Trying out Lubuntu 10.04

Yep... well a few things first, the Kuki (sickboy?) kernel doesn't work with it. Rather than tweak it until it did I just decided to try it out with the kernel it came with.

It's fast. Very. BUT

Even though I set it to log in automatically, it still asks for my username/password at the opening to the session
I can't find where to set keyboard shortcuts

These are the only two issues I've had with it so far, and they seem easily solvable.
I'm doing an upgrade right now before editing grub and adding the specific Acer tweaks for the SSD, etc...


EDIT: Well it's very nice! It's not about eyecandy, it's about speed and light RAM use and it's very light indeed. Loving it. I figured out why I can't have autologin: I have several desktop environments available: :Lubuntu, pure Openbox, Lubuntu netbook.

 

Hi Pierre,

I had to edit 2 files in "/etc/lxdm".

I edited both "/etc/lxdm/default.conf" and "/etc/lxdm/lxdm.conf" to uncoment:

autologin=bruno
session=/usr/bin/startlubuntu


and comment:

#greeter=/usr/lib/lxdm/lxdm-greeter-gtk

Were I have "autologin=bruno" , you have to change "bruno" to your own account name. Now you should have an autologin system.


I still didn't saw how to get keyboard shortcuts, but I'm waiting for final release before really starting to tweak because some of this features may be implemented by default..

 

Thanks! That worked just fine.
Boot is QUICK. Quickest out of all the distros I tried so far. I just timed 32secs if I manually select Lubuntu from Grub2 and until the keyring manager asks for the password. If I had it ignore Grub2 (I also use Crunchbang) and the keyring manager it'd probably be slightly under 30 seconds till I'm connected to the net.

 

I completely switched over to Lubuntu and I'm really happy with it. It's fast and responsive! I applied some of the standard Ubuntu tweaks to optimize it:
- Card readers pciehp
- card readers unmount for suspend
- Acerhdf

The only thing that is anoying , I can't get the Audio Multimedia Keys to work. The file

Code:

~/.config/openbox/lubuntu-rc.xml

has them configured and I also tried modifications as found on
http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/configuring_keybindings
but I wasn't succesful. Any other ideas?

 

I have not found a solution for the activation of the Audio keys but I have found a workaround. I was wondering if Linux Mint LXDE has support for these, tried the live cd and yep, it works. So I copied the lxde-rc.xml file from ~/.config/openbox directory of the live cd, renamed it as lubuntu-rc.xml and placed it in the same directory in my Lubuntu installation. After restart of the window manager the multimedia keys where working.
I tried to copy the same keybind section into my original lubuntu-rc.xml but it's not working :-( So. there must be also other elements in that config file that trigger these key events.
I haven't tested all functionality but I will continue with the config file from LinuxMint. Here's a copy of it. Just create a new file lubuntu-rc.xml and place it in ~/.config/openbox.

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- Do not edit this file, it will be overwritten on install.
        Copy the file to $HOME/.config/openbox/ instead. -->
<openbox_config xmlns="http://openbox.org/3.4/rc">
  <resistance>
    <strength>10</strength>
    <screen_edge_strength>20</screen_edge_strength>
  </resistance>
  <focus>
    <focusNew>yes</focusNew>
    <!-- always try to focus new windows when they appear. other rules do
       apply -->
    <followMouse>no</followMouse>
    
    <focusLast>yes</focusLast>
    <!-- focus the last used window when changing desktops, instead of the one
       under the mouse pointer. when followMouse is enabled -->
    <underMouse>no</underMouse>
    
    <focusDelay>200</focusDelay>
    <!-- when followMouse is enabled, the mouse must be inside the window for
       this many milliseconds (1000 = 1 sec) before moving focus to it -->
    <raiseOnFocus>no</raiseOnFocus>
    <!-- when followMouse is enabled, and a window is given focus by moving the
       mouse into it, also raise the window -->
  </focus>
  <placement>
    <policy>Smart</policy>
    
