"failed to suspend session"

[Greg Folkert]

On Sat, 2014-03-15 at 12:30 +0000, Kevin Chadwick wrote:
> previously on this list Greg Folkert contributed:
> 
> > > I am running xfce with xubuntu 12.04 on a Thinkpad T61 with xdm.
> > > 
> > > When I select "suspend" from the user/logout menu I get:
> > > "failed to suspend session" "not authorized" 
> > > 
> > > In the Power Manger menu on "When laptop lid is closed" I can only choose
> > > "nothing" or "Lock screen", there is no "suspend" or "hibernate".
> > > 
> > > Any ideas, what is wrong?   
> > 
> > Stop using XDM, I don't believe it is freedesktop compliant.
> > 
> > I begrudgingly use GDM3, I'd be surprised with XDM that any freedesktop
> > services would work.
> > 
> 
> I try not to stand for begrudgingly doing anything, personally.

The only reason I use GDM3, it that I already have to have some GNOME
applications deps on my system. I unfortunately cannot work well without
Evolution, I've become a creature of habit and have used it for since
Ximian started it. A few other GNOME Programs as well.

So, by begrudgingly... I really mean, lazyily because I don't care to
fix it to work with the others.

> > I know that if I use XDM and Network Manager I cannot manage *ANY*
> > interfaces (WiFi, wired, VPN... others). Suspend doesn't work and
> > neither does hibernate. Also, the power manager seems to choke and doing
> > its job.
> > 
> 
> How terrible, the aim should be for independent parts that even work
> with startx. I see freedesktop as less and less of a standard and the
> website is a terrible amalgamation of stuff. 

While I agree with your sentiment... freedesktop seems to be doing most
things right for making things work and creating a sane sort of order
out of mostly chaos.

> I use sudo for all these things. I just create the
> buttons/launchers/menu and sometimes use yad or gxmessage, scripts etc.
> to do whatever I need. For suspend don't forget a double select or are
> you sure message to prevent accidental clicks. On xfce you can use arrow
> button position -> inside on a panel launcher. I haven't the time but
> have considered doing a distro just to show how easy it is to do what
> 99% of users need, better and much more securely.

Again, I don't disagree, but really there are much bigger fish to fry
for most things. If we DO get bogged down in the details, what else will
there be time to do? Sort of like how Debian becomes mired in the
discussion of detail about which fire extinguisher they should use
(organic, water based, traditional dry chemical, how much pressure to
use, if the new foaming retardants really work...) meanwhile the fire is
fully engulfing the house and being lost.

Remember your time is like a container... if you fill it with sand
first, you can't fit any rocks in it. But if you START with the large
rocks and then use sand in infill... you start to get the bigger things
done. But that is more the discussion for a different type of mailing
list.

> There was however a time when I tried to play ball and added
> 
> /usr/lib/xfce4/session/xfsm-shutdown-helper
> 
> to sudoers which got suspend and hibernate back with the shipped
> buttons. Not sure if that still works as I switched to fvwm and
> actually prefer standard setups that work everywhere and with the bonus
> of less code running as root
> 
> I used to use the mount plugin for xfce but now use gkrellm whose
> config is far less annoying to port from system to system. I find *conf
> systems trying to solve a non-existent problem and launchers without
> names nauseating.
> 
> > Now switching to GDM3 or other freedesktop compliant Display managers...
> > everything works.
> > 
> > I'm betting that is it.
> 
> I use fvwm1 and everything works. I use it mainly because it ships with
> OpenBSD and is audited and simple for anyone to use but because
> everything works and it's so fast and simple to lock down that I love
> it. fvwm2, xfce and freedesktop compliant desktop systems do
> pre-populate your menu which most users would want and works well but I
> actually find a menu with only what you want on, not to mention all
> sorts of new functions using yad and gxmessage to actually be far more
> useful once done, not to mention rock solid from upgrade to
> upgrade/install and yet easily changed. It would also be quite easy to
> create a script to dynamically create a menu if needed, though I would
> lock it down and use it as required personally.

I've used Enlightenment, FVWM, WindowMaker, LXDE, GNOME, KDE, CDE.

Of all my environments I've tried, GNOME V1.4 and KDE v1.1 are tied for
my favorite environments/window managers/etc

XFCE continues that methodology I've used for 16+ years and I really do
not expect or want to change. New interfaces are cumbersome to me,
because I've got muscle memory and keystroke memory, if I have to use
something else (I tried to switch to OSX and still try regularly) my
productivity goes in the crapper.

Again... XFCE gives me what I want and annoys me the least, while
providing the ability to run some GNOME programs with ease and allows me
to have 40+ xfce-terminals (4-5 windows with tabs) to do my work as a
Systems Admin.
-- 
greg at gregfolkert.net
PGP key 1024D/B524687C 2003-08-05
Fingerprint: E1D3 E3D7 5850 957E FED0 2B3A ED66 6971 B524 687C
"The great man is he who does not lose his child's-heart."
    -- Mencius
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