We need more testers to the new incoming repo (how-to)

[zerozero]

hi elliotsagan,

i can understand that, really i can although i use gnome-shell for almost an year now and obviously i have no problems with it, i accept that others feel differently. all's good

but with UP4 you'll have as well cinnamon (lately i find myself using cinnamon almost all the time) and mate (can't say much about it because almost don't use it);
the first one pretends to give the user a gnome2-like experience but based upon gtk3 technologies, the second one is simply gnome2.3 forked

in the time we have until UP4 you might consider checking the sub-forums
MATE
Cinnamon

[elliotsagan]

Thank you very much for your kind and fast reply.
Indeed I also understand that some new step up like GTK3 will be interesting. But, tell me something: why to touch a superb GUI like LMDE. There is nothing wrong IMO with that DE at all.
I have also trying cinnamon. For my point of view I will not be force to lose my panel applets and basic menu customization like do a personal Favorites list of apps in a simple, fast manner.
Do you know why? I am focus on the OS and the enormous possibilities that Linux Mint Debian offers.... a candy eye desktop hardly customizable is not part of my universe. Not at all. What for? A big part of those looking for those candy eye DE have basic dificulties like for example configure NFS sharings correctly.... and never open a terminal.... That's not my personal case.. not really. A GUI eases the way but cannot be the primer goal... at least IMO. That's it
I was also looking for the last Debian sid supporting Gnome 232 but no way.... Installed PCBSD and FreeBSD also using SL 6
Regards

[dbkblk]

why to touch a superb GUI like LMDE.

I like Gnome 3 with his shell because it is more than a desktop, it is an experience !
However, sometime i want to use my old gnome 2.32 desktop. I have good news for you, mate is useless, because XFCE 4.8 (and soon 4.10) is REALLY as perfect as Gnome 2.32. You can install some applets to recreate the same desktop (shortcuts, weather), the control center is pretty much complete, you can have the debian update-manager and use the integrated compositor (or compiz, if you want more eye candy).
You can also use the gnome 3 progs like cheese, brasero, system tools, etc...

All you need actually, is to use a theme compatible with gtk2 and gtk3 and you'll have your old gnome desktop

[elliotsagan]

why to touch a superb GUI like LMDE.

I like Gnome 3 with his shell because it is more than a desktop, it is an experience !
However, sometime i want to use my old gnome 2.32 desktop. I have good news for you, mate is useless, because XFCE 4.8 (and soon 4.10) is REALLY as perfect as Gnome 2.32. You can install some applets to recreate the same desktop (shortcuts, weather), the control center is pretty much complete, you can have the debian update-manager and use the integrated compositor (or compiz, if you want more eye candy).
You can also use the gnome 3 progs like cheese, brasero, system tools, etc...

All you need actually, is to use a theme compatible with gtk2 and gtk3 and you'll have your old gnome desktop

Hi mate!
Thank you for your tips. I was trying XFCE 4.8 also. But though I've found it a little "rude" was better yet than Gnome hell. Editing the main menu was not hard at all.
Please, let me know how do I use a compatible theme with gtk2 and gtk3. Are you talking that after applying UP4?

[BostonPeng]

@elliotsagan:
I have to agree with you on not wanting the touchscreen, etc. I have installed KDE on my laptop and might care less about the Cinnamon, MATE, etc., but I'll probably take UP4 when it comes down the pike just to make sure I get other fixes that are included. Hopefully I can jettison the GNOME-specific packages once they're installed since they'd just take up space on my hard drive. I have enough music and videos that I try to keep room for media I want to save rather than unwanted packages.

Of course YMMV.

[dbkblk]

Hi mate!
Thank you for your tips. I was trying XFCE 4.8 also. But though I've found it a little "rude" was better yet than Gnome hell. Editing the main menu was not hard at all.
Please, let me know how do I use a compatible theme with gtk2 and gtk3. Are you talking that after applying UP4?

Because new gtk3 apps are coming to the repo, they won't use the theme you are using if it isn't compatible with gtk3. I think the default mint theme is compatible, but you can use others like this really good one: http://lassekongo83.deviantart.com/art/ ... -203936861
Just extract the folder and move it to /usr/share/themes/, install the unico engines (in the repositories), and it will skin automatically gtk2 and gtk3 apps.

