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View Full Version : If you use a laptop, try using a tiling window manager



hessiess
February 8th, 2009, 12:25 PM
The mice built into most laptops are, quite frankly, awful. This mackes it nesoserry to carry around an external mouse, which wastes bag space and is easy to lose.

Tiling window managers are superior on laptops because they almost totally remove the need for a mouse, especially when combined with a few other applications, i.e. Vimperator.

sujoy
February 8th, 2009, 01:11 PM
long time xmonad user here. use it on my laptop. the desktop though, usually runs openbox, with a bit of stumpwm thrown in at times.

tiling window managers are a joy to use, specially with console apps. gimp kinda freaks out though...

Namtabmai
February 8th, 2009, 01:26 PM
gimp kinda freaks out though...

You can try running Gimp using Xnest, it might help but possibly may look cramped in a tiling window manager.

RiceMonster
February 8th, 2009, 04:02 PM
I use a laptop, but I don't like tiling window managers. Using a touchpad is not that bad, IMO, even though I use an external mouse 90% of the time (the other 10% being when I take it out somewhere). I don't like tiling window managers, because I almost never want my windows to tile, and the rare occasion I do makes them a waste of time. Most of them don't have a system tray (which I can't live without) and adding one is awkward. The only one I've used that has a system tray is awesome, but configuring it is a pain, which rings true for most tiling window managers. The only thing I use the keyboard for in regards to window management is moving and resizing windows, anyway. I can get enough keyboard control in Openbox or Xfce.

3rdalbum
February 8th, 2009, 04:03 PM
The mice built into most laptops are, quite frankly, awful.

The trackpad on the Acer Aspire One is pretty rocking; it's very sharp and sensitive.

You know what I do though? I use Maximus. It automatically maximises any windows that can be maximised. That's the most efficient use of your screen space, especially if you generally drag and drop between programs.

sujoy
February 9th, 2009, 05:08 PM
You can try running Gimp using Xnest, it might help but possibly may look cramped in a tiling window manager.

yea well, i usually run it in a floating layout in xmonad, so no worries about that, its just that all apps doesnt play well with tiling, mostly the ones with pop up windows.

Bölvağur
February 9th, 2009, 05:26 PM
I really hate firefox in tiling window managers. I found me a plugin for mouseless browsing, but it is'nt as sharp as I'd hope :( but am able to live with it. But the real problem is with the download dialog which I am unable to close :D

sharathpaps
February 9th, 2009, 05:32 PM
Duh!! <very embarrassed>

What exactly is a tiling window manager? I use a laptop and though I've not had major problems using the touchpad, I'd like to make it easier in any way I can...

&
especially when combined with a few other applications, i.e. Vimperator.

what is Vimperator?


If it isn't apparent enough...I'm still learning the ropes with Ubuntu :D

Thanks

Dr Small
February 9th, 2009, 05:43 PM
Duh!! <very embarrassed>

What exactly is a tiling window manager? I use a laptop and though I've not had major problems using the touchpad, I'd like to make it easier in any way I can...

&
especially when combined with a few other applications, i.e. Vimperator.

what is Vimperator?


If it isn't apparent enough...I'm still learning the ropes with Ubuntu :D

Thanks
Vimperator adds a Vim like interface and keyboard shortcuts to Firefox.

hessiess
February 9th, 2009, 05:57 PM
What exactly is a tiling window manager?


A application which manages windows so that they are non-overlapping, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiling_window_manager.

sujoy
February 9th, 2009, 06:39 PM
I really hate firefox in tiling window managers. I found me a plugin for mouseless browsing, but it is'nt as sharp as I'd hope :( but am able to live with it. But the real problem is with the download dialog which I am unable to close :D

i use the custom download manager plugin. Press C-y and you have the downloads in a tab instead of a popup :)

EDIT: also most tiling WMs have a kill client keybinding. mod-shift-c in both awesome and xmonad

Foster Grant
February 9th, 2009, 06:45 PM
The mice built into most laptops are, quite frankly, awful. This mackes it nesoserry to carry around an external mouse, which wastes bag space and is easy to lose.

Tiling window managers are superior on laptops because they almost totally remove the need for a mouse, especially when combined with a few other applications, i.e. Vimperator.

For you, anyway. Not for me.

I use a trackball when I'm in my office and I don't mind the touchpad at all. At some point, I need to figure out how to enable multitouch support. Surprised they didn't throw that into KDE 4 along with everything else.

smartboyathome
February 9th, 2009, 06:58 PM
No thanks, I'm fine with my E17 setup. Using it as it is now, I hardly need a keyboard. Never really saw a use for it other than typing. :P

Anyway, if I really did want to try out tiling, E17 has a tiling module, so I could try it without leaving E17. As it is though, I'm happy with my setup, so why change it? ;)

Nepherte
February 9th, 2009, 07:16 PM
I'd think tiling window managers make much more sense on big screens, as opposed to small laptop screens. Big screens mean more room and much more possible waste of empty space on your desktop, something a tiling window manager could resolve.

kk0sse54
February 9th, 2009, 09:49 PM
I love tiling wm's I have Xmonad, DWM, and Awesome set up with my three set ups (along with KDE 4 on a few, each has their place ;) ). Their fast, efficient, and extremely customizable although they are definitely not for everyone, especially those who hate to tinker with things.

kerry_s
February 9th, 2009, 10:12 PM
i would rather go with a tabbing window manager if i needed the space, fluxbox would be at the top of my list there.
i prefer jwm, for everyday use.

