Window Maker is so bloody awesome!!!

[SirThom]

I can't get over it.
I had a really good experience with GNOME, an eh experience with KDE, and an even better experience with xfce (which I thought that I would stick with).
But then I installed Window Maker.
OMG BRILLIANT!!!

It has about 0 bloat, but still does cool stuff.
And it's quick! From the login screen it's not even 2 seconds to get my desktop up. And I have 7 docapps running.

I still have to find workarounds for a few things. Like I couldn't get a WiFi manager to come up, but if I run 'nm-applet' from shell, and control-C after a minute, it seems to connect me even though I don't see it working. Until something better comes around, I still have xfce for emergency repairs.

There is a screenshot below. Notice that there is no toolbar (there are toolbars available but nads to them). I opened some menus by right clicking and left them lying around the desktop. I got rid of the paper clip thing because it was annoying (theoretically a good idea but not for me . . . I use three desktops but what they are for changes regularly). The last item on my WMdoc (on the right) is a drawer which I have set up with icons (most of which I chose myself) to run things not coming up in the contextual menus for some reason. I have gretl, 4L-gui, k9copy, nm-applet (I'm soon be modding the login script to execute that and the screensaver engine when I log in), eject CD (the CD/DVD button is not cooperating for some reason), and on the bottom row, kfontview and Xfe file viewer (which is now showing up in my contextual menus so I may remove).

The 4L-gui I have to fix yet. It needs be run as super-user. I tried giving the command for that button (all the buttons I set up by modifying a text file) to be 'sudo 4L-gui,' 'xterm && 4L-gui' and 'xterm||sudo 4L-gui' but the first one does nothing and the second two bring up a terminal window and nothing else. I might write a script that consists of 'sudo 4L-gui' or 'xterm && sudo 4L-gui' and have it run one of those, but besides that I'm not sure what else to do. Does anyone have an idea?

http://i25.tinypic.com/15mcrj5.png

Anyway, if anyone enjoys the problem-solving side of playing with computers and wants something wicked-fast based on an amazing interface paradigm, then they should check out Window Maker.

[RiceMonster]

Glad you found something you really like. I use Openbox.

But anyway, you're probably going to want to autostart nm-applet when you log in, and you might want a tray so you can see it (I use stalonetray which works as a docapp, but there's also trayer). I don't know how to autostart apps in window maker, but I'm sure it's not hard. Do a little research. You may also want to use a gtk theme to make things look a little nicer (I recommend lxappearence for that).

Lastly, +1 for no panels. Who needs em?

[LaRoza]

Anyway, if anyone enjoys the problem-solving side of playing with computers and wants something wicked-fast based on an amazing interface paradigm, then they should check out Window Maker.

Tried it, it is just the same as KDE and GNOME, at least, to those who use tiling window managers!

[akiratheoni]

WHERE'S THE EYE CANDY ZOMGGGGGGGGG IT LOOKS UGLYYYY



I'm kidding. Glad to see you've found something else, I like Openbox but I might give Window Maker a try soon.

[SirThom]

Glad you found something you really like. I use Openbox.

But anyway, you're probably going to want to autostart nm-applet when you log in, and you might want a tray so you can see it (I use stalonetray which works as a docapp, but there's also trayer). I don't know how to autostart apps in window maker, but I'm sure it's not hard. Do a little research. You may also want to use a gtk theme to make things look a little nicer (I recommend lxappearence for that).

Lastly, +1 for no panels. Who needs em?

Someone on lj sent me a link that I haven't looked at but I think I only have to write a script, but it in a certain place, and make it executable.

I'm hesitant about the tray but I might install one and take a look. I think I have most of what I want to see in docapps, although I haven't quite gotten something to tell me the core temperatures working yet (this computer gets very hot so it's important to monitor that).

I think that I'm going to keep this theme. The black that fades subtly to a dark grey goes well with my background and represents my personal philosophy of stripping bloat to use CPU cycles for the programmes and not the operating system. I run a lot of mathematical simulations and statistical applications on my machine (no video games), and I prefer it to run like a Ferrari (minimalist in design and built to the highest standards for racetrack performance), not a blinged out SUV with cup holders, window defrosters, air conditioner, GPS nav, DVD player, ground effects lighting, etc.

[FFighter]

I can't get over it.
I had a really good experience with GNOME, an eh experience with KDE, and an even better experience with xfce (which I thought that I would stick with).
But then I installed Window Maker.
OMG BRILLIANT!!!

It has about 0 bloat, but still does cool stuff.
And it's quick! From the login screen it's not even 2 seconds to get my desktop up. And I have 7 docapps running.

I still have to find workarounds for a few things. Like I couldn't get a WiFi manager to come up, but if I run 'nm-applet' from shell, and control-C after a minute, it seems to connect me even though I don't see it working. Until something better comes around, I still have xfce for emergency repairs.

There is a screenshot below. Notice that there is no toolbar (there are toolbars available but nads to them). I opened some menus by right clicking and left them lying around the desktop. I got rid of the paper clip thing because it was annoying (theoretically a good idea but not for me . . . I use three desktops but what they are for changes regularly). The last item on my WMdoc (on the right) is a drawer which I have set up with icons (most of which I chose myself) to run things not coming up in the contextual menus for some reason. I have gretl, 4L-gui, k9copy, nm-applet (I'm soon be modding the login script to execute that and the screensaver engine when I log in), eject CD (the CD/DVD button is not cooperating for some reason), and on the bottom row, kfontview and Xfe file viewer (which is now showing up in my contextual menus so I may remove).

The 4L-gui I have to fix yet. It needs be run as super-user. I tried giving the command for that button (all the buttons I set up by modifying a text file) to be 'sudo 4L-gui,' 'xterm && 4L-gui' and 'xterm||sudo 4L-gui' but the first one does nothing and the second two bring up a terminal window and nothing else. I might write a script that consists of 'sudo 4L-gui' or 'xterm && sudo 4L-gui' and have it run one of those, but besides that I'm not sure what else to do. Does anyone have an idea?

http://i25.tinypic.com/15mcrj5.png

Anyway, if anyone enjoys the problem-solving side of playing with computers and wants something wicked-fast based on an amazing interface paradigm, then they should check out Window Maker.

It looks ugly

[LaRoza]

It looks ugly

Using what criteria? It is uncluttered.

A window manager should, IMO, manage windows and not be a show in itself.

wmii is a better wm than Window Maker, and it is plainer but more functional and more beautiful. No, it isn't a video game like GNOME/KDE with its constant shuffling and resizing of windows by the user, but a killer manager of windows.

[wrtpeeps]

xfce4 is both good looking and uncluttered.

[mips]

Still reminds me of NeXTSTEP

[regomodo]

Looks a bit '97ish. I'll stick with JWM thanks.