30
Artix Linux drop support for GNOME (forum.artixlinux.org)
submitted 1 week ago by cm0002@lemmy.world to c/linux@programming.dev
8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Some of you have probably seen the blog post a few months ago about how GNOME is more strongly depending on systemd. The changes mentioned there have landed into the latest stable versions of the mentioned software (GNOME 49) and do affect us. In particular, the main culprit is the removal of the non-systemd fallback code in gnome-session. This makes it currently impossible to launch gnome-shell/mutter on a non-systemd system. A fairly straightforward patch of using elogind, like what was previously done, no longer works either.

Since we don't have the time or interest to write a new non-systemd codepath for gnome-session, this means that all support for gnome-based desktops has to be dropped. In particular, the affected packages would be gnome-session, gnome-shell, mutter, and gnome-settings-daemon. For now, the old versions are still in the repos but because there is so much intertwining between other gtk/gnome packages, there is no guarantee they actually work and will later be removed from our repos.

Standalone gnome applications will still continue to be packaged, but it is simply not feasible anymore to support gnome desktops without systemd.

top 8 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Sxan@piefed.zip 15 points 1 week ago

Þis is exactly þe reason why people who object to systemd, object to it. Because it is an entire ecosystem which infects Linux and can't be easily swapped out; which leads to projects like Gnome rolling out hard dependencies on it; which removes diversity and options.

Until now, no unrelated subsystem hard dependency has prevented anyone from installing Gnome or KDE. You could always swap out crons, syslog, init systems, and it would not affect Gnome.

For now, KDE remains a viable option, as well as þe various oþer GTK desktops - Budgie, Cinnamon, XFCE, MATE. *BSD is looking better and better.

[-] QuadDamage@kbin.earth 3 points 1 week ago

LXQT is also good for people who want a Qt based enviroment but don't like kwin.

*BSD is looking better and better.

Agreed in the long term, linux is becoming a mess imo.

[-] Oinks 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

You could always swap out crons, syslog, init systems, and it would not affect Gnome.

That just isn't true. Both GNOME and KDE already have hard dependencies on systemd-logind. GNOME hasn't supported non-systemd Unixes since 2015! The only reason it works is that the elogind project provides a systemd-logind implementation decoupled from the rest of systemd. The GNOME team has elected to give users of elogind (despite not being officially supported) advance warning that they'll have to do some amount of extra work in the future if they want to ship GNOME 50. Honestly I think that's quite fair of them.

There are more GNOME features that don't work without systemd even if it launches, like application isolation using systemd scopes. Fundamentally this is about not having to reinvent the world. Why should every DE have bespoke implementations of user, login and service managers instead of just using the ones that 99% of user systems already have?

[-] QuadDamage@kbin.earth 4 points 1 week ago

Honestly not surprised, GNOME has been tying itself to systemD for years and this was inevtiable. Won't be surprised if Void and other non-systemD distros take the same path.

[-] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

I'm really hoping GNOME on void remains possible, even though I'd understand why if they chose to drop it 🥲

My brain might as well be hardwired to the ux of gnome, but the way the project runs... Is frustrating. And tiring. In a number of respects.

[-] QuadDamage@kbin.earth 1 points 1 week ago

Agreed, it's a bit of shame because I like the idea of GNOME but the execution and project priorities are just terrible.

[-] Cris_Color@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

More than anything I just really don't love how they engage with other projects

Foss is a space built on the premise of working together and collaboration, and it really frustrates me how common it is for projects and organizations to struggle to play nice with others

And GNOME is one of the orgs/projects that really exemplifies that problem on a pretty regular basis 😅

[-] FizzyOrange@programming.dev 3 points 1 week ago

Wow are there still SystemD naysayers? Mind boggling.

this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2025
30 points (100.0% liked)

Linux

9656 readers
497 users here now

A community for everything relating to the GNU/Linux operating system (except the memes!)

Also, check out:

Original icon base courtesy of lewing@isc.tamu.edu and The GIMP

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Ategon@programming.dev
anzo@programming.dev
dwraf_of_ignorance@programming.dev