Install a desktop on NethServer?

Feature
1

My wishes list - follow-up

Is it possible that during Installation process of NethServer x.x (ISO), to have the following options?

- minimal desktop (Firefox browser, File Manager, Terminal, Archiver, Document Viewer, Image Viewer, Text Editor, Screenshot, Screensaver, …); can be activated after login with startx command.

“Will you install minimal desktop? YES ; NO”

In any case, YES or NO, the option to be available in Software center -> Available, if we need anytime after installation.

- updates for CentOS - automatically
- updates for NethServer - automatically

Maybe many of you will consider these options as unimportant during the installation process. All of this can be made after, quite easy.

In past days, after many installations of NS from scratch, especially as VM, was very easy for me to make the first settings direct on NS machine after I have installed minimal desktop and Firefox from CLI ( Desktop GUI Installation ).
There are some settings that you can made only after you installed the updates.
I think is harder to make an “up to date” ISO than make the updates during installation process.
Why don’t we have a “ready to go” system just after installation?

What do you think @alefattorini, @davidep, @giacomo, @filippo_carletti, @stephdl, @zamboni (sorry in advance if I missed somebody from Dev Team) ?

And of course, what the Community thinks?

2

I think the installation must be simpler as possible.

Why ask for this feature at the installation time?

Perhaps, the better moment to ask for install could be at the fisrt start of Nethserver, in the wizard configuration tool.

3

During installation process you need an available internet connection. Why to not use this also for updates (Zentyal, Ubuntu do this, and I think other distros also).

Why did you think that the installation process will not be simple?

4

Because Zentyal, Ubuntu install a desktop by default.

Another interessant thing we can talk about is : What you can do with a small desktop you can’t do with the actual webgui?

5

no, nein, nix, niet, nada :wink:

“server” and “desktop” are two word that should never be in the same sentence (at least without a negation)

1 Like
6

As I said, you don’t need to connect from other PC. You can do anything from that machine where NS is installed. You need this many times.

7

Everybody has it’s own need :smiley:
As Nethserver is modular, and nothing is mandatory, it’s okay :wink:

1 Like
8

that’s just because how NS gui works… it is js dependant…
on SME (for example) you can just use elinks (a text browser) on localhost… it works perfectl, and it’s one of the things I miss… and one of the reasons why I keep installing SME :wink:

9

I respect your opinion, even I’m not agree.
I know there are pros and cons about it.

1 Like
10

I not said it is mandatory.
I have asked a question, as you otherwise, and I wanted to hear other opinions about it.

11

Personnaly, I think it’s a lot of waste ressources ( X11, display manager…).

I love Nethserver because there’s no desktop on it.

As I had already said: Nethserver is modular, and nothing is mandatory, if this feature is available, it’s okay

12

Please, if you don’t mind, can you tell me what means a lot of waste ressources?
I hear this explanation many times.
I am a noob on Linux.
Like you, I need to understand some things.
Also I understand that it is OK for desktops.
On desktops, usually, the desktop environment is fully loaded.
On servers, if you need, install only minimal desktop environment.
IMHO, a server, by definition and construction, has much more resources than a desktop: CPU, RAM, HDD, …

So, why is good for desktops and bad for servers? Only because is a legacy idea/theory?

How much resources “eat” minimal desktop to make a server unusable?
How much of RAM: 1GB of RAM, 2GB of RAM, 4GB of RAM?
How much of CPU: 10% of CPU, 20% of CPU, 50% of CPU?
How much of, lets say, a 250 GB HDD?

Thank you in advance!

13

Firefox can use easily 1G of ram, my gnome3 session is around 4G, ok linux use the full ram it gets in the hand.
A service with issues can turn without being well stopped…firefox is the winner for that :smile: and it can use 25% of processors

If you want a xorg on a server, lxde should be a good choice…but it serves no purpose…at least IMHO

14

My Fujitsu Lifebook T series, Intel Centrino 2

Processes.png1286×803 334 KB

Resources.png1280×803 270 KB

File Sysytems.png1325×820 306 KB

2 Likes
15

NethServer is a server distribution, and the desktop is not part of it.
But, if you want, you’re free to install it :smile:

The ISO is based on CentOS minimal and it will never support any kind of desktop installation.
Also, to install NethServer you do not require a Internet connection.

If anyone is interested, my suggestion is to create a SPIN of NethSever:

  • new ISO based on DVD of full CentOS
  • new kickstart with option to install the desktop part

I can even give some help on this, but it will not be part of the official release since is out of the scope of the project (at least for now) :smile:

1 Like
16

Hello everybody!

I respect all opinions expressed here, even though I do not agree with all and some do not fully understand.
Given that most comments (if not all) are against my ideas, from my point of view may I consider this post closed to comments?

Kind regards,
Gabriel

17

No :slight_smile: anyone is free to add his/her own opinion! You can also use this thread if you want to gather some resources to develop the spin :wink:

18

I know, but will be a waste of time! I’m against this!

Sincerely I wish to be able to do that but I’m just an user … :sob:

19

@giacomo is right, it could be a reference for a future development.

2 Likes
20

Like we were few years ago…a developer is just a guy who is developing things because he is fed up to wait from others

Ok I go out :slight_smile:

1 Like