Re: newbie questions

[Richard Danter]

Hi Riccardo,

2009/4/22 Riccardo Mottola <multix@ngi.it>:
> Hi,
>
> Richard Danter wrote:
>>
>> I have tried installing GNUstep on both an Ubuntu Linux machine with a
>> GNOME desktop and on a NetBSD machine which is rather old (hardware, not
>> NetBSD version) and since it can't cope with either GNOME or KDE is
>> currently using good old Motif Window Manager.
>>
>
> Well, I run it on NetBSD too, it works fine. I run it so I do not need to
> run GNOME or KDE, idnependently if the machine is capable of "coping" with
> them or not. Why should I hog my machine?

:-)

>>
>>  1. Can GNUstep apps have a "native" look and feel?
>>
>
> No, but it can be color-schemed, themed and the menustyle bar can be
> changed. The free-floating icon can be disabled, but it is useful, if you
> use WIndowMaker as a windowmanager it will be recognized and "docked"
> properly.
>>
>> I have looked arounf the GWorkspace web site and Google has taken me to
>> many new web sites with tones of interesting information, but I can't
>> seem to find a simple step-by-step guide to getting a full GNUstep
>> desktop.
>>
>> On NetBSD right now I have XDM running so I have a lightweight graphical
>> login, then a .xsession file in my home area which simply runs an xterm
>> and mwm.
>>
>> I have tried simply replacing mwm with GWorkspace but it seems that it
>> is not a window manager (there is no border/title bar so I can't move or
>> size the windows. I also had a problem with it actually finding
>> GWorkspace executable since I don't think my .bashrc file is being
>> executed before .xsession and so the environment is not being set up. I
>> solved that by sourcing the GNUstep.sh script in /etc/profile but I am
>> not sure that is the correct solution.
>>
>> So what is the correct .xsession file supposed to look like? What win
>> manager should I run, or did I do something else wrong?
>>
>
> As you noticed, GWorkspace is not a windowmanager. GNUstep is capable of
> handling almost everything (it can even draw the window decorations by
> itself) but it neesd a window manager currently.
>
> I strongly suggest WindowMaker for its look but also for the good
> integration with, for example, the mini-windows. WindowMaker and GWorkspace
> have some functionality duplicated, like the dock. If you wish to use
> windowmaker's just disable gworkspace's.

Is there a doc somewhere that describes what the duplicate
functionalities are and what the optimum setup is? I guess some of it
is personal preference but it would be good to have a starting point
that is known to work.

>
> Let me clarify two points though:
> - you do not need strictly to run GWorkspace to run a gnustep application
> - you need a windowmanager, WindowMaker is a possible option
>
> in your session, you can en either start windowmaker and then exec
> GWorkspace or viceversa. The point in having gworkspace exec'd is that wen
> it terminates you get back to xdm. GWorkspace can control all open gnustep
> apps, so it will present you with a real "log off" option.
> The only drawback of this approach is that if something in gnustep crashes
> you exit your whole X session. If you do tests, run on unstable versions it
> might affect you sometimes.

Thanks, I have a couple more questions...

When starting GWorkspace I get the following messages pop up:

  "The mount points for removable media are not defined. Using default values."

How do I define these so I don't get this message? And...

  "No Finder modules! Quitting now."

I guess I missed one of the packages when I did my install, any idea
which or what else could cause this?

Thanks to you and all who have answered my dumb questions!
Rich


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