Suggestions for desktop environment

nan · 2009-03-02 16:58:37

I've been an arch user for about a year and a half now and I'm planning on re-installing arch on my t61.

I started with gnome and used it up until 2.14 at which point I switched to openbox. I also used kde for a bit in between, but always had some problem or other (I have a t61 with a nvidia nvs 140m graphics card; the nvidia card most likely being the culprit for the problems).

The reason why I switched form gnome to openbox is because I felt it was too bloated, and had a lot of things that I did not need or want. Openbox has been very enjoyable and I like every aspect of it; however, there is a very serious lack of "good" (good being ones that appeal to me, whatever that means) themes for it.

So for my reinstall I'm debating what I want to use. I've been considering staying with openbox, moving to pekvm (has some nice themes and is just as slim right?), giving kde 4.2 a try (I hear a lot of nvidia problems have been resolved?), or trying something completely different like a tiling wm.

Oh, and I'm a programmer, so half the time I'm staring at vim, consoles, and the like, but I really enjoy having a desktop that's very clean, modern, and simple looking.

Anyone have any suggestions to try to sway me one way or the other?

MilosC · 2009-03-02 17:07:12

My recommendation - XFCE. It's simple, lightweight, fast and modern. It isn't bloated like KDE or GNOME, and it's fresh - new version just arrived in Arch repositories.

Nezmer · 2009-03-02 17:12:15

If you really care about looks , Try standalone Compiz .
Awesome is awesome in the tiling world but It's not slim . DWM is the 'slim' choice .

bgc1954 · 2009-03-02 17:21:39

I'd recommend pekwm as like you said it has some nicer themes and can be a little flashier than openbox. I switched awhile ago and like it on my desktop but I use wmii on my old t21 laptop. I've grown fond of tiling wm's lately and prefer wmii over dwm. I liked dwm but got tired or recompiling every time I wanted to change some little thing. Wmii has a config file (.wmii-3.5/wmiirc) that you can alter and then just restart the new config. It's all a matter of choice. Try them all.

ozar · 2009-03-02 17:24:08

nan wrote:

The reason why I switched form gnome to openbox is because I felt it was too bloated, and had a lot of things that I did not need or want. Openbox has been very enjoyable and I like every aspect of it; however, there is a very serious lack of "good" (good being ones that appeal to me, whatever that means) themes for it.
So for my reinstall I'm debating what I want to use. I've been considering staying with openbox, moving to pekvm (has some nice themes and is just as slim right?), giving kde 4.2 a try (I hear a lot of nvidia problems have been resolved?), or trying something completely different like a tiling wm.

If you are looking for lightweight, I wouldn't advise installing KDE 4.x because it's one whale of a desktop environment.

LXDE or XFCE4 would be better options for lightweight.

Just my opinion, though.

na12 · 2009-03-02 17:56:24

ozar wrote:

nan wrote:
The reason why I switched form gnome to openbox is because I felt it was too bloated, and had a lot of things that I did not need or want. Openbox has been very enjoyable and I like every aspect of it; however, there is a very serious lack of "good" (good being ones that appeal to me, whatever that means) themes for it.
So for my reinstall I'm debating what I want to use. I've been considering staying with openbox, moving to pekvm (has some nice themes and is just as slim right?), giving kde 4.2 a try (I hear a lot of nvidia problems have been resolved?), or trying something completely different like a tiling wm.
If you are looking for lightweight, I wouldn't advise installing KDE 4.x because it's one whale of a desktop environment.
LXDE or XFCE4 would be better options for lightweight.
Just my opinion, though.

+1

Hrod beraht · 2009-03-02 18:37:26

nan wrote:

...I really enjoy having a desktop that's very clean...and simple looking.

The cleanest stacking window manager has to be evilwm. No window decorations, no icons, no menu, no config files. I love it!

nan wrote:

...I'm a programmer, so half the time I'm staring at vim, consoles, and the like...

That sounds like you may be a good candidate for a tiling window manager. Start out by trying dwm and ratpoison.

Bob

Last edited by Hrod beraht (2009-03-02 18:39:07)

adamlau · 2009-03-02 20:15:32

pekwm is one of the prettier themed wms that is both lightweight and easy to use.

Last edited by adamlau (2009-03-02 20:15:55)

Inxsible · 2009-03-02 20:23:02

Hmm.. I always thought there was more support for Openbox and more themes than those of PekWM. Maybe things have changed.

But as far as "slimness" is concerned I don't think there is much difference between OB and Pek. JWM does take about half that of OB -- but then again OB runs in about 2.8 MB on my machine -- so half of that wouldn't get me much.

I haven't tried out dwm - which is supposedly the lightest. That will be my next task. But maybe I will try wmii since I won't have to recompile every now and again. For my usage, a system tray is a must (well that's what I thought about a panel too - until I just got rid of lxpanel in OB) and now I am more on the "no panels at all" side.

I tried JWM -- but its definitely not as appealing as OB or even Fluxbox. Openbox is also hard to let go !!!!

nan · 2009-03-02 21:37:19

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I think I'm going to give awesome a try. If it doesn't work out for me I'll probably go with pekwm or ob.

Any suggestions for using awesome? arch wiki and the awesome wiki seem like good starting points, but do you guys have any suggestions for any other resources that a newbie to awesome/tiling wm would find useful?

KimTjik · 2009-03-02 22:49:41

If you try Awesome my advice is to choose the git version from AUR combined with wicked-git. In my experience that makes it all so much easier, like getting widgets working properly. Don't make to many modifications in the beginning because a single error, like a missing "," breaks the configuration totally.

I like a lot and it's fairly easy to adopt to.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-02 16:58:37

Suggestions for desktop environment

#2 2009-03-02 17:07:12

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#3 2009-03-02 17:12:15

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#4 2009-03-02 17:21:39

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#5 2009-03-02 17:24:08

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#6 2009-03-02 17:56:24

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#7 2009-03-02 18:37:26

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#8 2009-03-02 20:15:32

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#9 2009-03-02 20:23:02

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#10 2009-03-02 21:37:19

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

#11 2009-03-02 22:49:41

Re: Suggestions for desktop environment

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