Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

ezzetabi · 2007-08-03 16:50:49

I was wondering about the difference between DE and WM?

It is just like iconize VS minimize or directory VS folder?
So it is the same just more Unix-like or more Windows-like?

Or there is a difference?

shining · 2007-08-03 17:07:29

Maybe the best way of understanding is looking at examples.
So try some of the following :
DE : kde, gnome and xfce
WM : fluxbox, openbox, icewm, windowmaker, fvwm
and the tiling ones : wmii, dwm, ion, ratpoison, xmonad

A WM is just a small part of a DE.

ezzetabi · 2007-08-03 17:11:49

Ohhh, maybe I understood. A DE is bloated, big and difficult to understand WM? I guess not... :S

fwojciec · 2007-08-03 17:24:09

For example... Gnome is a DE and it includes, as one of its components, a WM called Metacity.

WMs focus on launching applications and displaying/managing/decorating their windows, all other desktop functions (like file management, panels, drawing backgrounds, etc.) are performed by independent applications.

DE gives you an integrated desktop with a range of functionalities - all in one.

Last edited by fwojciec (2007-08-03 17:24:35)

shen · 2007-08-03 18:38:09

My thoughts are this DE's give you a whole package of features some you will use some you won't and some you will hate. This works for some but not everyone. Me I prefer to use a WM like Fluxbox or Openbox and then build my setup to my liking and add the tools and apps I prefer. You can do just about anything in a WM that you can in a DE.

Lone_Wolf · 2007-08-03 18:39:49

Every DE needs a WM.

Gnome uses metacity and kde uses kwin.
You can however use almost any wm with kde/gnome.

example : i've ran icewm with kde for a while and iirc there are users who run gnome with fluxbox as wm.

shen · 2007-08-03 18:45:00

I was running gnome with openbox as the WM and IMHO it looked better then metacity.

skymt · 2007-08-03 19:29:41

Strictly speaking, a window manager is in charge of managing windows. It draws the decorations (usually just the title bar and borders) and places each window onscreen. It's also in charge of moving and resizing windows. If you run X without a window manager, each window opens, without a border, in the top-left corner of the screen (you can usually use the -geom or --geometry option to pick a default position when running an app), and you can't move or resize them. (Examples: Xmonad, evilwm, Metacity)

Many window managers offer a built-in application launcher, usually by showing a menu when you right-click on the desktop. I prefer to call this a "desktop shell", what Enlightenment calls itself, because it does more than manage windows but is still a single program. (Examples: Fluxbox, Openbox, Window Maker)

A desktop environment is a collection of programs and libraries designed to create an integrated environment. It almost always includes a window manager, with the notable exception of the RoX desktop. The individual parts of a DE can be swapped out if you prefer another program. For example, before XFCE included Thunar, I ran it with Openbox as a WM and RoX as a file manager. (Examples: KDE, XFCE, Étoilé)

lloeki · 2007-08-03 21:22:08

and as far as 'That Other OS' is concerned, AFAIK it does not have a WM at all (and only a shell: the explorer taskbar). windows are self-handled by the application... that's why when an app crashes, the window fails to react to any events (close, move, etc...), and why even on a working app, once a dialog pops up you can't move the underlying windows of the belonging app (if they belong to the same thread, and even if they don't it may or may not work) unless closing the dialog. braindead design if you may ask (which they tried to change on XP, but blatantly failed to anyway).

Last edited by lloeki (2007-08-03 21:23:48)

skymt · 2007-08-03 21:39:12

lloeki wrote:

and as far as 'That Other OS' is concerned, AFAIK it does not have a WM at all.

As of Vista, it does. The Vista window manager is, confusingly enough, named DWM. That's why it's important to spell "our" dwm in lower-case.

theringmaster · 2007-09-20 14:54:49

skymt wrote:

lloeki wrote:
and as far as 'That Other OS' is concerned, AFAIK it does not have a WM at all.
As of Vista, it does. The Vista window manager is, confusingly enough, named DWM. That's why it's important to spell "our" dwm in lower-case.

i wonder what DWM stands for, maybe "dumb window manager"?

erikl · 2007-09-20 15:12:07

theringmaster wrote:

skymt wrote:
lloeki wrote:
and as far as 'That Other OS' is concerned, AFAIK it does not have a WM at all.
As of Vista, it does. The Vista window manager is, confusingly enough, named DWM. That's why it's important to spell "our" dwm in lower-case.
i wonder what DWM stands for, maybe "dumb window manager"?

