Install i3 on Ubuntu Server

# echo "deb http://debian.sur5r.net/i3/ $(lsb_release -c -s) universe" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
# apt-get update        // don't worry error messages at this stage
# apt-get --allow-unauthenticated install sur5r-keyring
# apt-get update
# apt-get install xinit
# apt-get install i3
# apt-get install tilda  // a light-weight terminal
# useradd -m chad
# su - chad
$ startx

Quit i3 and edit ~/.i3/config, specify tilda as the default termial:

bindsym $mod+Return exec tilda

Start i3 again, you can use $mod+Return to start tilda window now.

Make executable searchable by dmenu

Add PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin" into ~/.zshenv. For example:

cat << EOF > ~/.local/bin/chrom
export http_proxy=https://localhost:1080
export https_proxy=https://localhost:1080
chromium-browser
EOF

chmod 755 ~/.local/bin/chrom

Now chrom will appear in dmenu's list.

"warning: no locale support" error in dmenu

If the shortcut for dmenu $mod+d not work, start dmenu_run in console. If it returns "warning: no locale support" and quit, add export LC_ALL="en_US.UTF-8" into /usr/bin/dmenu_run and that's all.

Verified on 2018.7.19, i3wm, Ubuntu Server 16.04.

Install i3 on a Host can't access Internet

1. Install i3 on a Ubuntu Server VM;

2. copy the /var/cache/apt/archives folder of this VM to the blocked host;

3. On blocked host:

   cd /var/cache/apt/archives

   dpkg -i *.deb

In the future if you want install something else (say, firefox), move all deb files in another folder, than apt-get install firefox, then copy all deb files in archives folder to the blocked host, than dpkg -i *.deb again.

Install i3 on a H3C blocked Host

This is the best method among these three. It's easy and fast to install, easy to switch back to desktop environment. If you already has data on the disk, they will be kept.

Install a full version Linux (include Desktop environment to install i3 online), only i386 version can work with H3C now. Only live DVDs which can install without internet can work here

Here I use Mint Xfce.

1. Install Mint Xfce with LiveDVD without Internet;

2. After installation, login, get online with firefox, install H3C client, and run:

   echo "deb http://debian.sur5r.net/i3/ $(lsb_release -c -s) universe" >> /etc/apt/sources.list

   apt-get update // don't worry error messages at this stage

   apt-get --allow-unauthenticated install sur5r-keyring

   apt-get update

   apt-get install i3 // dmenu and i3lock will be installed together

   useradd -m chad

   passwd chad

   vi /boot/grub/grub.cfg // add "text" after "quiet splash"

Reboot, login as chad, run:

$ echo "exec i3" > ~/.xinitrc
$ startx

To enable ibus-pinyin, $mod+D: ibus-setup.

To add a "green" application in dmenu, say "~/apps/eclipse-java-juno-SR2/eclipse", edit ~/.zshrc, add its path:

export PATH=$PATH:/home/chad/apps/eclipse-java-juno-SR2

then quit i3 ($mod+Shift+e), run

$ source ~/.zshrc
$ startx

Now you can see "eclipse" in dmenu.