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GNOME/KDE/WindowManager Debate



My apologies to Tom who will be getting this message a second time, I
meant to send it to the list in the first place.

> I do believe that the subject is GNOME configuration ...  How did this
> become a WindowManger version Desktop manager issue?  I for one do know
> the difference.  I have used Windowmaker with GNOME without any real
> issues.
>
> Tom Veldhouse
> veldy@visi.com

New topic, since everyone seems to have an opinion, you get mine now. (I'm
at work, I'm bored, deal with it)

Neither GNOME or KDE are Window Managers. Both have the goal of providing
a desktop enviorment independent of window managers. GNOME does a better
job of this, KDE always defaults to KWM, which is a nice window manager
for a consistent look and feel under KDE.

Someone mentioned gnome-wm. What?!? There is, to my knowelge, nothing
called gnome-wm. Gnome tends to default to Enlightenment, and E's default
theme is butt ugly by it self, and butt fscking ugly when you add the
gnome panel. 

(quick correction, just pulled up the GNOME software map and there IS a
window manager called GnoWM. Version is pre-alpha though so I was
tecnically correct...)

For reference, GNOME complient window managers include (but are not
limited to)
Sawmill (my current favorite)
Enlightenmet (bloat bloat bloat)
Blackbox (needs a patch for GNOME compliance)
Window Maker
IceWM (another favorite for a lighter weight window manager)

I've tried all of the above with GNOME, and unless you just bought your
system recently (faster that a 500) I'd recoment AGNIST Enlightenmet.
(Though I've heard the newer releases run faster than 0.15)

IceWM is nice in that it's small, but it is a Win9X UI rip off. Which
isn't bad for first time *nix users. 

Window Maker is nice alone, I'm not sure how I like the dock and GNOME
panel together. Feels redundant and cluttered. If you're going t use WM
because of it's look, might as well use a Step them with Sawmill or E. You
get the same effect.

I tried blackbox. I kinda like it's simplicty, but I want a
maximize/minimize button onn my windows. 

So now I use sawmill. I like it, I'd hate to piece together a theme for it
though. 

So, now that I've babbled about window managers...how about dissambeling a
desktop? Ok class, here is your visual aid.
http://www.ringworld.org/~zibby/Screenshots/Longshot-12-14-1999.jpg

On the far left of the scree you will see icons sitting on the desktop.
These are provided by GMC, GNOME's file manager. Nothing to do with the
GNOME panel here. 

On the far right wou have a GNOME panel. On the panel are applets. From
top to bottom, Mixer Applet, GNOME pager, GTM, two drive mount applets
(one for floppy, one cor cdrom) Gnotes! and GNOMEICU.

At the very bottom of the screen is another panel. From left to right,
GNOME menu, my user menu, eight application launchers, mini commander,
another GNOME pager (configured differently) clock, and logout button. 

The window manager is sawmill with the blue-steel theme. Using X-chat for
IRC, and GIMP is floating around for screenshot purposes.

That pretty much take apart the components of my X enviorment. Maybe it'll
clear stuff up, maybe this is just flack I'm shooting to wast time at
work. Maybe you'll enjoy it, maybe you'll hate me. Whatever.

Andy


|> Andrew S. Zbikowski | I find your lack of pants disturbing.
|> http://www.ringworld.org | "Only two things are infinite, 
|> the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about 
|> the former. "  - Albert Einstein