LXDE - Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment for Ubuntu
Posted by admin on June 29th, 2008 
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LXDE Features
- Lightweight, runs with reasonable memory usage
- Fast, rund well even on older machines produced in 1999
- Good-looking, gtk+ 2 internationalized user interface
- Easy-to-use, the user interface is simple, but usable enough
- Desktop independent (suprise! Every component can be used without LXDE)
- Standard compliant, follows the specs on freedesktop.org
- Suitable for old machines
Install lxde in Ubuntu
First you need to edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file add the following lines
For Hardy Users
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu hardy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu hardy main
For Gutsy Users
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu gutsy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu gutsy main
Save and exit the file.
update the source list using the following command
sudo aptitude update
Install lxde desktop environment using the following command
sudo aptitude install lxde
This will install all the required packages for lxde.
Now you need to logout from your system go to Options—>Select Session…
Now select LXDE option and click on Change Session
Next screen you can select if you want LXDE desktop environment as default or only for this session
After logging in you can see similar to the following beautiful desktop environment
LXDE Logout Screen
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June 29th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Where can I get a fresh install of Linux using LXDE. I have an older machine I’d like to install this on but would rather freshly install than run the bloated default version of Gnome used in Ubuntu.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:42 am
@Dfb:
LXDE can be installed on an Ubuntu base with ubuntulite: http://ubuntulite.tuxfamily.org/
PUD Linux is a LiveCD with Ubuntu/LXDE and Chinese enhancements: http://pud-linux.sourceforge.net/index.en.html
June 30th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
@Dfb@ - if you are using Dfb, then you are not using Gnome, so you will NOT have the bloat problems.
If it still feels bloated, it’s because the kernel — linux in general — is bloated. You’ll have to custom compile a kernel if you want more speed. Or you use a distro that’s designed to run off a usb stick and old machines (like mydsl and puppy linux) .
June 30th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu/dists/hardy/deb-src/binary-amd64/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu/dists/hardy/http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu/binary-amd64/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
July 1st, 2008 at 7:52 am
What about the most interesting queston for average user - will I be able to use automounting features e. g. simply insert my flash\dvd\whatever and get access to it without need to dive into mount/umount?
July 6th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
From a brilliantcomment on Slahdot:
“the cycle of lightweight software (Score:5, Insightful)
by speculatrix (678524) on Monday May 26, @05:10PM (#23548427)
yet another light-weight desktop. fluxbox, xfce, ratpoison, etc etc. why so many?
herewith my theory of the cycle of lightweight software.
* program $Z is bloated and slow, lets write a small, streamlined, lightweight replacement
* 0.0 - the program runs, does something but not much
* 0.1 - it’s beginning to be useful
* 0.2 - it’s not bad, you don’t miss program $Z so much now
* 0.3 - 0.9 - hey, where’s my fave feature $F, you can’t be seriously missing that out, ok, we’ll add that in
* release 1.0 - quite good, not too bloated, fairly quick, has its serious fanboys, but most people would rather stick with $Z and buy a faster computer to keep the missing features
* 1.1 to 2.0 - adding all the features that made $Z great, gaining bloat and bugs, losing speed all the way
* release 2.0 - a direct replacement for $Z and runs 20% faster
* release 2.1 - fixing all the bugs discovered now the code base is too big to audit, making it much less secure than the now quite mature $Z
* Hey, your new program is a bit bloated and slow, I’m going to write a replacement for it and it’s going to be a small, streamlined, lightweight replacemen
and repeat ad nauseam”
July 7th, 2008 at 2:48 am
It is unstable yet. The package pcmanfm broken down every time. I had to remove the repository and reinstall the pcmanfm from official repo of ubuntu and then I was able to remove this whole thing.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Good-looking, gtk+ 2 internationalized user interface
Their’s a contradiction in their.
July 8th, 2008 at 7:23 am
with the direction GNOME is heading (mom and grandpa and great grand fathers)…
July 9th, 2008 at 2:02 am
While I liked lxde on a brief trial, beware: after the lxde install in Ubuntu, pcmanfm replaces nautilus as your default file manager in Gnome. Messing around in config files I could bring nautilus back for the current session, but after every reboot pcmanfm came back as the Gnome default. I finally gave up and wiped lxde entirely.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Seems like a futile effort. Fast GUI and a GTK+ GUI is an oxymoron. You either have a fast GUI, or a GTK+ (2.x) GUI. GTK+ is a huge, modern toolkit with well known, chronic and serious performance problems, the experience on 10-year-old computers definitely cannot be good no matter how “lightweight” the DE is. A fast DE for old slow computers cannot be based on the slowest of all modern slow toolkits. Besides, applications like modern web browsers are the main memory hogs, so using a lightweight DE won’t help too much anyway.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:25 am
hi i seen this lxde desktop i like it and i like to install this i follow that instruction u given.when i am trying to edit the file it shows permission denied why it showing like that i am the administrator.can u help me
July 30th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Pravy, you need to edit your source file by running the command: gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list from the command line. You’ll be prompted for your password and then can proceed to edit the file. Save it, then run this command from the command line: sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude install lxde.
July 30th, 2008 at 11:14 am
hello friend,
the easiest way to install lxde in ubuntu is, first install ubuntu-tweak. in it there is an option to enable third party software. lxde is listed in it. just check it and refresh. after that you can install lxde using synaptic. no need to edit any configuration files.
thanks.
jittos….
July 31st, 2008 at 3:31 am
hi can any one help me.how to install this lxde desktop.i dont know about this linux i am new to this.any one tell me the processure, thank u
July 31st, 2008 at 3:53 am
hi eric i got that lxde desktop thanks for ur support..thank u
July 31st, 2008 at 8:35 am
hai parvy
how do u feel about this new desktop?…
July 31st, 2008 at 8:38 am
hi jose i feel good but i can’t able to change themes bagrounds etc can u help me.i am getting headache with this.i like to learn about this linux and good sites is there
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:22 am
thanks for the tips .. btw i can’t install lxde on gutsy (missing deppendencies), but i don’t have any problem using hardy.
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:26 am
I have just installed LXDE on a brandnew freshly installed gOs Gadgets OS. This desktop is unbelievable fast. Even webbrowser pageloading is much faster than in any other desktop I have tried. I have tried everything under the sun, XFCE, E17, Elive but none of them can touch LXDE.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:03 am
Well, disabling, i.e. by blacklisting, ipv6 will boost every browser up, no matter what desk env is running…
September 7th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
how do i select session in terminal?
September 7th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
how can i go to options select session in terminal without GDM login window?