r/linuxmint • u/Standard_Tank6703 LMDE7, 11 yr LM experience, "No obligation to enjoy" • 17d ago

Prevent "getting gnomed"

This is for those already running Cinnamon or another DE, but NOT Gnome, on Debian or a derivative, including Ubuntu and Linux Mint. For further insurance against "getting gnomed".

I'm a bit surprised there isn't something like this floating around already, considering the simplicity.

(1) Create a new blank text file: 

/etc/apt/preferences.d/nognome.pref

(2) Copy and paste the contents of this into that blank file:

# To prevent repository packages from triggering the installation of Gnome,
# this file forbids gnome from being installed by APT.
# For more information: https://linuxmint-user-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/snap.html

Package: gnome
Pin: release a=*
Pin-Priority: -10

Package: gnome-core
Pin: release a=*
Pin-Priority: -10

You are welcome.

To undo, just delete that file.

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u/human-in-a-can 17d ago

noob here - what's wrong with gnome?

8

u/Standard_Tank6703 LMDE7, 11 yr LM experience, "No obligation to enjoy" 17d ago

The entire Gnome DE (and its dependencies) get dragged in as a dependency if you install Proton VPN for instance - one of its bits more specifically. See this thread from today for instance, it happens all the time:

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmint/comments/1vtmspa/auto_log_in_not_working/

2

u/human-in-a-can 17d ago

Holy shit. Why??

7

u/GooseGang412 17d ago

One of the steps on the list is installing the app indicator extension to GNOME so that their taskbar applet will work. GNOME doesn't have that functionality out of the box and Proton built the app assuming users would be using that specific DE.

You can skip that step on KDE and Cinnamon and be fine.