    <center>yes</center>
    <!-- whether to place windows in the center of the free area found or
       the top left corner -->
    <monitor>Any</monitor>
    <!-- with Smart placement on a multi-monitor system, try to place new windows
       on: 'Any' - any monitor, 'Mouse' - where the mouse is, 'Active' - where
       the active window is -->
  </placement>
  <theme>
    <name>oxygenminimalist</name>
    <titleLayout>NLIMC</titleLayout>
    <!--
      available characters are NDSLIMC, each can occur at most once.
      N: window icon
      L: window label (AKA title).
      I: iconify
      M: maximize
      C: close
      S: shade (roll up/down)
      D: omnipresent (on all desktops).
  -->
    <keepBorder>yes</keepBorder>
    <animateIconify>yes</animateIconify>
    <font place="ActiveWindow">
      <name>sans</name>
      <size>10</size>
      
      <weight>bold</weight>
      
      <slant>normal</slant>
      
    </font>
    <font place="InactiveWindow">
      <name>sans</name>
      <size>10</size>
      
      <weight>bold</weight>
      
      <slant>normal</slant>
      
    </font>
    <font place="MenuHeader">
      <name>sans</name>
      <size>10</size>
      
      <weight>normal</weight>
      
      <slant>normal</slant>
      
    </font>
    <font place="MenuItem">
      <name>sans</name>
      <size>10</size>
      
      <weight>normal</weight>
      
      <slant>normal</slant>
      
    </font>
    <font place="OnScreenDisplay">
      <name>sans</name>
      <size>10</size>
      
      <weight>bold</weight>
      
      <slant>normal</slant>
      
    </font>
  </theme>
  <desktops>
    <!-- this stuff is only used at startup, pagers allow you to change them
       during a session

       these are default values to use when other ones are not already set
       by other applications, or saved in your session

       use obconf if you want to change these without having to log out
       and back in -->
    <number>2</number>
    <firstdesk>1</firstdesk>
    <names>
      <!-- set names up here if you want to, like this:
    <name>desktop 1</name>
    <name>desktop 2</name>
    -->
    </names>
    <popupTime>875</popupTime>
    <!-- The number of milliseconds to show the popup for when switching
       desktops.  Set this to 0 to disable the popup. -->
  </desktops>
  <resize>
    <drawContents>yes</drawContents>
    <popupShow>Nonpixel</popupShow>
    
    <popupPosition>Center</popupPosition>
    
    <popupFixedPosition>
      
      <x>10</x>
      <!-- positive number for distance from left edge, negative number for
         distance from right edge, or 'Center' -->
      <y>10</y>
      <!-- positive number for distance from top edge, negative number for
         distance from bottom edge, or 'Center' -->
    </popupFixedPosition>
  </resize>
  <!-- You can reserve a portion of your screen where windows will not cover when
     they are maximized, or when they are initially placed.
     Many programs reserve space automatically, but you can use this in other
     cases. -->
  <margins>
    <top>0</top>
    <bottom>0</bottom>
    <left>0</left>
    <right>0</right>
  </margins>
  <dock>
    <position>TopLeft</position>
    
    <floatingX>0</floatingX>
    <floatingY>0</floatingY>
    <noStrut>no</noStrut>
    <stacking>Above</stacking>
    
