily available as an option on many distros' installers, or at least in the repositories.
But ever since Lubuntu dropped LXDE in favour of LXQt people have been claiming that LXDE is "dead".

I guess what LXDE would really need are more distros dedicated to it.

OTOH, most people have hardware far more capable than what LXDE requires, and they want something that makes use of that.
Then again, Raspberry Pi users are well aware of LXDE because that's what RaspiOS uses.
smhardesty
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Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:41 pm

Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by smhardesty »

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OTOH, most people have hardware far more capable than what LXDE requires, and they want something that makes use of that.
I understand that. I don't necessarily agree with that train of thought, but I do understand it. To me, it only makes sense to attempt to minimize the resources used by the operating system so that a new, well equipped machine can perform to it's utmost. Having an operating system that uses as much as 15% to 20% of available resources just to present the desktop is a waste of good hardware, at least to me.

I'd really love to see Linux Mint sprout an LXDE community release. Either that, or I need to find another dedicated LXDE distro that will load and install on my laptops. Since I spent countless hours recently going through pretty much every available LXDE distro and never found one that would install correctly, I guess I'm temporarily stuck with doing the Mint XFCE to LXDE switch. It's working quite well for me and I haven't had a single glitch as of yet.

It's too bad more guys don't at least try an LXDE install to see what their machines are really capable of. I still suggest it to anybody I talk to that is looking for a different system for their machines. Just a couple of days ago I spent quite a while talking to someone that was looking for a good, used laptop at a low price. I tried to convince him to at least take a look at one of my laptops with LXDE/Openbox on it. He wouldn't even come by the house to look it over. Instead, he whipped out the old credit card and went DEEP into hock to buy a new Macbook. I don't know exactly what he spent, but I do know it was over $2500. I just don't understand why guys spend that kind of $$$ for a laptop when you can buy a 2 or 3 year old Lenovo laptop and install Linux on it for around $250. That's a tenth as much as a new Macbook and it would run faster than the Macbook. Go figure.

I guess I'll just keep telling people about Linux and LXDE and let the chips fall where they may. LOL!
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Rex Bouwense
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by Rex Bouwense »

I run a Linux User Group and we accept donated computers clean them up, install additional RAM, and then install a Linux OS on them in preparation of donating them to individuals who cannot afford to buy a new computer. Many are really amazed how fast and efficient a Linux OS is, but there is the Linux learning curve that they have to overcome. It is a very rewarding activity and of course we are also learning as we go.
Rex
drooly
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by drooly »

smhardesty wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 2:47 pmI spent countless hours recently going through pretty much every available LXDE distro and never found one that would install correctly
As I mentioned a few times, some distros offer LXDE as an installer option (e.g. Debian and, iirc, OpenSUSE) - have you tried that as well?
It's too bad more guys don't at least try an LXDE install to see what their machines are really capable of.
Most of these people would probably argue the opposite: LXDE doesn't make full use of everything my machine is capable of.
LXDE is lightweight, and sometimes that shows. This forum is full of people requesting (or complaining about the lack of) features that would make it less so.
I spent quite a while talking to someone that was looking for a good, used laptop at a low price. I tried to convince him to at least take a look at one of my laptops with LXDE/Openbox on it. He wouldn't even come by the house to look it over. Instead, he whipped out the old credit card and went DEEP into hock to buy a new Macbook. I don't know exactly what he spent, but I do know it was over $2500. I just don't understand why guys spend that kind of $$$ for a laptop when you can buy a 2 or 3 year old Lenovo* laptop and install Linux on it for around $250.
I agree. I suspect that for many people it's a status symbol like a big car, or shiny new clothes. That, and a strange reluctance to buy used.
Same with phones.
I don't understand.
I buy mine for a fraction of the original price, and sell them for half that when it's time to get a new one.
Since I got my new desktop 7 years ago (just the components; the case is almost twice that old) I spent - let me think - maybe €500 on electronics: 2 phones, 2 vintage phones, a laptop, a headless server, a mechanical keyboard, a gaming mouse and small bluetooth speakers.

