[vox-tech] RedHat login (previously, Re: [vox] Mandrake vs. SuSe?)

[Jonathan Stickel]

karthikeyan.balasubramanian wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> 
 >Jonathan wrote:
>>I have only used RedHat, so I can't comment on Mandrake vs. SuSe.  I
>>have a comment about using KDE with RedHat, though.  By default, I agree
>>that RedHat is not KDE friendly.  However, by simply having the lines
>>
>>DISPLAYMANAGER="KDE"
>>DESKTOP="KDE"
>>
>>in the file "/etc/sysconfig/desktop" will make kdm the login manager
>>(rather than gdm) and KDE the default windows manager (rather than
>>Gnome).  This will also give you a logout/shutdown/reboot menu when you
>>choose "logout" from the Kmenu (no root password required).  All
>>cosmetic changes (e.g. changing the Kmenu icon to something other than
>>the "red hat") can be done from KDE's "control center".
>>
> 
> Hmm Interesting.  I use Redhat 9.0 and You dont have to do any configuration
> like the one you mentioned to make KDE as your default desktop manager.
> Just choose
> which type of Desktop Manager you want and it will ask you whether you want
> to make this as your default one (say "Yes") and bingo that will become your
> default
> desktop manager.  I repeat i havent done any conf changes.  It does all by
> itself.
> May be you guys using older version of Redhat.  I m quite interested in what
> version
> of Redhat you guys have.
> 
> Just sharing my thoughts guys :).

I am currently using RedHat 9, but have previously used 7.3 and 8.0. 
The simple edit I mention above has worked for all of these versions. 
In my non-technical jargon, I'd like to note the difference between the 
"login manager" (aka display manager) and "desktop environment" (aka 
windows manager).  From RedHat's default login (gdm), it is easy to 
choose the desktop environment, at which point it may ask if you want 
this to be default.  This sounds like what Karthikeyan describes. I have 
never seen a GUI which asks which _login manager_ you want to use.  As 
far as I know, this can only be changed by editing 
/etc/sysconfig/desktop.  I learned this from reading the RH8 release notes.

Jonathan