starting xfce "the correct way"

[Guido Falsi]

On 18/12/18 09:50, Marko Cupać wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> what is the difference between starting xfce with `startxfce4
> --with-ck-launch' and sourcing /usr/local/etc/xdg/xfce4/xinitrc
> in .xinitrc? Both ways seem to work, but with some noticeable
> differences: --with-ck-launch enables me to shutdown without polkit
> rules.

This is a complicated matter which goes a little beyond my understanding
of modern X server things.

Anyway I have gathered this much:

Modern display mangers are expected to setup policykit and a bunch of
other things for the window manage/desktop environment.

AFAIK the ones that do this correctly at present are GDM, and lightDM
(but I'm not sure since lightDM is not working for me and I've been
unable to diagnose it)

If launching the X session from the console or with an older display
manager (XDM, for example) one needs to launch "consolekit" which,
AFAIK, performs the setup the DM should perform.

you could also launch consolekit by hand, the --with-ck-launch switch is
just for convenience.

So I'd say that, if you use a "modern" display manager the correct way
to launch it is without the --with-ck-launch switch. Modern display
managers should actually do everything by themselves, understand which
DE/WMs are available based on  the files in /usr/local/share/xsessions
and use the files there to figure out how to start them.

If you start xfce from console you need extra steps to get a fully
functional desktop environment, the --with-ck-launch is a useful
shortcut. You should also setup the correct locale if not already done.

-- 
Guido Falsi <mad at madpilot.net>