- This topic has 21 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated Oct 14-5:52 pm by ModdIt.
-
Posts
-
blur13
Hi BobC,
Alt+Shift+F2 Tile Windows Vertical
Alt+Shift+F3 Tile Windows HorizontalWhat action do you have mapped to this? Is it a custom shell script? (Alt+Shift+F2 launches gExec for me)
If it does tile all windows that would be very interesting to take part of.
blur13
@ModdIt
Thanks, I’ll search the forums for ICE tips. I agree with you, I too get entrenched in ICE because of all the tweaks I have been gradually adding, to the point where a fresh install of antiX feels almost useless. I’ve tried tiling WMs but couldnt stick to it long enough for it to be useful. The downside is that there is no way of knowing if the first WM you happen to familiarize yourself with is the best one, so evaluating at least a couple would be beneficial. Thats really no different with how it is with operating systems. If entrenched knowledge dictated choice I’d still be using Windows, or Linux Mint.. On the other hand, you do reach a point where the marginal benefit of switching to a new alternative is not worth the marginal cost.
ModdIt
Definitely agree there is no way of knowing if the first WM you happen to familiarize yourself with is the best one, so evaluating at least a couple would
be beneficial. I changed distro and desktop many times over the years. Only desktop I intensly dislike is slug gnome. Unity came close to that for being
unstable bloated and restrictive. Like windoze It makes the user work for the computer.I still support a couple of users with XFCE on MX, it feels very slow on identical hardware compared to ice on antiX, tiling seemed no real advantage as
setup to start applications on dedicated desktops with window size and position fixed, just move between desktops. Even on my wimpy netbook that works fine.
Fluxbox is very good and highly extensible, speed stability and memory usage about the same as ice. Different so swings and roundabouts as to which to use.- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by ModdIt. Reason: shortened for clarity, I hope
blur13
Agree with Xfce being way slower than just using a WM. I started out with Linux Mint running the Xfce DE because it was supposed to be light weight. Since I’m using a netbook from 2012 with 750 MiB of memory that was a key factor. Back then I didn’t know the difference between a DE and a WM (still not sure if I do), but it was refreshing when I discovered antiX and realized that a simple WM will do all I ever wanted to do in Xfce, and more! Now I have also dispensed with ROX in favor of nnn file manager (ncurses based), way faster and lower footprint. Switched firefox for qutebrowser (web browser that can be navigated entirely using the keyboard). So now I never really have to use the mouse anymore. I feel like a pro hacker, even though I’m not.
BobC
I liked the concept of tiling at some point when I used an editor called Brief back in 1987 to edit many files at once under DOS 6. That was certainly better than a single window. DeskView was an improvement allowing multiple floating DOS windows that could be placed and sized wherever on the screen.
PS: Try Midnight commander (mc) as your terminal based file manager
I see tiled windows as an unimproved windowing system, basically limiting how I can use my screens. Yes, I’ve tried different tiling WM’s and IceWM’s tiled setup, but they lack the flexibility that antiX’s IceWM setup has with WinGrid including the Center, Zoom, Shrink, Grow and Maximize with have been added, in concert with IceWM’s standard WinArrange, both hooked to the numeric keypad rose, and IceWM’s ability to open designated apps in optionally designated workspaces with designated size, position and other attributes is a much more efficient setup, that allows you to define a windowing “scheme” that provides the most efficient for the tasks you use your computer for. Many Moddit threads and posts are oriented towards improving the workflow by tweaking the setups.
When you add in the ability to startup designated apps, and its builtin toolbar, a simple and efficient launcher, of all the WM’s available, IceWM makes my life the easiest, and works even on old, slow, memory constrained systems without any noticeable delays. The only lackings I see are the inability to track menu and toolbar options used, which would make simple self tuning possible, and lack of easy to use, built in, setup programs for the startup, toolbar and keys.
