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I am trying to install Xubuntu on a fairly fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS. I want to avoid reinstalling my whole system.

While I know about xfce4, instead of xubuntu-desktop, I want to completely replace GNOME, and therefore haven't tried to install only xfce, in risk of half-installing something.

Mostly any tutorial will tell you to install it with sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop, but this doesn't work out-of-the-box for me. I get the following error:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 xubuntu-desktop : Depends: xorg but it is not going to be installed
                   Depends: xubuntu-core but it is not going to be installed
                   Recommends: xserver-xorg-input-synaptics

By following the instructions in these posts: How do I resolve unmet dependencies after adding a PPA?, and I can't install XFCE ( xubuntu desktop), I am pretty sure I don't have any broken dependencies nor unupdated/obsolete repositories.

Universe is installed and activated by default on my version of Ubuntu, which I have also confirmed.

Questions:

  • What are these packages?
  • Why won't they be installed?
  • How do I replace GNOME with Xubuntu?
  • What should I learn about desktop managers/X/window managers, and their relationship with distros?
mazunki
  • 133

1 Answers1

2

I installed Ubuntu-MATE 18.04(.2 i think) only recently & had the same error when I tried adding xubuntu-desktop. My history (command history) on that box shows I then used

sudo apt install xubuntu-desktop xorg xubuntu-core

before moving onto different things. I was surprised by the error, but sorry i didn't explore why (it was a x86 tablet with crap keyboard; I was going to ssh into the box later from a real desktop & look but forgot).

Please note: I started with Ubuntu-MATE meaning I had 'universe' already enabled, Ubuntu does not have 'universe' repository enabled by default - so it must be enabled first. Refer https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu if you don't understand repos, but Ubuntu 18.04 LTS contains all 5 year supported code from 'main', where as flavors contain community-supported code (3 years support generally for LTS) from 'universe' too.

With both desktops loaded, you can select at the login screen which you want to use today. There are pro's & con's with multiple desktops (multiple programs that do the same thing, larger updates, more complex menu) but I use it very often and like it.

guiverc
  • 33,561