[ubuntu-studio-devel] WM/DE

[Len Ovens]

On Wed, 21 May 2014, Ralf Mardorf wrote:

> On Arch and Debian I use JWM. I used Xfce4 before I switched to JWM. I
> still have the option to use Xfce4, but I don't want to do this. Soon
> I'll switch from Xfce4 to JWM for *buntu installs too.
>
> Ubuntu Studio developers, you should test JWM for a while.

Ok... so what does jwm offer that twm,fvwm,openbox, etc. do not? As it 
comes in a package the user gets whatever background lightdm had (better 
than openbox which gives grey I suppose) and a bottom bar. The menu has 
terminal, restart and exit (maybe one or two more). There is no tool for 
creating a menu addition from an XDG compliant menu config so it would 
have to be done by hand or a tool created by hand.

Openbox has less, but at least there is a tool to create a menu... broken 
tool, but something. fvwm has some packages that do some of these things 
semi-automatically... the user clicks and it happens.

Really, these DEs are fine for someone who wants something custom in a 
system that will be pretty static. The UbuntuStudio ISO is not static, in 
fact we have gone to some length to make it really configurable. That is, 
each user is expected to have a different set of apps installed, so a 
fully populated menu would have many items that did nothing and perhps 
some applications would be missed in it.

The three DEs that work best (in my opinion) are kde, xfce and lxde (in 
that order for least mods needed). Gnome3 with the clasic module is sort 
of next, though the menu is broken (not opendesktop compliant and not 
multi-level). Unity doesn't use the menu at all, but may be made to work 
if we can get our head around the new way of thinking... and gnome session 
needs the most thought... from my POV it is about the same as TWM with eye 
candy... but I am sure I am missing something as there are people who 
think it is great. However, I am approaching from the POV of someone who 
knows nothing about it... ie a first time user who would just walk away.

--
Len Ovens
www.ovenwerks.net