strungoutfromtheroad
February 27th, 2009, 06:25 AM
Check out this thread for tiling windows http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1054471&highlight=tile+windows

ynnhoj
February 27th, 2009, 07:24 AM
I'd think tiling window managers make much more sense on big screens, as opposed to small laptop screens. Big screens mean more room and much more possible waste of empty space on your desktop, something a tiling window manager could resolve.
good point. though it's easy enough to change the tiling mode so that every window takes up the full screen; then you cycle through all of your apps with a hotkey. (ie: ratpoison's default behaviour..)

chucky chuckaluck
February 27th, 2009, 09:20 AM
i went through a period of using tiling window managers, but have returned to using openbox. tiling wms are great for terminal apps, but as has been pointed out before, not so great for something like gimp (they turn gimp into an etch-a-sketch). i also don't like...sorry, make that can't asterisking stand vimperator. screen is a good alternative to a tiling wm.

adamlau
February 27th, 2009, 09:33 AM
I do not prefer tiling WMs for small screens. JWM + keybindings work well for me on my laptop.

fwojciec
February 27th, 2009, 11:39 AM
I'd think tiling window managers make much more sense on big screens, as opposed to small laptop screens. Big screens mean more room and much more possible waste of empty space on your desktop, something a tiling window manager could resolve.

This is true, but they also work great on tiny screens, for example on netbooks, since you can easily configure them to maximize all apps by default (with exceptions configured for apps that don't like it, of course). I use dwm with monocle count patch on my netbook, and I like it better than anything else I've tried on this computer (on my desktop I still prefer openbox, for example).

hessiess
February 28th, 2009, 10:16 AM
Personally I just treet the stacking airia in DWM somewhat like the taskbar, only more useful as you can also interact with applications in it, espetilly on widescreen monitors where the space would normally go to waste anyway.

Nepherte
February 28th, 2009, 02:21 PM
I'd think tiling window managers make much more sense on big screens, as opposed to small laptop screens. Big screens mean more room and much more possible waste of empty space on your desktop, something a tiling window manager could resolve.
I've always been intrigued by tiling window managers though. Last week I took the plunge and installed xmonad on my desktop. I'm still not done with configuring it to my needs but I'm getting closer. I might as well try it on my laptop too.

Giant Speck
February 28th, 2009, 02:24 PM
I don't mean to offend people that prefer tiling window managers, but I simply hate them. I love using the mouse. It's like my best friend. Giving up the mouse to using only the keyboard sounds as absurd [to me, mind you] as giving up the keyboard to using only voice commands.

ynnhoj
February 28th, 2009, 02:54 PM
I don't mean to offend people that prefer tiling window managers, but I simply hate them. I love using the mouse. It's like my best friend. Giving up the mouse to using only the keyboard sounds as absurd [to me, mind you] as giving up the keyboard to using only voice commands.
different strokes, eh! i find the mouse clumsy; it can often be more frustrating than useful. i'd be quite happy if i never had to take my hands off of the keyboard :P

Giant Speck
February 28th, 2009, 02:59 PM
different strokes, eh! i find the mouse clumsy; it can often be more frustrating than useful. i'd be quite happy if i never had to take my hands off of the keyboard :P

I love the mouse. I feel I have a lot of control using the mouse.

Now, a trackpad? No way. I hate trackpads. They are probably the least useful laptop feature ever.

thisllub
March 1st, 2009, 11:25 PM
i went through a period of using tiling window managers, but have returned to using openbox. tiling wms are great for terminal apps, but as has been pointed out before, not so great for something like gimp (they turn gimp into an etch-a-sketch). i also don't like...sorry, make that can't asterisking stand vimperator. screen is a good alternative to a tiling wm.

With variations of the following in your rc.xml, window positioning in Openbox can be precise and based in a simple key combination.

Logic dictates that the best window management is that you can place any window where you want it and size it to a particular size to fit.

I have shortcuts for positioning in each corner of my 3 monitors and resizing to near full or half screen sizes.
I get close enough to my optimum layouts without the need for a mouse or the restrictions of a tiling WM.



<keybind key="W-w">
<action name="MoveResizeTo">
<monitor>1</monitor>
<height>1000</height>
<width>1200</width>
<x>+0</x>
<y>+0</y>
</action>
</keybind>

kk0sse54
March 1st, 2009, 11:58 PM
i would rather go with a tabbing window manager if i needed the space, fluxbox would be at the top of my list there.
i prefer jwm, for everyday use.

Xmonad has a tab layout which I find to be quite great

imag1narynumber
March 7th, 2009, 04:30 PM
I really hate firefox in tiling window managers. I found me a plugin for mouseless browsing, but it is'nt as sharp as I'd hope :( but am able to live with it. But the real problem is with the download dialog which I am unable to close :D

I agree that mouseless browsing is pretty crummy. However I use Download Statusbar for the Firefox downloads dialog. Works great! The All-in-One Sidebar thing is crap, though.

init1
March 7th, 2009, 05:00 PM
I have a laptop, but I don't mind using the trackpad. I tried using Vimperator once, but I found it a pain to use. I'd rather just use a mouse.

kk0sse54
March 7th, 2009, 06:13 PM
I really hate firefox in tiling window managers. I found me a plugin for mouseless browsing, but it is'nt as sharp as I'd hope but am able to live with it. But the real problem is with the download dialog which I am unable to close

Download dialog from firefox poses no problems at all in tiling wm's. You just close it like you would any other window.