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How can I install an alternative desktop on an existing Ubuntu install without installing the restricted extras (or any other non-free or known patent-encumbered packages)?

For example, if I install the xubuntu-desktop package, it installs packages like gstreamer1.0-libav, which would normally have to be installed from the restricted-extras package instead. I could just install the desktop environment itself (xfce4 package), but that would leave off all the normal packages that Xubuntu comes with, including desktop themes, etc.

tech4him
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    Related: Xubuntu desktop minimal installation - you could also consider installing xubuntu-desktop with the --no-install-recommends option – steeldriver Jan 05 '19 at 00:16
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    I have xubuntu-desktop installed, there are no packages from the restricted-repository installed. Your example gstreamer1.0-libav is in the universe-repository. – mook765 Jan 05 '19 at 00:23
  • @mook765 however the gstreamer1.0-libav package appears to be pulled in as a dependency of the (recommended) parole media player – steeldriver Jan 05 '19 at 00:37
  • @mook765 universe doesn't contain copyright/license restricted packages, but it does contain patent-encumbered packages. For example, see the subpackages of ubuntu-restricted-extras -- many are universe. – tech4him Jan 05 '19 at 00:48
  • @steeldriver That's helpful, but it's not what I'm trying to do here. I want a full installation (not minimal), just without non-free license or known patent-encumbered packages. – tech4him Jan 05 '19 at 00:50
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    You really need to edit your question and add that you don't want the non-free or patent-encumbered packages in your desktop at all. However, this sounds to me like you might have to build your own desktop and not go with one that is prepackaged. – Terrance Jan 05 '19 at 01:01
  • @Terrance Updated, feel free to change it more if you think necessary. Are you basically saying that only the default flavour would come without those packages by default? – tech4him Jan 05 '19 at 01:05
  • I just installed Kubuntu from the ISO to test and even without checking the "install non-free" box, it installed MPEG codecs, etc, so I think you may be correct there. Any suggestions on how to "build my own desktop" (@Terrance)? – tech4him Jan 05 '19 at 01:07
  • Look into starting with the Core of it then build from there: https://xubuntu.org/news/introducing-xubuntu-core/ – Terrance Jan 05 '19 at 01:08
  • @Terrance Ah, so that would have to be per desktop then, right? For example KDE would have to have its own minimal installation? – tech4him Jan 05 '19 at 01:10
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    Unfortunately, I don't know all the distros that have Core installs. But yes, it is per desktop. You might also look into the Minimal installs that allow you just to choose the packages that you want. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD But those are only for clean installs. – Terrance Jan 05 '19 at 01:13

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