Remove GNOME and install dwm

dwmgnome

I'm currently running Fedora 19 on my PC and I want to remove GNOME and then use dwm. Is it enough when I install dwm and remove GNOME completely?

Best Answer

You don't have to remove GNOME to use dwm, you can just install dwm and use it instead.

Removing GNOME might simplify cirvumventing xdm/gdm (dm = display manager; these are the things that control the graphical login) -- but it also might not. If you install multiple DEs, they may configure the dm to use a chooser, however, a stand-alone window manager such as dwm won't be included.

Meaning, you have to do a bit of manual work to run dwm anyway, so I recommend you just leave GNOME on disk. To use dwm you will want to create a ~/.Xclients:

#!/bin/sh

dwm

Make that executable: chmod o+x .Xclients (I'm not sure if that is really necessary). If either that or ~/.xinitrc already exists, edit that instead and comment out whatever is there (i.e. add # to the beginning of the line), and put dwm at the bottom.

At this point, you should be able to try dwm by logging out and switching to an unused VT (e.g. via ctrl-alt-F3). Log in on the console and type startx.

You can then try rebooting to see if xdm will use your configuration. If not, you need to disable the xdm or gdm services. I don't have those installed, so I am not sure what systemd calls them -- systemctl list-units | grep dm should provide a clue. Then systemctl disable [whatever]. You'll need root or sudo to use the systemctl commands. Then reboot. You will probably end up at a console prompt, just log in and type startx.

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