(long) Gnome 2 (was YDL 2.3 Custom Install isn't custom)

[Etienne Beaule]

> I tried installing YDL again without KDe (because i think it's a=20
> horror show) and was planning on install gnome from scratch...I just=20=

> did a really basic install and it went ahead and installed everything=20=

> I didn't want.  What the hell?
>
> I know I saw a howto on how to replace KDE with Gnome but now I can't=20=

> find it...any pointers?  I want to totally get rid of KDE and install=20=

> Gnome 2

Try this (but be careful!):

As root, type:
apt-get remove kde-libs  (you may even try kde* but I am not sure if=20
apt-get supports wildcards)

You will see a list of all the stuff that depends on kde-libs (pretty=20
much all kde stuff).

If you want to compile gnome 2, good luck... It is a long and tedious=20
process and the How-To published on ydl site is not all that good.

First, download the *latest* garnome (not the one mentioned on the=20
how-to).

Then, you can follow the instructions on the how-to (set up your=20
install directory) but DO NOT TYPE MAKE INSTALL IN THE GARNOME/META=20
DIRECTORY! Doing this will (try to) compile KDE 3.1, Gnome 2 and a=20
whole bunch of stuff you most likely don't need (or that won't=20
compile). I made that mistake and after 3 days, my pismo was still=20
compiling (or trying to) and I was still trying to fix a whole bunch of=20=

errors.

Instead, go a little deeper into the garnome/meta directory (you should=20=

fine "gnome-desktop" or something like that). cd into that and then=20
type "make install" as root. Note that the actual compile work is=20
performed in another directory (garnome/gnome/something - depending of=20=

what you are compiling). The meta directory just has scripts and make=20
files to "simplify" the process.

The gnome-terminal source is broken and needs to be fixed (easy - you=20
have to switch 2 lines in the source code). Everytime garnome complains=20=

that something does not work, use google to find info about it. Some=20
links to source code are no longer valid so you will have to either fix=20=

them or download manually and copy them into the download directory of=20=

the thing you are trying to compile. If you open the gnome-desktop=20
garnome makefile, you should see a list of the things that will be=20
compiled. Since gnome-terminal will have to be modified, you could=20
remove it for now and compile it later.

You will most likely not have some of the required dependencies.=20
Install them using apt-get if you can. You may have to compile a few=20
from source (versions of RPM packages not always recent enough) or look=20=

for 3rd-party packages (google again or rpmfind). After installing new=20=

stuff, it is always a good idea to to a rm -rf cookie/* and rm -rf=20
work/* in the garnome directory where the compiling attempt failed.=20
Garnome puts markers to let it know what steps were done or not (these=20=

are put in the cookie directory). Removing them will restart the=20
building process from scratch for that source package.

Another thing that does not work: don't compile anything manually (the=20=

little configure, make, make install dance). When you do this, garnome=20=

won't know that stuff has been installed because it's cookie folder=20
will  be empty. It will thus try to compile again thus wasting your=20
time (and not taking into account any attempts you made to solve=20
problems). Always use the garnome make install scripts.

I found that removing the old gnome did help sometimes (garnome was=20
trying to compile gnome 2 using 1.4 libs - not good). If you do this,=20
make sure you have a way to browse the web (links or keep kde until you=20=

have you gnome 2 up and running).

Balsa (the news reader) is a pita to compile... Don't even bother with=20=

the one provided by garnome (download the latest one). It really needs=20=

a version of aspell that is not available for ydl. I downloaded rpms=20
from connectiva linux (I had to install 2-3 packages) and it finally=20
compiled. When you install packages manually, *always* remove the older=20=

ones before otherwise you will confuse apt-get or stuff won't compile=20
(again linking to old libs).

Garnome will probably ask you to patch some files... I hit return and=20
it then asked me to skip (I said yes) and it worked anyway.

I'm not booted in linux now so I cannot help you more than this=20
(everything here is what I remember doing).

Hopefully, this should help you avoid some of the pitfalls I had to=20
struggle with. It took me about a week to get things up and running the=20=

way I wanted (around 3 days with that stupid make install in=20
garnome/meta!). One thing is for sure: don't try to compile everything=20=

at once... Start small and compile more later (garnome will run in=20
circles trying to figure out all the dependencies otherwise).

Good luck (it is worth the trouble though - and, if you are like me,=20
you will learn quite a bit in the process!).

=C9tienne

P.S.: look around for Gnome 2 apps... Some are not released yet but are=20=

functional enough in their unstable version (a good example is gaim -=20
works great here and looks much much better than the older version).=