• simpler/efficient X window managers (WM) or (maybe) desktop environment

    From David Chmelik@21:1/5 to All on Tue Aug 2 11:09:59 2022
    I used graphical user interfaces (GUIs) since 1993 and still abhor turn
    they took '95.

    Starting '97 I gradually switched to UNIX/*BSD (FreeBSD, NetBSD) then GNU/ Linux (still prefer UNIX (stabler design/kernels)) and by mid-0s used them
    50% time (mostly NetBSD, Slackware) then in '10s exclusively (mostly
    FreeBSD, Slackware, trying OpenBSD servers, DragonFlyBSD, Tribblix &
    OmniOSCE IllumOS UNIX desktops).

    First I used X/TWM on FreeBSD, NetBSD & Slackware which is great: likely fastest WM... soon used KDE3... was okay until KDE Plasma (KDE4 in 2007,
    most people I know immediately quit permanently) so started using TDE
    (KDE3 fork, now KDE4-influenced) & XFCE sometimes/often, much more this
    year. I also tried Enlightenment (E) and over 30 WMs/DEs available for Slackware (and last Summer FreeBSD) and apparently E is good but needs
    more configuration... didn't like anything else but heard ICEWM, i3WM,
    FVWM*, LXQt may be okay/good--if can configure from scratch or premade
    (any available?).

    However I prefer MLVWM (inspired by classic Apple, as is KDE3 partly),
    (Ns)CDE (apparently inspired by Windows 3, win3, but NsCDE is based on
    FVWM* so maybe a WM not DE)... they're all back!

    Are any WMs (preferably) or DEs (possibly, if fast) like a mix of MLVWM, (Ns)CDE, maybe KDE3/TDE?

    What I mean is win3-style program groups, and taskbar with systemtray &
    classic Apple-style system menubar (preferably) underneath, application
    menubar underreath. Program groups are superior to win95-style start menu
    (I abhor as much more difficult/sensitive/accident-prone) but latter
    optional as long as doesn't replace program groups, and submenus longer
    than screen have fast/full/onscreen/column cascading and not just newer (inferior) slow/partial/offscreen/scrolling cascading.

    I hate all GUI animations (other than shown while main GUI isn't ready but starting, like classic KDE3) but a few effects are okay though most are overrated/useless trends/fads or (animation, etc.) time-wasting/slowdown.

    In the case I use widescreen (16:10 or 16:9 though my main KVM switch
    monitor is fullscreen (4:3)) one useful effect (from Apple or Windows?) is snapping programs to one-half or one-quarter screen (as I have 4K so
    typically only use it all when making graphics but use half screen for
    programs average users use) and when doing that KDE has a related effect
    'snap helper' that shows screen centre (vertical & horizontal).

    Another useful effect was KDE's display window moving geometry (showed
    window length & width and maybe position but if not would be good).

    Another useful-sounding effect was KDE's track mouse which claims displays
    a mouse cursor-locating effect when activated, but never worked for me... viewing configuration says it's set to <META> key, which if you play
    classic roguelike fantasy/dungeon game NetHack, was a UNIX term
    translating to IBM PC-compatible 101-key keyboard <ALT> key... recent
    years maybe people ignorant of UNIX/GNU/Linux history redefined <META> to
    one the two new 'Windows keys' I don't have (and never will)... but would
    still like this effect.

    Mostly I'd like a WM/DE that can work with 101-key IBM-style PS/2 or AT or
    even (don't have one, but highest-quality) XT keyboards.

    I tried many other effects in past, but some goods ones (in addition to
    window moving geometry) may be gone but if not trends/fads were more
    trouble than they're worth: decades ago I tried translucency then ended up
    with some transparent programs so disabled most effects since (use to
    disable all at once, but KDE5 makes you do dozens one-by-one).

    (Ns)CDE lately seem to have also copied win95 by adding several start
    menus, when one was bad enough and program groups are superior... at least
    in (Ns)CDE they don't disappear every time so if I start 20 or 30+
    programs (typical) it's like program groups all in one go (and being
    reminded what else I may want to use until minimizing groups) rather than typical win95 & KDE & XFCE start menu over & over and one can only view
    one group a time (then disappears each time or if a program takes 'current focus') rather than all (and need not disappear) and if the system slows
    you may give up waiting on a submenu to open.

    However, (Ns)CDE still seemed extremely difficult to configure with too
    few options. KDE3 was good because had advanced configuration wizard
    including asking if one wanted Apple or Windows or other aspects, and eventually let one setup multiple screens & backgrounds (including
    slideshows on gradients). (Ns)CDE have no familiar styles and
    make assumptions about screens & backgrounds (don't recall where to
    change).

    (Ns)CDE improved because lately I can run KDE Dolphin file manager in one
    or both (didn't use to work or at least not with proper file/directory/
    image previews).

    Only thing kept me using KDE through KDE5 is powerful systemtray
    especially night colour control which is unequalled, and I like KDE's
    taskbar launchers that disappear to change into current task boxes.

    However since KDE4 I noticed if you run something more than 10 programs
    (or definitely 15+) KDE4 halts--still true with KDE5--so never really has
    been 100% production-ready for power users (in sense of general/polymath scientists, Renaissance people, others who do almost as much). If you
    open 30 programs very slowly you will likely have no problem. They
    thought it was task manager so I deleted it and started my 18 most-used programs at once in a script which halted KDE but worked so perfectly/fast
    in XFCE I kept script for launcher. XFCE can also run RedShift night
    colour control which with configuration/improvements/bugfixes XFCE is
    likely much superior KDE replacement as long restores what XFCE hid/
    replaced forking CDE (win3 aspects)... or does anyone think (Ns)CDE or
    revived MLVWM (if tried?) or something else that's only a WM (not DE)
    would be faster?

    Recent year even many XFCE users I know prefer older XFCE (many same
    people who immediately quit KDE Plasma permanently)... though I have more powerful PC than some of them, occasionally if I do most I would do in
    XFCE there may be barely-noticeable slowdown such as in start submenus
    opening but seems possibly best balance between features & speed.

    Forget GNOME/MATE--never liked since early days it was all text-file-only configuration on RedHat, though I do like GNU Image Manipulation Program
    and Eye of MATE viewer.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From LC's No-Spam Newsreading account@21:1/5 to David Chmelik on Sat Sep 17 17:01:00 2022
    On Tue, 2 Aug 2022, David Chmelik wrote:

    I used graphical user interfaces (GUIs) since 1993 and still abhor turn
    they took '95.

    Sorry for late reply. Do you know FVWM https://www.fvwm.org/ ?

    I'm happy with it since ages (mainly since I left Unixes for Linux) http://sax.iasf-milano.inaf.it/~lucio/WWW/Opinions/window.html

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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