archlinux - graphical user interface

The below configuration has a great performance; it's been running on an old laptop Intel Centrino 1.7Ghz with 1Gb RAM and 100Gb HDD


Display server: Xorg

# pacman -S xorg-server xorg-server-utils xorg-apps


Display drivers: intel

# pacman -S xf86-video-intel


Desktop environments: Xfce

# pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin


xinitrc: The ~/.xinitrc file is a shell script read by xinit and by its front-end startx. It is mainly used to execute desktop environments, window managers and other programs when starting the X server (e.g., starting daemons and setting environment variables). The xinit program starts the X Window System server and works as first client program on systems that are not using a display manager.

- first create a copy of the default xinitrc in home directory:

# cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc ~/.xinitrc

- Append desired commands and remove/comment the conflicting lines.

~/.xinitrc

...

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then

    for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do

        [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"

    done

    unset f

fi

# twm &

# xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &

# xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &

# xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &

# exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

## some applications that should be run in the background

xscreensaver &

xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr &

exec startxfce4

- when executing # startx the graphical user interface will be displayed, in this case Xfce

Desktop environments: GNOME

#  pacman -S gnome gnome-extra

- same as Xfce, first create a copy of the default xinitrc in home directory and append desired commands and remove/comment the conflicting lines.

exec gnome-session

Display manager: GDM

# pacman -S gdm
# systemctl enable gdm.service


Enable Network to be managed using GUI:

# pacman -S networkmanager network-manager-applet dhclient
# systemctl enable NetworkManager.service


References:
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/General_recommendations#Graphical_user_interface
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#Installation
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GNOME
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GDM
- https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NetworkManager#Enable_NetworkManager