laptop ASUS N550JV lubuntu 13.10 amd64 alternate installation (encrypted Win7 & lvm-encrypted lubuntu) linux 3.11.0-12-generic xfce4 4.10.1 xfce4-goodies 4.10 synaptic 0.80.2 New installation of lubuntu 13.10, installed using the alternate installer to allow easier setup of dual boot with encryption. Installed xfce4 and xfce4-goodies metapackages on top. Able to launch synaptic package manager from the Applications menu in lubuntu sessions normally. However, UNABLE to launch synaptic from the Applications menu in xfce sessions. When click on the synaptic link in the drop-down menu, nothing happens. Able to launch the synaptic GUI in xfce sessions by running gksudo synaptic in terminal. (I previously experienced the exact same problem with a prior attempt of a clean install of the same lubuntu, but with the xfce4 and xubuntu-desktop metapackages, instead of the xfce4 and xfce4-goodies metapackages.) Solution was described here (discussing inability to launch synaptic from menu in lubuntu desktop based on minimal install): http://askubuntu.com/questions/162011/synaptic-wont-launch-from-menu-in-panel-in-fresh-lubuntu-minimal-desktop-12-04 Solution is to install: policy-1-gnome package
This is not a bug in xfdesktop, it's in fact something that packagers should fix for Lubuntu.