From: frede@mouse-potato.com   
      
   Adman Online  writes:   
      
   > On 2 Apr 2024 12:42:07 GMT, Jeff Gaines wrote:   
   >   
   >> I am trying (again) to get myself going with Linux on a spare PC (Xeon   
   >> CPU) and have made good progress so far with Ubuntu-MATE.   
   >>   
   >> I discovered yesterday that no matter how hard you try a Blu Ray disc   
   >> won't play in a standard DVD player, that's an hour I won't get back.   
   >> Once I had realised what I was doing wrong I got it working fine even   
   >> using the terminal to install some libraries.   
   >>   
   >> I tried to install HandBrake but the web site was pretty sniffy and it   
   >> seems I need first to install flatpak (?) to install HandBrake, new to   
   >> me but I will give it a try.   
   >>   
   >> What has me stumped at the moment is I want to use the Linux machine   
   >> from a Windows laptop using RDP on the laptop and xrdp on the Linux box.   
   >> I made quite good progress to the extent I could connect (once I had   
   >> realised I had to log off the Linux box first) but there was no access   
   >> to the menu. It seems xrdp doesn't like 3D desktops. I have been going   
   >> in circles this morning installing xfce4 (which I think is 2D) but RDP   
   >> just keeps dropping out.   
   >>   
   >> I am taking a breather at the moment and wanted to ask if there is a   
   >> distro that comes with a 2D desktop as standard since it might be easier   
   >> to start from fresh?   
   >>   
   >> Good learning process, haven't used a terminal since DOS 6.2 :-)   
   >>   
   >> Many thanks.   
   >   
   > It's been a while since I've used it, but I think MATE desktop isn't 3D,   
   > though it does use Compiz. Really, though, for lightweight usage, I'd   
   > recommend anything you can install LXDE/LXQt/XFCE onto. MATE and Trinity   
   > (while I'm fairly certain they make little-to-no use of 3D) are a bit on   
   > the heavier-side for a lightweight usage scenario in my opinion, but those   
   > are just my suggestions.   
      
   After Ubuntu dropped Gnome2 as a desktop, I tried LXDE and XFCE. LXDE   
   did seem to use less resources, but it also had fewer features. XFCE was   
   perhaps a bit lighter than Gnome2, but I was never sure if it was a   
   really significant difference.   
      
   If you really want lightweight, you should probably avoid desktop   
   environments and just pick a window manager that you like.   
      
   I've been using MATE (which is basically a fork of Gnome2) for a number   
   of years on Linux Mint and I'm quite pleased with it. It does what I   
   need and doesn't get in my way.   
      
   LXDE and XFCE would be usable alternatives for me, but I'm good with   
   where I'm at and don't feel any need to move back to them from MATE.   
      
   What I usually recommend for new Linux users is that they pick a distro   
   and desktop environment that their friends use, or at least know people   
   that use. Having some sort of support system is IMO more important than   
   the specific software you start using.   
      
   As you get more experienced, you may want to re-evaluate things and make   
   other choices, but at least you'll be doing that with some knowledge and   
   experience, rather than just kind of picking some distro at random. :-)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)