We have to use external scripts or edit the setup files with an editor, which is fine for the programmer types like me out there, but not for non-programmers. People like PPC have come up with add on’s to help, but it would be nice if these tools were more comprehensive.
I read IceWM has tiling options, and I think I tried it at some point. Its controlled in preferences.
from: https://raymii.org/s/blog/Using_IceWM_and_sharing_my_config_and_tips_tricks.html
Window Snapping / Expose / TilingI like the Window Snapping feature of KDE (and Windows), so I’ve configured the following shortcuts in my .icewm/keys file:
key “Alt+Left” icesh -f left top sizeto 50% 100%
key “Alt+Right” icesh -f right top sizeto 50% 100%This allows me to press Alt plus an arrow key to get a window resized exactly to half the screen, either left or right.
If it doesn’t work, make sure the window is not maximized (press ALT+F10).
My tiling window manager of choice is Awesome, but to my surprise IceWM has two built-in keyboard shortcuts to tile windows:
# Tiles all windows from top to bottom maximized horizontally.
# KeySysTileHorizontal=”Alt+Shift+F3″# Tiles all windows from left to right maximized vertically.
# KeySysTileVertical=”Alt+Shift+F2″You learn a lot when you read through the config files.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by BobC.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by BobC.
olsztyn
XFCE on MX, it feels very slow on identical hardware compared to ice on antiX, tiling seemed no real advantage as
setup to start applications on dedicated desktops with window size and position fixed, just move between desktops. Even on my wimpy netbook that works fine.
Fluxbox is very good and highly extensible, speed stability and memory usage about the same as ice. Different so swings and roundabouts as to which to use.In my opinion XFCE does not provide any material advantage over IceWM the way IceWM is implemented in antiX, just on the contrary. XFCE is way heavier and slower and no material benefits to offer. I am not even touching on other bloated desktops.
It is disappointing that after so many years Linux continues to be stagnant in sticking to a few bloated old DEs, with no visible effort to design really functional and slim ones. DE should not in itself the goal of Linux system’s existence. They are currently designed for the look and to lock users into their selfish way. Everything else, such as functionality and performance does not matter in the minds of developers of these DEs.
It should be the other way round – the purpose of DE should be purely functionality, an enabler of system’s usefulness.
WMs as implemented in antiX, are serving such fundamental purpose much better.
A challenge though is keeping these useful WMs such as IceWM or Fluxbox actually working in a stable and rock solid reliable, keeping pace in constantly evolving Linux environment.
Their vulnerability to programs and themes should be a concern seriously taken into account. Such as drop-down menus no longer working on Chrome/Chromium in IceWM and Fluxbox after recent updates can be attributed to themes but so far no thoughts offered why the same themes work perfectly with drop-down menus in tiled WMs, such as JWM, DWM and Herbstluftwm.
Considering the apparent lack of any significant development effort to keep these light WMs rock solid and reliable with changing Linux landscape I learned the hard way – to test thoroughly every update before you commit to it with your ‘production’ system…
Just MHO…- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by olsztyn.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by olsztyn.
Live antiX Boot Options (Previously posted by Xecure):
https://antixlinuxfan.miraheze.org/wiki/Table_of_antiX_Boot_ParametersRegarding Icewm, it is regularly updated, last release. a very short time ago. A lot of effort is put in to keep it reliable.
I checked the bug list at Git Hub https://github.com/bbidulock/icewm/issues nothing really fits to present problem.To be fair we also have to look at the plugin situation, we can either have a lot of theme choice and some risk of problems or
a very small choice tested and approved.Interesting is chrome being involved, I had issues with ungoogled chromium until last update, those included full desktop freezing
especialy on the forum, now it seems ok. So is the problem theme or chromium driven, I suspect chrome/chromium.I can change themes a few times tomorrow and see if anything happens but will not replace ungoogled chromium.
Just saw post by anticapitalista, issue is known and reported bug in Chrome Chromium.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by ModdIt.
- This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by ModdIt.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