Dynamic Window Manager.

chicha · 2007-09-20 15:12:15

An other well known Window Manager is compiz : It adds 3D effects to the windows.

And here is what compiz says about itself :

Compiz is a compositing window manager that uses 3D graphics acceleration via OpenGL. It provides various new graphical effects and features on any desktop environment, including Gnome and KDE.
* Window management has never looked so enticing: Through OpenGL accelerated compositing, Compiz provides tons of new visual effects. It's also flexible enough so you could easily add more through a plugin system.
* Compiz is compatible: Any X Window System based desktop environment, including (but not limited to) Gnome and KDE, is supported.

I hope it helped !
Cheers,

Chicha

shining · 2007-09-20 15:14:14

erikl wrote:

theringmaster wrote:
skymt wrote:
As of Vista, it does. The Vista window manager is, confusingly enough, named DWM. That's why it's important to spell "our" dwm in lower-case.
i wonder what DWM stands for, maybe "dumb window manager"?
Dynamic Window Manager.

You got it all backwards

dwm = dynamic window manager , DWM = Dumb Window Manager

theringmaster · 2007-09-20 15:17:22

yeah i was referring to the microsoft thing, not dwm.

cphase · 2008-01-05 15:35:04

Hello everyone, Happy New Year. Hope all had a great Holiday season! I found this thread while doing some research on WM's and DE's. I have used XFCE for awhile but I have always liked the way DSL(Damn Small Linux) looked. I understand that it uses Fluxbox as the DE and JWM as the WM. So if you install a DE how do you pick what WM you use? I would like to try some diff DE's and WM's just to see how they work. One thing I like about DSL is the sys monitor on the right side of the desktop. It looks clean and blends well w/ the desktop. Thanks!!!

gunnihinn · 2008-01-05 16:32:53

Fluxbox is a window manager, not a desktop environment, DSL just lets you choose which one you want, Fluxbox or Jwm. If I remember correctly Fluxbox is the default one, and the system monitor on the right is Conky.

You can see a list of the applications DSL uses on their website, and if you have access to a DSL setup you can look around the /home/user directory and try to find the .conkyrc file, and see how they configure it.

FYI, lots of people like Conky. If you take a look at the screenshot thread in the Artwork forum here you'll find loads of examples of configurations, and most people are willing to share their configs.

cphase · 2008-01-05 19:34:54

gunnihinn wrote:

Fluxbox is a window manager, not a desktop environment, DSL just lets you choose which one you want, Fluxbox or Jwm. If I remember correctly Fluxbox is the default one, and the system monitor on the right is Conky.
You can see a list of the applications DSL uses on their website, and if you have access to a DSL setup you can look around the /home/user directory and try to find the .conkyrc file, and see how they configure it.
FYI, lots of people like Conky. If you take a look at the screenshot thread in the Artwork forum here you'll find loads of examples of configurations, and most people are willing to share their configs.

Yes I have looked @ the screen shots, I think it looks nice. Thanks for the reply and clearing up DE and WM. I will take a look @ my DSL cd and look @ the config file. THANKS!!

synorgy · 2008-01-06 05:17:15

If I remember correctly, the SysMonitor in DSL isn't conky - it's gkrellm. Then again, I haven't used DSL in a while, but if it lets you interact with it through mouse clicks still (rather than staticly reporting system information), then it's gkrellm.

cphase · 2008-01-07 01:55:12

I have been using gkrellm, it is Conky in DSL.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-08-03 16:50:49

Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#2 2007-08-03 17:07:29

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#3 2007-08-03 17:11:49

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#4 2007-08-03 17:24:09

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#5 2007-08-03 18:38:09

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#6 2007-08-03 18:39:49

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#7 2007-08-03 18:45:00

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#8 2007-08-03 19:29:41

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#9 2007-08-03 21:22:08

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#10 2007-08-03 21:39:12

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#11 2007-09-20 14:54:49

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#12 2007-09-20 15:12:07

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#13 2007-09-20 15:12:15

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#14 2007-09-20 15:14:14

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#15 2007-09-20 15:17:22

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#16 2008-01-05 15:35:04

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#17 2008-01-05 16:32:53

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#18 2008-01-05 19:34:54

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#19 2008-01-06 05:17:15

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

#20 2008-01-07 01:55:12

Re: Desktop Environment VS Window Manager, what is the difference?

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