Subject: FVWM: Queries and comments

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 02:00:56 +0100 (BST)

I'd like to make a couple of queries and make a few observations -

I basically use a setup with a taskbar (based on fvwmbuttons) - most of
it double decked ('Start menu',clock and launch bar upper, swallowed
Iconman lower,Swallowed double height pppload,xload,pager,exit and lock
buttons to the Right.frvwm 2.0.46 (1280x1024,16bpp)XF3.3.2.1

Queries

This setup, along with the popup menues use a large quantity of mini
icons - I find that if there's to many windows open, the mini icons in
the icon man, and the icons in the title bars do not appear - I assume
this is hitting some kind of resource limit but where? Is this an X
problem?, an fvvwm problem? is there an answer?

2nd problem, I have the smart window placement on, I find windows
appear behind the taskbar (which being sticky/nohandles is a pain) - is
there anything that can be done to prevent this?

Observations

I have tried Afterstep, fvwm95, and have looked at several other
alternatives including Enlightenment (wince) and KDE - My setup as it
stands is very clean and unobtrusive, on screen, all that is normally
visible is the taskbar. Virtually all other window managers I've seen
(ok they're showing off the features) seen to waste acres of desk space
3d icons all over the place (which are always large, text titles,
ditto) - Am I in a minority of 1 in believing these people spend more
time admiring their desktops than doing anything useful with them ?
Unfashionable possibly but I see fvwm as 'serious' but without the
'heaviness' of motif or the rawness of some of the other older wms. 

Wishlist
Firstly one of the things I did like about Afterstep was the pop-out
button bars, can't recall what it was called but definitely less
clutter, a good idea.

Secondly I'd like to see Iconmanager have an option to do without the
titles - I'd rather just have icons, possibly with a 'bubble help' for
the text.

Thirdly there does seem to be a shortage of good mini-icons, lots of 3d
ones which in the small format are totally incomprehensible, but few
clear simple ones (sounds easy but I've tried it, it ain't).

Ideally I would like to be able to select alternative setups from a menu
(eg alternative button bar configs)

Simple suggestion - In addition to the usual Window ops, I'd like a
'Centre' command ie regardless of where an app currently is, minimised
or otherwise, raise it to the top and centre it on the current screen.

On the subject of Gnome,KDE and their ilk, (and indeed redhat and their
rpms and 'Another level' setup, I think that there are a lot of dangers
in going to mechanisms which abstract the users in the name of 'user
friendliness' - RPMs, user setup 'helpers' etc are fine, with one
proviso - namely one can turn the wretched things off, otherwise ones
going to simply reinvent Win95, fine if it works, if it doesn't, tough
noone can help because it's an inpenetrable morass. 
Fvwm is currently text file based, by Linux standards well documented
but possibly to a newbie a bit frightening - by all means add helpers,
but please make them output simple text files we can edit directly.

As for earlier discussions on Gnome and KDE, I think there are benefits
worth having in associating with one of the 2, my personal preference
being Gnome (OK I'll come clean, I'm just sick and tired of KDE
activists recommending KDE appps for every other query in
comp.os.linux.x regardless of how suitable they are...
comp.os.linux.advocacy.kde anyone?)

Cheers
Kim

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