I don't use LMDE but Debian Wheezy (and Squeeze on another PC). Debian is easy to setup the way you like and really stable (except maybe unstable, which is more stable than Ubuntu, anyways). If UP3 contains XFCE 4.6, then you have to manually edit the menus, but if it's XFCE 4.8, you can grab alacarte with only the essential dependencies (to avoid installing the entire gnome) with this command: "apt-get install --no-install-recommends alacarte gnome-panel).
PS: You can also configure apt to always don't install recommended dependencies and only the essential.

[elliotsagan]

Hi mate!
Thank you for your tips. I was trying XFCE 4.8 also. But though I've found it a little "rude" was better yet than Gnome hell. Editing the main menu was not hard at all.
Please, let me know how do I use a compatible theme with gtk2 and gtk3. Are you talking that after applying UP4?

Because new gtk3 apps are coming to the repo, they won't use the theme you are using if it isn't compatible with gtk3. I think the default mint theme is compatible, but you can use others like this really good one: http://lassekongo83.deviantart.com/art/ ... -203936861
Just extract the folder and move it to /usr/share/themes/, install the unico engines (in the repositories), and it will skin automatically gtk2 and gtk3 apps.

I don't use LMDE but Debian Wheezy (and Squeeze on another PC). Debian is easy to setup the way you like and really stable (except maybe unstable, which is more stable than Ubuntu, anyways). If UP3 contains XFCE 4.6, then you have to manually edit the menus, but if it's XFCE 4.8, you can grab alacarte with only the essential dependencies (to avoid installing the entire gnome) with this command: "apt-get install --no-install-recommends alacarte gnome-panel).
PS: You can also configure apt to always don't install recommended dependencies and only the essential.

Do you know something? I have just downloaded debian testing this afternoon. And today I've update LMDE (on an USB HD) pointing to Debian testing repos.... uuuhhhh. Gnome hell does not start.. cinnamon neither..... But I was successful in getting XFCE 4.8 up and running pretty good with Mint-X-Metal theme. My desktop looks nice.... like it was on LDME as you tell me. No hassles. Also I used to be and old fedora user and have "experienced" Gnome hell on F15 and F16.... it was enough .. at least for me.
Unfortunately, I have some lost soldiers in my war: my loved netspeed applet. If you know some way I can get it back on my XFCE panel.... please let me know.
Thank you very much for your kind help. You have a very nice linux user attitude.

[dbkblk]

I'm glad to help you !
I don't know about the netspeed applet, i've never heard about it. You make check on synaptic by typing "xfce4" and look at the plugins (or install xfce4-goodies, which drain more packages).
If Gnome-shell doesn't load, it maybe that your graphic card drivers aren't installed !

Next things you need to learn to be a good debian user: Pinning (apt preferences), Debian release cycle and importants packages on the system. Then you'll know everything essential !
It will took some hours but it will save you a lot of headhache ^^

[elliotsagan]

I'm glad to help you !
I don't know about the netspeed applet, i've never heard about it. You make check on synaptic by typing "xfce4" and look at the plugins (or install xfce4-goodies, which drain more packages).
If Gnome-shell doesn't load, it maybe that your graphic card drivers aren't installed !

Next things you need to learn to be a good debian user: Pinning (apt preferences), Debian release cycle and importants packages on the system. Then you'll know everything essential !
It will took some hours but it will save you a lot of headhache ^^

Gnome TNW news:
Today morning my cinnamon is up and running nicely. I was able to find and successful install a netspeed cinnamon applet.
IMO Linux is a real wonderful world as our sachmo would sing. A place to embrace diversity, to admit other opinions.... to grow up, an endless learning world.
Keep going. I will search for Pinning and the apt world soon.
PS: it was a xorg.conf trouble stopping Gnome hell and Cinnamon.

[System92]

Hi!

