Favorite Linux Desktop?

[Member BobC]

Maybe I am stuck in the 90’s liking IceWM. Somebody convince me there is something better 🙂

I see there is a poll going at:

https://www.slant.co/topics/390/~best-window-managers-for-linux

Some of the top rated ones I have tried and maybe they look “nice”, but needed lots of machine (ie ram and cpu), and I’m not sure there is any value in that for me.

DWM and Herbstluftwm seem interesting, but not sure I could configure them.

[Moderator masinick]

Desktop Environment preferred:
Xfce.

Window Manager preferred when not using a desktop environment: Icewm.

Both are relatively easy to use and moderate in resource usage.

Brian Masinick

[Moderator masinick]

Bobc: using IceWM is fine. Customization is easy, and unless you have a reason to use tightly connected resources, it is debatable what you gain.

Brian Masinick

[Forum Admin dolphin_oracle]

fluxbox when I’m running antiX. I don’t know why, but I’ve always found fluxbox my thing. Probably about like the OP likes icewm. 🙂

Xfce when I’m on MX.

[Member mowest]

Fluxbox in AntiX otherwise I have enjoyed MATE on the Ubuntu MATE spin. I know that Fluxbox is not considered a DE but a WM however, because of the additional work done by the AntiX developers fluxbox feels like a DE in AntiX. DE’s provide “built-in” functionality like wireless connection management, file management, application launchers, graphical tools to tweak the system settings, and auto mounting of media. AntiX developers have done an amazing job of bringing together a variety of tools so that when you boot up AntiX you don’t feel like you just have a WM, but instead if feels like a full DE.

[Member sleekmason]

Fluxbox for years now. I’ve tried different WM’s and always come back. antiX got it right with their choices. Ice would be #2 for me:)

[Member BobC]

Anyone got a nice looking and efficient working setup for DWM or Herbstluftwm? I don’t have any big complaints about IceWM except that I seem to spend a lot of time rearranging so I can copy/paste when trying to edit code…

What I would like would be if I started with a split vertical window, with tabs above or below, and was able to open a tab on either side, and zoom in/out of the one on either side either to like a 7/8 zoom or full screen.

PS: I do also like to be able to drag floating windows around, so I guess I’m looking for a hybrid of a split window with pop out zoom windows that can then be popped back in or monkeys with…

Any ideas?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by BobC.

[Member ohh]

I used flux, then ice and back to flux. I like the minimalist look and feel of it.

cheers,
ohh

Every matter requires prior knowledge.

- Du Mu
The Art of War

[Member bobbiecb]

For most of us the best one is probably the one we’re most used to using.

I like xfce rather than a WM if possible. It’s much easier to add icons to desktop, taskbar, etc, and to personalize. But xfce has one bug they haven’t fixed for years which is kind of serious to many people. The system moves around your desktop icons to wherever it feels like at random times. I definitely don’t want my desktop messed with like that.

Of course, xfce consumes more hardware resources than WM’s like Icewm, etc. That’s where the antiX developers have done such a wonderful job, giving people the choice of 3 WM’s right off the bat.

I feel comfortable and like using Icewm and other WMs, but I’m not sure the clients I fix up PCs for would.

[Forum Admin Dave]

Fluxbox… it stays out of the way and has loads of usefulness in options. Then configure keyboard shortcuts for the fluxbox window management for full screen, half screen, minimized and cycling / opening etc. Much quicker than the mouse!

Example.
Control Alt T opens terminal
Control Alt enter maximizes / reduces
Control Shift left half screen left side
Control Shift right half screen right side
Control Shift down half screen bottom
Control Shift up half screen top
Control Shift enter minimize
Alt tab cycle
Alt f4 close
Etc etc

Computers are like air conditioners. They work fine until you start opening Windows. ~Author Unknown

[Member BobC]

Dave, I have to say the Half screen options sound like what I’m asking for. I do dread changing window managers, though. I have to use MS-Windoze crap all day, so I like something totally comfortable to use at night…

I looked in the IceWM manual and it looks like you can control the position or size things when they open but I don’t see a way to move them around with the keyboard once opened. I see the feature was requested in 2007 but never created. Actually, it would be neat if it was |< and >| control buttons on the window, similar to the rollup shade, but a half shade. Oh well, not something I’m capable of programming, that’s for sure.

I’ll try to figure it out… I guess I could try to create a Fluxbox setup similar to my IceWM setup with window re-arrangement keys added.

[Moderator fatmac]

I’ve used Fluxbox/Openbox most of my time on Linux & BSD, not a Desktop Environment, but a very usable Window Manager, & I use applications, so don’t have a need for all that fancy stuff people put on their desktops.

A simple right click menu & plain (usually black) background – the time & date in the toolbar is convenient, but not totally necessary. 🙂

Linux (& BSD) since 1999

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

I used to be a fluxbox user for many years, but now I use herbstluftm – a tiling window manager.
I find using a tiler better suits my workflow than a stacker.

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member BobC]

I switched my main system to fluxbox. I really miss my minimize all and start buttons, and my Wifi, Mixer, Screenshot, Terminal, Browser and File Manager buttons too.

Quite a learning curve just to USE fluxbox. I need to read the manual for this one.

[Member mroot]

Fluxbox. I like the look and feel. The ability to customize is great too. Also there are no regressions. KDE added tabbed windows and in the next version removed them which isn’t great if you incorporated them into your workflow. I think mowest’s comment is right on too.

I know that Fluxbox is not considered a DE but a WM however, because of the additional work done by the AntiX developers fluxbox feels like a DE in AntiX. DE’s provide “built-in” functionality like wireless connection management, file management, application launchers, graphical tools to tweak the system settings, and auto mounting of media. AntiX developers have done an amazing job of bringing together a variety of tools so that when you boot up AntiX you don’t feel like you just have a WM, but instead if feels like a full DE.

In most distros fluxbox isn’t available in a usable form. Yes the package is there but you need to do quite a bit of work to get it to a usable form. In AntiX it’s complete. You can modify it if you want to but you don’t need to.

-mroot

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