On Fri, 2018-10-05 at 06:41 +0800, Ed Greshko wrote:
On 10/5/18 6:14 AM, Rick Stevens wrote:
> On 10/4/18 3:04 PM, Bob Goodwin wrote:
> > On 10/04/18 17:52, Patrick O'Callaghan wrote:
> > > A DM presents a graphical login screen, handles user logins, and allows
> > > you to select which DE you want to run at login time. Many people find
> > > that useful, but if you don't then that's up to you.
> > >
> > > poc
> >
> > .
> > A good explanation, I can't find that with Google. Maybe I don't know
> > how to ask? But I can go with yours, thank you.
>
> Yes, a display manager (DM) presents a GUI login screen (called a
> "greeter") and generally allows you to select which desktop environment
> (DE) you want to use (e.g. XFCE, Mint, KDE, Gnome, whatever). Since
> you're specifically starting XFCE via startxfce4, then a DM doesn't
> really buy you anything and isn't necessary.
>
> If, however, you do want the system to boot up to a GUI to allow someone
> to log in, you have to install one of the DMs, enable it, and have the
> system boot to the multi-user.target level to make that all work.
>
People with multiple Desktop Environments installed may find the ability to select the
one
they want easier
with a GUI login screen and not having to remember which version of "start" to
run.
Another feature of running a DM, which some folks find useful, is the ability to
"Switch
User". This can be
especially useful if more than one person uses the system. You need not logout the
first
user for the second
user to have a full GUI. Also, some screen locking systems support switch user. So, if
the screen is locked
you can switch user and not have to hunt down the user whose login has the screen locked.
Good point. I'd forgotten that it's the DM that handles this.
poc