    <direction>Vertical</direction>
    
    <autoHide>no</autoHide>
    <hideDelay>300</hideDelay>
    
    <showDelay>300</showDelay>
    
    <moveButton>Middle</moveButton>
    
  </dock>
  <keyboard><chainQuitKey>C-g</chainQuitKey><keybind key="C-A-Left"><action name="DesktopLeft"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="C-A-Right"><action name="DesktopRight"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="C-A-Up"><action name="DesktopUp"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="C-A-Down"><action name="DesktopDown"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="S-A-Left"><action name="SendToDesktopLeft"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="S-A-Right"><action name="SendToDesktopRight"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="S-A-Up"><action name="SendToDesktopUp"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="S-A-Down"><action name="SendToDesktopDown"><dialog>no</dialog><wrap>no</wrap></action></keybind><keybind key="W-F1"><action name="Desktop"><desktop>1</desktop></action></keybind><keybind key="W-F2"><action name="Desktop"><desktop>2</desktop></action></keybind><keybind key="W-F3"><action name="Desktop"><desktop>3</desktop></action></keybind><keybind key="W-F4"><action name="Desktop"><desktop>4</desktop></action></keybind><keybind key="W-d"><action name="ToggleShowDesktop"/></keybind><keybind key="C-A-d"><action name="ToggleShowDesktop"/></keybind><keybind key="A-F4"><action name="Close"/></keybind><keybind key="A-Escape"><action name="Lower"/><action name="FocusToBottom"/><action name="Unfocus"/></keybind><keybind key="A-space"><action name="ShowMenu"><menu>client-menu</menu></action></keybind><keybind key="A-Tab"><action name="NextWindow"/></keybind><keybind key="A-S-Tab"><action name="PreviousWindow"/></keybind><keybind key="C-A-Tab"><action name="NextWindow"><panels>yes</panels><desktop>yes</desktop></action></keybind><keybind key="W-e"><action name="Execute"><startupnotify><enabled>true</enabled><name>PCManFM</name></startupnotify><command>pcmanfm</command></action></keybind><keybind key="W-r"><action name="Execute"><command>lxpanelctl run</command></action></keybind><keybind key="A-F2"><action name="Execute"><command>lxpanelctl run</command></action></keybind><keybind key="C-Escape"><action name="Execute"><command>lxpanelctl menu</command></action></keybind><keybind key="F11"><action name="ToggleFullscreen"/></keybind><keybind key="A-C-Delete"><action name="Execute"><command>lxtask</command></action></keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioRaiseVolume">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>amixer -q sset Master 3%+</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioLowerVolume">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>amixer -q sset Master 3%-</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioMute">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>amixer -q sset Master toggle</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86WWW">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>firefox</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86Mail">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>thunderbird</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioPlay">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>exaile -a</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioStop">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>exaile -s</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioPrev">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>exaile -p</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86AudioStop">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>exaile -n</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86Calculator">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>gcalctool</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86MyComputer">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>pcmanfm</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

  <keybind key="XF86Terminal">
      <action name="Execute">
          <command>lxterminal</command>
      </action>
  </keybind>

</keyboard>
  <mouse>
    <dragThreshold>8</dragThreshold>
    
    <doubleClickTime>200</doubleClickTime>
    
    <screenEdgeWarpTime>400</screenEdgeWarpTime>
    <!-- Time before changing desktops when the pointer touches the edge of the
       screen while moving a window, in milliseconds (1000 = 1 second).
       Set this to 0 to disable warping -->
    <context name="Frame">
      <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Click">
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Move"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Right" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="Lower"/>
        <action name="FocusToBottom"/>
        <action name="Unfocus"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="C-A-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="C-A-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-S-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="SendToDesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-S-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="SendToDesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Titlebar">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Move"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="DoubleClick">
        <action name="ToggleMaximizeFull"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="Lower"/>
        <action name="FocusToBottom"/>
        <action name="Unfocus"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Up" action="Click">
        <action name="Shade"/>
        <action name="FocusToBottom"/>
        <action name="Unfocus"/>
        <action name="Lower"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Down" action="Click">
        <action name="Unshade"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>client-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Top">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize">
          <edge>top</edge>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Left">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize">
          <edge>left</edge>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Right">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize">
          <edge>right</edge>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Bottom">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize">
          <edge>bottom</edge>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="Lower"/>
        <action name="FocusToBottom"/>
        <action name="Unfocus"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>client-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="BLCorner">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="BRCorner">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="TLCorner">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="TRCorner">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Drag">
        <action name="Resize"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Client">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Icon">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>client-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>client-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="AllDesktops">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
        <action name="ToggleOmnipresent"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Shade">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
        <action name="ToggleShade"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Iconify">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
        <action name="Iconify"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Maximize">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
        <action name="ToggleMaximizeFull"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Click">
        <action name="ToggleMaximizeVert"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Click">
        <action name="ToggleMaximizeHorz"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Close">
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
        <action name="Unshade"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Click">
        <action name="Close"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Desktop">
      <mousebind button="Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="C-A-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="C-A-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Left" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="Focus"/>
        <action name="Raise"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="Root">
      
