Differences between revisions 11 and 12
Revision 11 as of 2019-02-10 23:04:44
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Editor: ?WolfgangSchweer
Comment: mention update-alternatives
Revision 12 as of 2019-02-12 14:35:30
Size: 2911
Editor: ?WolfgangSchweer
Comment: it's Preferenced, not Settings. thanks to the screenshot
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
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If LTSP diskless clients are used the above steps need to be done inside the LTSP chroot as well. LDM supports all desktop environments. First use ''Settings'' to choose the language, then login. If LTSP diskless clients are used the above steps need to be done inside the LTSP chroot as well. LDM supports all desktop environments. First use ''Preferences'' to choose the language, then login.

HowTos for the desktop

Using Xfce, GNOME, KDE Plasma, LXDE, LXQt and/or MATE together

To install other desktop environments after installation, simply use apt:

 apt update
 apt install education-desktop-gnome education-desktop-kde education-desktop-lxde education-desktop-lxqt education-desktop-mate

To set the default desktop environment, run:

update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

Users will then be able to choose any of the six desktop environment via the login manager before logging in. Of course, you can also choose to give less choices. Keep in mind that there will be several programs for the same purpose (like file managers, editors, PDF viewers...) if more than one desktop environment is installed; this might confuse users.

The use of LXDE as default on LTSP clients can be forced; see networked clients for details.

If you don't want to do installations with the default desktop Xfce, you can also install with one of the five alternative desktops, GNOME, KDE, LXDE, LXQt or MATE directly.

Set up a multi-language desktop environment

To support multiple languages these commands need to be run:

  • Run dpkg-reconfigure locales (as root) and choose the languages (UTF-8 variants).

  • Run these commands as root to install the related packages:

apt update
/usr/share/debian-edu-config/tools/install-task-pkgs
/usr/share/debian-edu-config/tools/improve-desktop-l10n

Users will then be able to choose the language via the Lightdm display manager before logging in; this applies to Xfce, LXDE and LXQt. GNOME and KDE both come with their own internal region and language configuration tools, use these. MATE uses the Arctica greeter on top of Lightdm whithout a language chooser. Run apt purge arctica-greeter to get the stock Lightdm greeter.
If LTSP diskless clients are used the above steps need to be done inside the LTSP chroot as well. LDM supports all desktop environments. First use Preferences to choose the language, then login.

Playing DVDs

libdvdcss is needed for playing most commercial DVDs. For legal reasons it's not included in Debian (Edu). If you are legally allowed to use it, you can build your own local packages using the libdvd-pkg Debian package; make sure contrib is enabled in /etc/apt/sources.list.

apt update
apt install libdvd-pkg

Answer the debconf questions, then run dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg.

Handwriting fonts

The package fonts-linex (which is installed by default) installs the font "Abecedario" which is a nice handwriting font for kids. The font has several forms to be used with kids: dotted, and with lines.

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