Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Hardware/Software - Window Manager
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HyperLamer
Posts: 3225/8210 |
I was actually planning to try to make a simple shell replacement, but I also intend to release the components separately for those who only want to change the taskbar/file browser/whatever. (You'd still have the original shell running, just with its taskbar hidden and a new one in its place, or a different program associated with folders, or whatever.) That probably won't be for a while, though.
As far as various buttons for shading, minimizing to an icon box, etc, I might look into hooking the titlebar drawing code to put extra buttons on (user chooses which, and all options are also available from the context menu), if not it'll probably just be a hacky kinda one like the program I made before. (Come to think of it, those could be some cool features to add to it.  ) |
Rydain
Posts: 464/738 |
Generally speaking, sending something to the iconbox works just like minimizing it in Windows. You click the appropriate icon on the window's title bar (or select the appropriate option from the menu you get when right-clicking the title bar), and there it goes. Xfce can be configured so you can minimize a window by double-clicking the title bar, too. I wouldn't be surprised if Litestep has an iconbox feature...but it would be nifty to be able to replace the taskbar with one without having to install an entirely different shell. 
Minimized applications in Blackbox are accessed through the Workspace List entry of the root menu. Middle-clicking on the desktop brings up the workspace list by itself. (Interestingly enough, I just discovered that middle-clicking does the same thing in Xfce as well!)
I forgot to mention that many window managers allow you to shade windows, which works just like the shade feature in Winamp. This is another method of saving screen real estate and temporarily getting things out of the way. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 3223/8210 |
How exactly does this IconBox work? You like drag the window into it? Could be a fun project to work on for Windows. I was already planning on making a replacement taskbar when I get a bit better at C (made one in VB, slow as hell of course  ), it could be neat to include some of these other styles as well.
The menu in BlackBox... I assume it's just like a really small taskbar, that instead of showing the windows in it, you click it and get a menu of them? I can see that being useful... |
Rydain
Posts: 463/738 |
Originally posted by HyperHacker
Every OS I've seen except the various Mac ones use a taskbar... What other sorts of systems are popular? It could be neat to use something different.
Windows taskbar functionality falls into multiple categories and many of the alternative interface styles use different features to handle each, so I'll address the types of functionality separately.
Launching applications
Root menu - This menu appears when you click on the desktop. Enlightenment, Xfce, and Blackbox have this. (It's probably in other minimalist window managers as well.) Enlightenment and Xfce's can be hierarchical like the Windows Start menu. (Blackbox's probably has that feature too, but I've never messed around with it, just seen Rando use it.)
Dock-like icons - You can put these on Xfce's launcher panel. Each icon can have an optional popup menu attached to it, which can be a helpful space saver. For instance, you can put your browser, email client, LiveJournal client, etc. underneath a single INTARWEB icon.
Hiding and keeping track of windows
Loads o' desktop space - This and a taskbar are not mutually exclusive, but I'm going to mention it anyway because it gives you options for managing your stuff that can make a taskbar less important (or, in my case, just plain useless). At work, I find that the Windows 2000 taskbar is essential because I usually have a buttload of stuff full-screened and it all overlaps, so it's easiest to click on an item in the taskbar when I need to bring it to the front instead of trying to dig it out from underneath a bunch of other crap. With four desktops on my home machine, I have plenty of space to spread out applications that take up tons of screen real estate. For instance, Firefox is on my main desktop, and I have a text editor on the second and Gimp on the third. I know where everything is, so instead of using a taskbar to get to various applications, I just switch desktops.
Iconbox - Think of this as a storage chest for your windows. You put things in the box and then retrieve them when you want to use them again. Enlightenment has one by default. Xfce has an optional one (which can also function in a more taskbar-ish sense if you tell it to show all open applications - I don't do this because I don't need to know where everything is at all times).
Menu - In Blackbox, when you hide a window, it disappears, and you select it from a menu to get it back. |
Jesper
Posts: 1947/2390 |
The closest thing for -window- management is Expos
FreeDOS
Posts: 1095/1657 |
Program Manager (yuck) 
There's a dock thing that's in Mac OS X and CDE (various Unices, like Solaris) and XFCE. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 3199/8210 |
Every OS I've seen except the various Mac ones use a taskbar... What other sorts of systems are popular? It could be neat to use something different. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1092/1657 |
I like Slackware, but it's not for people that know nothing, like Red Hat or Fedora. I use FVWM, it's very lightweight and has enough things to look and act like anything you want it to be. Want a Windows 95 look? No problem. WinXP (Luna)? No problem. Mac OS X? No problem. KDE look? No problem.
anyway... yes. |
Ailure
Posts: 7796/11162 |
Can anyone name me a Windows manager that don't waste 49749848 resources as soon I use it?
...hell, I just want a simple distro to screw around with. Fedora core is like Win XP in the bloat department. I want a light distro. With light stuff... |
Tarale
Posts: 1313/2720 |
Originally posted by FreeDOS
Mind you, skinning is NOT the same as changing window managers. Windows users can't come in here saying "I use WindowBlinds (or the UXTheme patch)". That's just changing how it looks, not how it manages windows.
I know that. I just wanted to mention skinning anyways, cause it's teh fun. 
I can't change the way my OS X windows work, but I can make it as shiny or as matt or as purple or whatever as I like. Different, but still fun. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1091/1657 |
Mind you, skinning is NOT the same as changing window managers. Windows users can't come in here saying "I use WindowBlinds (or the UXTheme patch)". That's just changing how it looks, not how it manages windows. |
Tarale
Posts: 1311/2720 |
Originally posted by Jesper
Where's the "My OS does let me do it inofficially, but I prefer the native Window Manager anyway" option? (OS X  )
I like the native Window Manager in OS X too.
But I do enjoy skinning it on occasion |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1088/1657 |
Add'd. Edit Poll is great, isn't it? |
Jesper
Posts: 1938/2390 |
Where's the "My OS does let me do it inofficially, but I prefer the native Window Manager anyway" option? (OS X ) |
Vystrix Nexoth
Posts: 264/348 |
I go with KDE, though I've used GNOME and Fluxbox. I don't really care much for GNOME, though I can't quite put my finger on why. It just doesn't feel as cohesive as KDE does.
As for Fluxbox, I used that as my primary desktop environment for a while... it is by far the quickest of the three, and like being able to group windows, though I don't like its reliance on dockapps to confer more information than what windows are open (like, what time it is) or on always having desktop space visible in order to summon the program menu.
Still, I'll take GNOME and Fluxbox over Windows any day of the week and twice on Thursdays. Though if given a choice I'll stick with KDE. |
Banedon
Posts: 895/1408 |
I use Gnome, because that's what came with my Linux distrobution. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 2102/4016 |
yeah, that's what I meant, CDE... 3.1 feel eh...that's true. Although, when you iconify, I can't seem to find it again... |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1082/1657 |
I think you mean Common Desktop Environment (CDE)... I don't like it because it acts like Windows 3.1 except for the focusing style.  |
neotransotaku
Posts: 2081/4016 |
When I use Solaris at school, I use Gnome. Open windows is blah and Common Desktop Manager doesn't have much functionality besides multiple workspaces. |
Cellar Dweller
Posts: 204/269 |
I use the version of IceWM that is distributed with Debian stable. It's small and fast, so it works well in my main computer: a 233 MHz PII. |
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