      <mousebind button="Middle" action="Press">
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>client-list-combined-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Right" action="Press">
        <action name="ShowMenu">
          <menu>root-menu</menu>
        </action>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
    <context name="MoveResize">
      <mousebind button="Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Up" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopPrevious"/>
      </mousebind>
      <mousebind button="A-Down" action="Click">
        <action name="DesktopNext"/>
      </mousebind>
    </context>
  </mouse>
  <menu>
    <!-- You can specify more than one menu file in here and they are all loaded,
       just don't make menu ids clash or, well, it'll be kind of pointless -->
    
    <file>/usr/share/lxde/openbox/menu.xml</file>
    <hideDelay>200</hideDelay>
    <!-- if a press-release lasts longer than this setting (in milliseconds), the
       menu is hidden again -->
    <middle>no</middle>
    
    <submenuShowDelay>100</submenuShowDelay>
    <!-- this one is easy, time to delay before showing a submenu after hovering
       over the parent entry -->
    <applicationIcons>yes</applicationIcons>
    
    <manageDesktops>yes</manageDesktops>
    
  </menu>
  <applications>
    <!--
  # this is an example with comments through out. use these to make your
  # own rules, but without the comments of course.

  <application name="first element of window's WM_CLASS property (see xprop)"
              class="second element of window's WM_CLASS property (see xprop)"
               role="the window's WM_WINDOW_ROLE property (see xprop)">
  # the name or the class can be set, or both. this is used to match
  # windows when they appear. role can optionally be set as well, to
  # further restrict your matches.

  # the name, class, and role use simple wildcard matching such as those
  # used by a shell. you can use * to match any characters and ? to match
  # any single character.

  # when multiple rules match a window, they will all be applied, in the
  # order that they appear in this list


    # each element can be left out or set to 'default' to specify to not
    # change that attribute of the window

    <decor>yes</decor>
    # enable or disable window decorations

    <shade>no</shade>
    # make the window shaded when it appears, or not

    <position>
      # the position is only used if both an x and y coordinate are provided
      # (and not set to 'default')
      <x>center</x>
      # a number like 50, or 'center' to center on screen. use a negative number
      # to start from the right (or bottom for <y>), ie -50 is 50 pixels from the
      # right edge (or bottom).
      <y>200</y>
      <monitor>1</monitor>
      # specifies the monitor in a xinerama setup.
      # 1 is the first head, or 'mouse' for wherever the mouse is
    </position>

    <focus>yes</focus>
    # if the window should try be given focus when it appears. if this is set
    # to yes it doesn't guarantee the window will be given focus. some
    # restrictions may apply, but Openbox will try to

    <desktop>1</desktop>
    # 1 is the first desktop, 'all' for all desktops

    <layer>normal</layer>
    # 'above', 'normal', or 'below'

    <iconic>no</iconic>
    # make the window iconified when it appears, or not

    <skip_pager>no</skip_pager>
    # asks to not be shown in pagers

    <skip_taskbar>no</skip_taskbar>
    # asks to not be shown in taskbars. window cycling actions will also
    # skip past such windows

    <fullscreen>yes</fullscreen>
    # make the window in fullscreen mode when it appears

    <maximized>true</maximized>
    # 'Horizontal', 'Vertical' or boolean (yes/no)
  </application>

  # end of the example
-->
  </applications>
</openbox_config>

 

I haven't tried Lubuntu 10.04 but did install lxde on my kubuntu. I had a look at the Lubuntu site and it looks like they are using gdm and nm applet and synaptic. This was the problem with xubuntu. Xfce is a nice lightweight desktop but they added so much gnome and general ubuntu stuff on top that it was no lighter than running normal gnome ubuntu. It will be interesting to see whether Lubuntu manages to stay light or will be like xubuntu and just be ubuntu with a different desktop.

There is also the problem of what applications you run. I found that as soon as you install many full gnome or kde apps then they pull in so many of the dependencies.