there any major differences between the straight Xfce in Ubuntu and Xubuntu?

Xubuntu tends to have lighter apps, e.g. has Abiword and
Gnumeric instead of Open Office. These suit a 'lighter' (older) spec boxes.

I have just added the latter together with Xfce to Ubuntu Mint and made
Xfce the default.
Picked up my wifi without too much trouble

Is there a way to put icons on the desktop in Xubuntu? With XFCE in
Ubuntu, I have to log into Gnome to put icons on the desktop for use in
XFCE.

I'm learning to really like the "retro look" of XFCE on my back up
machine. It looks like it is from the mid 1990's. I installed a
Netscape 4x looking theme in Firefox to complete the look.

I'd be grateful if you could put me right on these differences. If i
recall correctly having installed ubuntu, i could add xfce environment
two ways. First, from synaptic install xubuntu from meta packages
which added some of the XFCE apps like Abiword. Second, if one did a
search on XFCE and added all environment packages only. In this case i
had what i wanted which was the Ubuntu apps and a few KDE like Kate
editor.

However, i was using Edgy 6.10 and it could have been different from
Dapper or Feisty.

I'd be grateful if you could put me right on these differences. If I
recall correctly having installed ubuntu, I could add xfce environment
two ways. First, from synaptic install xubuntu from meta packages
which added some of the XFCE apps like Abiword. Second, if one did a
search on XFCE and added all environment packages only. In this case I
had what i wanted which was the Ubuntu apps and a few KDE like Kate
editor. <<


However, i was using Edgy 6.10 and it could have been different from
Dapper or Feisty. <<

Well I am not certain about the former, I wish I had understood that
earlier myself. Could you explain that way?
It was the latter which I used and added the packages separately. (
900MHz /192 Mb runs very well)

Assuming you are using 6.10 onwards (6.06 didn't have it) if you go
into synaptic look down the list of packages you'll come across
meta-packages > Xubuntu-desktop & Kubuntu-desktop are there. Sorry i
can't check as my linux machine is in the middle of a rebuild - i'm at
the stage where i'm putting all data on a external drive and
rebuilding both machines now that i've taken the step to do make linux
my main machine... winblows in reserve just in case.

I've found it in the LH margin, now I can see I am
missing one routine which may put some other problems right. G.L with
the backup.

Let me know if that solves the problem. I don't claim to be expert but
it's nice to know if one has helped.