Re: [tlug] Doing (software) violence unto my scratch monkey?

["Greg Thomson " <gregt@example.com>]

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:01:39 +0900, Shannon Jacobs  
<shannon.jacobs@example.com> wrote:

> Algorithm 1: Using Synaptic, tag lots of KDE-related things for
> uninstalling until sufficient disk space will be freed, then tag
> xubuntu-desktop for installation. In this wonderful fantasy, Synaptic
> resolves all the dependencies and uninstalls everything first before
> miraculously installing Ubuntu in the floating hole. I suspect this
> should be called "building your one-step castle in the sky starting
> with a bucket of water for your cloud foundation".

It shouldn't be too difficult.
As I understand it there are a number of meta packages that help you here.
The base two for a desktop system being ubuntu-minimal and ubuntu-standard
Please run this to check everything is installed that should be.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-standard

To these base meta packages you add a desktop package ie ubuntu-desktop,  
kubuntu-desktop, xubuntu-desktop or edubuntu-desktop.

I gather ubuntu-desktop is installed and you would like to remove it and  
install xubuntu-desktop.

My package manager claims an install of xubuntu-desktop would take up  
317MB and you say you have 195MB of space so installing xubuntu-desktop  
before removing ubuntu-desktop might not be possible. I say might because  
both desktops will share some packages.
You will have to remove ubuntu-desktop before you install xubuntu-desktop.

Now comes the tricky part. It would be nice to have apt-get just remove  
ubuntu-desktop but that would result in just the meta package being  
removed and not the packages that make up the desktop. A weakness in  
apt-get I believe.
Luckily others have been here before.
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/purexfcedapper
Use the apt-get method to remove ubuntu-desktop.

Unfortunately you are now without a desktop and must now work a little at  
the command line. But as Dr Turnbull says "Surely that's acceptable?"

Login if you are not already. Then sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop.

Enjoy.