This is my first post here after spending a good part of the day on these forums getting setup with my brand new Linux Mint LMDE Just wanted to drop by and thank zerozero for explaining how to get connected with the incoming repositories on the first post. I'm eager to give some feedback and I hope to be of some use

Hoping to see all of you some more on these parts of the boards!
System92

[abtygwyn]

Hi

You may delete this post after reading to save cluttering up the system.

I'm happy to be a 'guinea pig' and have just re-configured the update manager BUT before doing so I need to be sure just how much experience I need to sort any potential problems out. I've been using LMDE for a year now, but I'm still very green and I don't want to end up having to ask silly questions, which will take unnecessary amounts of your time. So if doing the testing is likely to be counter productive then please let me know and I'll re-set the update manager to normal. Otherwise, I'm quite happy to proceed in my ignorance of the potential doom that is mine!!

Andrew

[zerozero]

Hi!
[...] I'm eager to give some feedback and I hope to be of some use
Hoping to see all of you some more on these parts of the boards!
System92

hi System92 all the "help" is welcome

Hi
So if doing the testing is likely to be counter productive then please let me know and I'll re-set the update manager to normal. Otherwise, I'm quite happy to proceed in my ignorance of the potential doom that is mine!!

Andrew

no way we need all the feedback (from gurus to newbies)

welcome both to "guinea pig-mode"

[abtygwyn]

Hi!
[...] I'm eager to give some feedback and I hope to be of some use
Hoping to see all of you some more on these parts of the boards!
System92

hi System92 all the "help" is welcome

Hi
So if doing the testing is likely to be counter productive then please let me know and I'll re-set the update manager to normal. Otherwise, I'm quite happy to proceed in my ignorance of the potential doom that is mine!!

Andrew

no way we need all the feedback (from gurus to newbies)

welcome both to "guinea pig-mode"

with the benefit of ignorance and lack of hindsight ... I shall commit ... but only when I'm in town where the broadband is somewhat faster. I note the 1GB download anticipated which would stretch my .35MB connection somewhat

[abtygwyn]

Don't laugh.

How do you actually turn the system off!

I've found suspend and log out, switch accounts etc. ... but no quit and turn off. I appreciate that mint does need to be rebooted as such very often but I do tend to turn my laptop off at the end of the day

Andrew

PS Have found one on the suspend page. Is there a more direct link which I'm missing?

[zerozero]

Andrew, don't worry, gnome-shell can be a bit strange in the beginning
you can try this viewtopic.php?f=199&t=98944#p563540
or if you want a more familiar look

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apt install cinnamon

logout and choose cinnamon as your DE, you probably are going to like it.

[abtygwyn]

Hi

After making some changes a few weeks ago I decided to go back to testing (not sure why, I haven't much of a clue what I'm doing really!) Followed instructions and changed sources and updated the system and got this message.

Is this a problem?
If so, what do I do about it.

Reading package lists... Done
W: GPG error: http://debian.linuxmint.com testing Release: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 07DC563D1F41B907
Reading package lists... Done

If it's not a problem, do I just leave things as they are?

Cheers

Andrew

[zerozero]

you're missing the debian-multimedia keyring.
now, to be completely sure of what we have and what we need please share these outputs

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inxi -Sr

and

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dpkg --get-selections | grep keyring

[BostonPeng]

I feel silly having to ask this at this point in time, but is this repo the testing or is that something else? It's been so long since I tweaked my laptop to use testing (or sid for that matter, if it's different) I can't remember which set of instructions to use.

[zerozero]

hey BP, no worries

- incoming is the repo that prepares and tests the UP before they are released to latest.
- it's dormant for the most part of the time (and during that time is an exact copy of latest);
- then 1-2 weeks before a new UP it wakes-up full of fresh new updates, we test them and eventually they will become the next stable UP.
- then incoming goes to sleep again until next rush hour.
pretty boring life

testing is

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## testing ##
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import backport romeo
# deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free
# deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main contrib non-free
# deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org testing main non-free


[BostonPeng]

Ah, ok. I think testing is the one I was thinking of, especially with the deb-multimedia.org repo. It's either that or sid with a side order of a specifically KDE repo. (I need some KDE packages I had before but can't find now.) I think. My old lappy was set for so long and now I'm ending up with 404 errors trying to remember what it was I had done.