* Not all Lenovo laptops are of the fabled thinkpad quality. A 2-3 yo thinkpad will cost you significantly more than $250. Incidentally I bought mine - 5-6 yo then - for about $250.
smhardesty
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:41 pm

Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by smhardesty »

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As I mentioned a few times, some distros offer LXDE as an installer option (e.g. Debian and, iirc, OpenSUSE) - have you tried that as well?
No, I haven't. I gave some thought to trying OpenSUSE and selecting to install LXDE, but I never did it. I suppose I really should try at least a couple of different distros that offer LXDE as an option. I might give that a whirl, using the extra laptop I have.
Most of these people would probably argue the opposite: LXDE doesn't make full use of everything my machine is capable of.
LXDE is lightweight, and sometimes that shows. This forum is full of people requesting (or complaining about the lack of) features that would make it less so.
I see that in a lot of distros and in browsers. What starts out to be a fast, sleek, resource conscience distro or browser ends up being bloatware because they just keep loading more and more onto them. I know I'm one of the weird ones, compared to that crowd that wants an operating system and apps that are huge and tax the machine, but I'd much rather have loads of resources NOT used just to do simple things like presenting the desktop and opening a browser or other app. Oftentimes I might have 15 or 20 open tabs in my browser, then might want to open Gimp and edit a couple of photos while the browser is still open. If 15% to 20% of available resources are used just to present the desktop, that's a whole lot of resources UNAVAILABLE to use for working in an app.
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drooly
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by drooly »

smhardesty wrote: Thu May 12, 2022 1:15 pmWhat starts out to be a fast, sleek, resource conscience distro or browser ends up being bloatware because they just keep loading more and more onto them. I know I'm one of the weird ones, compared to that crowd that wants an operating system and apps that are huge and tax the machine, but I'd much rather have loads of resources NOT used just to do simple things like presenting the desktop and opening a browser or other app. Oftentimes I might have 15 or 20 open tabs in my browser, then might want to open Gimp and edit a couple of photos while the browser is still open. If 15% to 20% of available resources are used just to present the desktop, that's a whole lot of resources UNAVAILABLE to use for working in an app.
Once again, this comes down to the type of hardware you use. Nothing weird about it.

The most bloated DEs out there might take ~500MB of memory. If that constitutes 15%-20% of your RAM, that means you have less than 3GB of it. Nowadays this isn't much.
People have 10 times that, and then why wouldn't they want all those shiny features? Security and maintainability don't figure into their choices, and the devs are struggling to keep up.
Hell, even LXDE has gotten more "bloated" in the past 10 years.
Rex Bouwense
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by Rex Bouwense »

With the increase in the availability of inexpensive RAM in today's world, there is very little reason not to increase the eye candy and most of the folks out there appear to want it so the developers give it to them. Back when 256 MB or 512 MB was alot of RAM, it made sense to look for ways to to be a lean, mean, fighting machine. Not today.
Rex
drooly
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by drooly »

^ To be fair, lightweight is still a thing, but the niche is nowadays taken up by XFCE/MATE and also LXQt, although I'd still file those DEs under "mid-weight".
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
smhardesty
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Re: Promoting LXDE

Post by smhardesty »

Rex Bouwense wrote: Wed May 11, 2022 9:26 pm I run a Linux User Group and we accept donated computers clean them up, install additional RAM, and then install a Linux OS on them in preparation of donating them to individuals who cannot afford to buy a new computer. Many are really amazed how fast and efficient a Linux OS is, but there is the Linux learning curve that they have to overcome. It is a very rewarding activity and of course we are also learning as we go.
I did a similar thing a few years back. I collected unwanted desktop PCs, cleaned them all up, loaded Linux, then donated them to a local Christian school. One thing I learned from that is that a kid in the 5th grade can learn Linux a whole lot faster than an adult. The kids picked it up almost immediately. I still have adults that can't make the switch from a Windows PC.
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