Creating 4.5 Xfce VM

WetGeek

Has anyone successfuly set the timezone and date for the clock in the panel yet? I'd like to know how to make it start displaying the correct time as per the time zone I'm in.

This image shows the properties for the date/time applet, and I've taken the VM out of full-screen mode so I can display both its panel and the one for its host machine, my Plasma laptop. As you can see, it's approximately 3:06 here in the Pacific Northwest, and that's the correct time. (I've been up for about an hour so far, doing laundry.) So both the VM and its host machine know what time it is--somewhere--and what the date is.

I've set the properties for the clock correctly. America/Los_Angeles is what I've always needed to use for the US Pacific time zone. And when I changed the properties for the date format and the time format, the new values were immediately accepted and the display in the panel reflected those changes.

But the time is obviously not correct for this time zone. It's showing the date and time somewhere else in the world, but I haven't actually done the math. I'm going to reboot the VM now, to see if that's what's needed to make the change I need to see. Hang on ...

No joy here. As you can see, it's now 8:18 PM somewhere, but certainly not here in the PNW. I've been unable to find a separate button or link to reset the time according to the properties that are set here.

If someone who has used Xfce elsewhere knows how to do this, I'd love to hear from you. I don't want to report a bug if it's just my infamiliarity with this DE that's the problem. But if it actually isn't working right, I need to do just that. Anyone?

ermo

brent WetGeek I'm getting the feeling that XFCE is a true Mate replacement: low consumption, solid, no pyrotechnics, easy on the eyes, with it's own set of default applications

This is indeed what we were going for; something that, for the most part, will feel familiar to existing MATE users, now that MATE has been -- and I use this term generously -- put on "life support" in Solus.

WetGeek

ermo MATE has been -- and I use this term generously -- put on "life support" in Solus

That's something I hadn't thought about before. I'll be updating my four Solus 4.5 VMs until they (hopefully) become release version 4.5 VMs, and can replace my existing 4.4 VMs. But I now realize that I'll need to retain my 4.4 Mate VM and continue updating it, so I can continue to use it to help resolve Mate issues in the forum.

I assume that there's an End of Life (EoL) date for Solus Mate, beyond which regular updates for that DE won't be provided anymore? Do we already know when that will be, or is support just continuing as usual for now until some date to be determined later?

laurker

The thing you guys are all looking for is called xfce4-docklike-plugin (Docklike Taskbar). It's a panel plugin that behaves like the dock/taskbar in any other desktop environment. It comes bundled in some user-friendly XFCE distros like Zorin Lite.

WetGeek

I think I've accomplished all I can for now with this VM. My new laptop will be here in a couple days, and I'll load Solus 4.5 Xfce on it to see whether any of the flaws I found with the VM are not present on hardware. For now, I'm going to devote some time working with the other 4.5 version DEs. I suspect there will be much less for me to do with those, as they're time-tested Solace editions instead of one that's completely new.

So, after configuring this VM to match my daily-driver laptop, I've been using it as a replacement for that laptop for several days now. I've read and answered emails. connected with my bank and paid the small balance on my VISA card, on Schwab I've reviewed my investments, I've connected to my clinic's portal (MyChart) to review my latest test results, ordered a grocery delivery from my nearby supermarket, watched TV on tv.google.com, chatted with a friend in Arizona using Telegram, played all three solitaire games, had lunch delivered by DoorDash, and much more that I've probably forgotten by now.

The point is that as this Xfce machine is configured, I could very easily use it for everything I need a laptop for. And after the first bugs that I documented, my relationship with Xfce has been very cordial. No, @Brent, I'm not ready to give up Plasma for Xfce, but I could, without much suffering at all. So until my laptop gets here and I install Xfce on it, this will probably be my last post on the subject.

I have one final request for the team: please consider creating the next .ISO file with a top panel and the plank, as I've used it here. It's been a pleasure to use for all these days. And maybe a background like the one I selected (see earlier picture) instead of the one that makes it look like Solus' GNOME edition. I think it would make a much better first impression.

WetGeek

I've now started over, and created a new VM from the beginning. When I tried to start the Calameras installer from the live session from the RC2 .ISO file, I found that the desktop icon for Install System was still the one for RC1, so I logged that bug. I tried using the command from the system menu, and found it to work fine. So installed with no drama.

When I started the new edition, the bicycles picture was still present, so the first thing I did was replace it with the background I'd set for RC1. The rest of the setup was then exactly the way I set up RC1, so I won't document that again. That includes all the applications I installed the last time, and all of them configured as before.

NOTE: It's amazing how fast I could do all of this, having just done it before. It took me several days the first time, but only a few hours this time. It's not even lunchtime yet. If anyone who's testing this is considering whether they want want to start over again with RC2, just do it. It's nowhere near the job it was the first time.

WetGeek

The laptop I ordered for testing on hardware arrived a day early, so I'm going to take a break from the virtual machine now, and install Solus 4.5 Xfce on the laptop. One thing I noticed while preparing for this is that Etcher has been fixed, and no longer hides the password dialog behind the main window. It now delays displaying it until you actually click to burn the destination, then it asks for a password in front of the main window. Go, Etcher!

WetGeek

I just finished installing and configuring the new laptop, and it's configure like the VM you've already seen a picture of. I'm using the same background, 'cause I'm campaigning to get rid of the GNOME biycles for this DE. There was actually little difference between doing this on hardware versus doing it on a VM, but there was one bit of drama that I'm going to write a bug report for--I can't find any way to connect this laptop to my Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. With the VM, that wasn't an issue, because the Bluetooth connection was for its host. The mouse and keyboard just looked like an ordinary mouse and keyboard to the VM.

The only difference that should be obvious here is that the Workspace Switcher in the panel has 11 workspaces instead of just 9. That's because my hardware also uses VirtualBox, and there's a separate empty workspace for running VMs. I haven't created any on this machine yet, having just installed the system, but it will be ready when I do.

WetGeek

@EbonJaeger: I've been working with my Xfce VM and laptop pretty much full-time now for days. I honestly can't think of anything more that I can usefully accomplish with those until something changes. So, I'm going to devote my time to other priorities for now.

If one of my bug reports is resolved, I should get an email notification, and I'll fire up one or both of those devices, and test it here. The most important bugs (to me) are the failure to pair with some Bluetooth devices (like my three Bluetooth keyboards) using Blueman, and the failure for either the VM or the laptop to hibernate. I'd love to see these both working.

Generally, I like Xfce very much. Budgie doesn't support the workspaces that my workflow requires, for example, but Xfce does. And I like its screenshot utility better than any others I've used, either on Solus or elsewhere. And there are several other features that impressed me, although I can't remember them right now. In short, I think it will be a really great replacement for MATE and will improve the overall quality of the Solus OS family.

And speaking of MATE, I've never gotten any answer to my question about its EOL date. Do we know when Solus' support for it will end, or is that still up in the air? I'm going to keep the 4.4 version of MATE available on my torrent server and in my VM collection until such time as it's officially obsolete, but I have no idea when that will be.

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