Xfce

Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment for Unix and other Unix-like platforms, such as Linux and FreeBSD. Its configuration is entirely mouse-driven, the configuration files are hidden from the casual user. Designed for productivity, it loads and executes applications fast, while conserving system resources.

Xfce also provides development framework for applications. Except Xfce itself, there are some third-party programs which use Xfce libraries, most notably Mousepad text editor, xfmedia audio player and a Terminal emulator.

Xfce is based on the GTK+ 2.x toolkit. It uses the Xfwm window manager. Xfce is somewhat similar to the commercial CDE, but has been getting a little farther away from that comparison with each new version (it was completely re-written twice, between versions 2 & 3 and 3 & 4).

The latest released version of Xfce is 4.2.1.1, as of March 17, 2005.

Xfce distributions

Xfce is not as commonly found in Linux distributions as other desktop environments such as KDE and GNOME, and is therefore often harder to obtain. Below are some ways of obtaining and using Xfce.

Few distributions include Xfce as their default desktop environment, though many (such as Debian) include it as an optional component.

Xfld

Xfld is the 'Xfce live demo', a GNU/Linux operating system (derived from Knoppix) that can be run completely from CD (LiveCD). A project started by OS-cillation, it features an up-to-date Xfce as desktop environment.

Whoppix

Whoppix is a live CD distrubition that runs Xfce. It was also derived from Knoppix.

Archie

Archie is a live CD version of Arch Linux. It incorporates the Arch Linux base scripts and XFCE4 window manager.

See also

• Morphix Xfce.

External links

• http://www.xfce.org/
• http://www.xfld.org/Xfld/en/index.html