You may be in luck. I've created a 'tde-base' meta-package that allows users to install only the libs/deps tdelibs and tdebase (as well as twin- crystal that I refuse to do without). I will try a 'tde-base' install after my next build run and evaluate what is there.

By "base" install, I mean all tde* packages. That is, nothing from applications. I use "core" to describe only up to tdebase and not installing the remaining base tde* packages.

Another test I've wanted to conduct is using Trinity only with a keyboard. To try to understand various accessibility problems.

One element I dislike about Firefox is I can't access the Bookmarks Toolbar with the keyboard. I wonder how many such examples exist in Trinity.

Darrell