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#1 2007-07-07 21:26:10

Xs1t0ry
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2007-07-01
Posts: 181

Desktop environments

Hi all

I'll admit that I don't know very much about desktop environments in any other OS than Windows (but hey, what's to know?). I use xfce and would like to know more about what these things I've been hearing about are. Window managers? Panel Systems? And other things like Openbox?
My plan is to eventually create a desktop environment where there are no taskbars, just windows, and when you right click the desktop the menu comes up. I would also like to be able to change the transparency of whichever windows and having some sort of alt+tab kind of thing where I can make windows disappear and recall/cycle them with a key combination. If I can do this with xfce, I would appreciate if someone pointed me in the right direction. Thanks!

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#2 2007-07-07 21:50:50

Roberth
Member
From: The Pale Blue Dot
Registered: 2007-01-12
Posts: 894

Re: Desktop environments

Openbox is the right thing for you, I'm not quite sure about transparency, Openbox does not support fake transparency.


Use the Source, Luke!

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#3 2007-07-07 22:17:39

Xs1t0ry
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2007-07-01
Posts: 181

Re: Desktop environments

Is openbox a DE or is it a program?

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#4 2007-07-07 22:55:13

Misfit138
Misfit Emeritus
From: USA
Registered: 2006-11-27
Posts: 4,189

Re: Desktop environments

Xs1t0ry wrote:

Is openbox a DE or is it a program?

* A DE provides icons, toolbars, applications, applets, and abilities like drag and drop.
    * A WM controls the placement and appearance of application windows under the X Window System but does NOT provide panels, applets, icons, etc.

Openbox is a window manager, not a full DE. wink

Here is a good explanation: http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/xwtf.html
(Thanks to khiloa)

Last edited by Misfit138 (2007-07-07 22:56:54)

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#5 2007-07-08 00:53:06

Xs1t0ry
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2007-07-01
Posts: 181

Re: Desktop environments

Thanks! I take it that Openbox is available via pacman?

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#6 2007-07-08 01:14:13

kano
Member
From: Michigan
Registered: 2007-05-04
Posts: 185
Website

Re: Desktop environments

Xs1t0ry wrote:

Thanks! I take it that Openbox is available via pacman?

Indeed it is smile


\\ archlinux on a XPS M1530 //

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#7 2007-07-08 01:55:03

T-Dawg
Forum Fellow
From: Charlotte, NC
Registered: 2005-01-29
Posts: 2,736

Re: Desktop environments

fluxbox is somewhat similar to openbox and it provides transparency. I prefer openbox though mostly because of its window behavior.

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#8 2007-07-08 02:35:28

stonecrest
Member
From: Boulder
Registered: 2005-01-22
Posts: 1,190

Re: Desktop environments

Xs1t0ry wrote:

If I can do this with xfce, I would appreciate if someone pointed me in the right direction. Thanks!

You can. Just "killall xfce4-panel" from a terminal and save your session when you logout. Xfce is very modular, you can choose what parts of it you want to run.


I am a gated community.

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#9 2007-07-08 02:53:10

Xs1t0ry
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2007-07-01
Posts: 181

Re: Desktop environments

Ah, I didn't know of that command. Is there a script I can use to automatically save my session?

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#10 2007-07-08 04:51:01

Leigh
Member
From: USA
Registered: 2004-06-25
Posts: 533

Re: Desktop environments

I really like openbox. The only reason I'm not using it is because, as far as I know, it still doesn't support dual independent screens.


-- archlinux 是一个极好的 linux

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#11 2007-07-08 15:45:34

stonecrest
Member
From: Boulder
Registered: 2005-01-22
Posts: 1,190

Re: Desktop environments

Xs1t0ry wrote:

Ah, I didn't know of that command. Is there a script I can use to automatically save my session?

No, but you only have to save the session (without xfce4-panel running) once. The only way to save it is to logout of xfce though.


I am a gated community.

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#12 2007-07-08 18:15:23

Roberth
Member
From: The Pale Blue Dot
Registered: 2007-01-12
Posts: 894

Re: Desktop environments

Leigh wrote:

I really like openbox. The only reason I'm not using it is because, as far as I know, it still doesn't support dual independent screens.

Openbox has some king of wishlist somewhere on the wiki etc, put it there:)


Use the Source, Luke!

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#13 2007-07-09 14:19:13

Leigh
Member
From: USA
Registered: 2004-06-25
Posts: 533

Re: Desktop environments

I just confirmed openbox still doesn't support multi screens. I found a huge wish list thread when googling openbox, but I never figured out how to create a account.


-- archlinux 是一个极好的 linux

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#14 2007-07-09 19:56:16

ezzetabi
Member
Registered: 2006-08-27
Posts: 947

Re: Desktop environments

pekwm, no trasparency. But it have all other you need and no useless or confusing features. Easy to use and configure.

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