On Tue 27 Sep 2016 at 10:29:44 -0400, Greg Wooledge wrote: > On Tue, Sep 27, 2016 at 03:15:54PM +0100, Brian wrote: > > Ok, let's go along with ~/.xsessionrc being the simplest way for a user > > to configure his X session. I'll follow the advice on the wiki and have > > > > PATH=~/bin:$PATH > > xterm & > > iceweasel & > > exec fvwm > > No, this is not what I advised. You don't start a window manager from > this file.
You advised ~/.xsessionrc as the best user route to configuration. Starting a WM is a crucial part of configuration. > > Putting 'exec fvwm' in ~/.xsession is the solution, of course; it's your > > best friend, so may as well put everything else there. What price this > > upstart ~/.xsessionrc? Does it ever get anything right? The only thing > > it is good for is getting round restrictions set by the administrator. > > You are not a beginner. You're advanced. I was trying to put myself in the same position as one. The target audience matters. > A beginner would just install *one* window manager, and this > would be executed automatically by the Debian X session (via the > /usr/bin/x-window-manager symlink ultimately). (S)he would use > a ~/.xsessionrc file only to set the PATH variable, or JAVA_HOME, or > whatever the original question is. Most people (beginners or not) install GNOME, KDE etc and that's it. They see no need to go beyond that. Nothing wrong there. They are not your audience. > You don't need a ~/.xsession file until you get to the point where > you want to install multiple WMs at the same time and choose among > them. And even then, at that point, many beginners will still prefer > update-alternatives (as root) over editing a ~/.xsession file in their > own home directory. This may shock you, since you have a strong > Linux or Unix background, but I see it all the time. These are the > same people who think putting a colored PS1 prompt in /etc/bash.bashrc > is a Really Awesome Idea. We are talking about a wiki which concentrates on user configuration; what root can do is immaterial. You need a ~/.xsession file when you need a ~/.xsession file. Isn't it one purpose of the wiki to explain how it fits into the traditional X configuration and why one might be useful. Instead, we appear to have ~/.xsessionrc promoted as the One True Way; how did you come to that conclusion? -- Brian. Who is sometimes bemused but very rarely shocked.
