#7768 HIGH 8.2.0 (: Alternate linux desktop capability

[Zarro Boogs per Child]

#7768: Alternate linux desktop capability
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   Reporter:  kimquirk      |       Owner:                      
       Type:  enhancement   |      Status:  new                 
   Priority:  high          |   Milestone:  8.2.0 (was Update.2)
  Component:  not assigned  |     Version:  not specified       
 Resolution:                |    Keywords:                      
Next_action:  never set     |    Verified:  0                   
  Blockedby:                |    Blocking:                      
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Comment(by pgf):

 Replying to [comment:2 marco]:
 > I think the best way to do this is to install gdm and to allow the user
 to pick between two different configurations.

 GDM is overkill for this.  the user shouldn't have to navigate a login
 screen of any sort -- they should be automatically logged in to whichever
 desktop they were last using, and offered a "switch desktop" command
 somewhere.

 i run my G1G1 machine in a dual XFCE or Sugar mode, and i use the
 following two hacks to make the selection easy:

 first, (because i didn't bother installing 'dialog' or better, an X-based
 form package) a small script, stored in /home/olpc/bin/timeout_or_enter
 {{{
 #!/bin/sh
 echo Hit Enter within $1 seconds $2
 read -t $1 a
 echo $? >/tmp/timeout_or_enter
 }}}

 then, the following lines in the middle of /home/olpc/.xsession:

 {{{
 xterm -e "/home/olpc/bin/timeout_or_enter 5 'to start Sugar'"
 if [ $(cat /tmp/timeout_or_enter) = 1 ]
 then
     [... i do a few other things here, to customize the desktop (e.g.
 "unclutter",
        and "xbindkeys"...]

     exec startxfce4
 fi

 }}}


 obviously this is a just a hack, but it works nicely (except that i still
 have to use ctrl-alt-backspace to "log out" and switch to the other
 desktop).  the main point is that the desktop selection can be based on a
 very simple test, late in the X11 startup (.xsession).

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://dev.laptop.org/ticket/7768#comment:3>
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