Enlightenment Experience

BimoZX · 2010-06-15 03:30:11

I'm curious as to what people's experience is about Enlightenment WM.

Lately I haven't been hearing much about enlightenment, the last time I heard they were going stable, and that was a long time ago.

So is there anyone that lately used enlightenment, and if it's not too much a bother a screenshot would be wonderful.

paldepind · 2010-06-15 07:20:15

I've played a bit around with it. It's kinda fast and pretty indeed.

But why don't you just give it a run yourself?

VCoolio · 2010-06-15 09:32:10

I've used it for two years now, first on ubuntu and now on arch. It's fast and light on memory, and still with a lot of eyecandy. In my experience it is stable. It can be a pain to compile: it is still in (very active) development, so sometimes packages are removed or added in the svn tree, causing the compilation script (if you use it) to give errors. I still recommend compiling using the easy_e17.sh script, just open it in an editor to remove or add packages on the right lines.
E17 is very easy to set up; on first login you can make some choices and there is a very extended settings manager. Downside is that sometimes the way configuration is stored changes, so on an update e17 may fail (happened to me once). In that case, delete the user config in ~/.e (or parts of it) and start again.
If you need compositing, or a dock, or panel widgets, or desktop widgets, it's all there. Also the everything module is awesome (a launchy / gnome-do like thing but better). There is even a compiz fork called ecomorph that works quite well.
I recently added a screenshot here; and here is some more. Doesn't say much by the way; most of what you see is wallpaper and gtk. E17 provides only for the window decoration and panels / dock.

BimoZX · 2010-06-15 11:28:57

I'm still afraid of the instability, last time I tried which is 2008 it went kapoot for me every time I start it up.

Thanks for the troubleshooting tips, but I hope I won't need it. . .
But isn't it easier to install from the commu repo? How about the stability status of ecomorph, cause I want my useless wobbly windows?

VCoolio · 2010-06-15 11:55:39

I guess the packages in community should work; they are probably (based on) the last snapshot release, but it is already 2000 revisions behind. If you want to be cutting edge (and who at arch doesn't?) you'll want to compile. At least the everything module and comp (for compositing stuff) have seen much improvement lately.
Ecomorph is awesome, works fine. Follow a howto somewhere (basically, git clone ecomorph and ecomp to all other e stuff in /var/cache/e17_src, then add ecomorph and ecomp to the bin_basic= line in easy_e17.sh, then compile them: sudo easy_e17.sh -s --only=ecomorph,ecomp). Then start e with "exec ck-launch-session enlightenment_start.sh" instead of "... enlightenment_start" in ~/.xinitrc (if you don't use a login manager), and load the ecomorph module.

BimoZX · 2010-06-15 15:18:19

so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?

And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.

Do I have to copy the e stuff to /var/cache/e17_src? Cause the wiki said all that needs to be done is install the easy-e17 script and run it to install the whole thing, or there are extra things need to be done?

pressh · 2010-06-15 16:32:20

BimoZX wrote:

so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?

e17 includes a basic compositing manager, though it does not have a lot of wobbly effects and such at the moment as ecomorph.

BimoZX wrote:

And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.

entrance is deprecated

BimoZX · 2010-06-15 18:58:55

pressh wrote:

BimoZX wrote:
so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?
e17 includes a basic compositing manager, though it does not have a lot of wobbly effects and such at the moment as ecomorph.

How about animations like domino, explosions, multiple(9) workspace and stuff. I basically only use fade, zoom, and desktop wall so the bare enlightenment will suffice, right?

pressh wrote:

BimoZX wrote:
And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.
entrance is deprecated

Guess I'll stick with slim then, is there a reason why entrance is deprecated?

pressh · 2010-06-15 19:23:52

BimoZX wrote:

pressh wrote:
BimoZX wrote:
so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?
e17 includes a basic compositing manager, though it does not have a lot of wobbly effects and such at the moment as ecomorph.
How about animations like domino, explosions, multiple(9) workspace and stuff. I basically only use fade, zoom, and desktop wall so the bare enlightenment will suffice, right?

I just uploaded new snapshots to the community repo a few minutes ago, it has transparency, fade, shadows and a few other minor compositing things, nothing too fancy. If you're lucky it works (stable) through opengl, otherwise you can use compositing software rendering which should work okay if you have a fast enough cpu. Just see if it is enough for you, you can always disable compositing or install ecomorph later.

BimoZX wrote:

pressh wrote:
BimoZX wrote:
And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.
entrance is deprecated
Guess I'll stick with slim then, is there a reason why entrance is deprecated?

it was unmaintained upstream and never ported to the new libs that were introduced.

BimoZX · 2010-06-15 22:37:55

pressh wrote:

BimoZX wrote:
pressh wrote:
BimoZX wrote:
so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?
e17 includes a basic compositing manager, though it does not have a lot of wobbly effects and such at the moment as ecomorph.
How about animations like domino, explosions, multiple(9) workspace and stuff. I basically only use fade, zoom, and desktop wall so the bare enlightenment will suffice, right?
I just uploaded new snapshots to the community repo a few minutes ago, it has transparency, fade, shadows and a few other minor compositing things, nothing too fancy. If you're lucky it works (stable) through opengl, otherwise you can use compositing software rendering which should work okay if you have a fast enough cpu. Just see if it is enough for you, you can always disable compositing or install ecomorph later.

Why thank you for your dedicated hard work, but will test it on the weekend though, internet at campus is too slow to install anything ^_^; . I think my 1.3GHz will suffice, and does e17 provide basic battery power management, and media keys support?

pressh wrote:

BimoZX wrote:
pressh wrote:
entrance is deprecated
Guess I'll stick with slim then, is there a reason why entrance is deprecated?
it was unmaintained upstream and never ported to the new libs that were introduced.

Any chance that it'll be revived?

pogeymanz · 2010-06-16 00:36:08

BimoZX wrote:

pressh wrote:
BimoZX wrote:
How about animations like domino, explosions, multiple(9) workspace and stuff. I basically only use fade, zoom, and desktop wall so the bare enlightenment will suffice, right?
I just uploaded new snapshots to the community repo a few minutes ago, it has transparency, fade, shadows and a few other minor compositing things, nothing too fancy. If you're lucky it works (stable) through opengl, otherwise you can use compositing software rendering which should work okay if you have a fast enough cpu. Just see if it is enough for you, you can always disable compositing or install ecomorph later.
Why thank you for your dedicated hard work, but will test it on the weekend though, internet at campus is too slow to install anything ^_^; . I think my 1.3GHz will suffice, and does e17 provide basic battery power management, and media keys support?

Yeah. e17 is basically a full DE, so it has modules for all that kind of stuff.

pressh · 2010-06-16 06:53:21

BimoZX wrote:

pressh wrote:
BimoZX wrote:
Guess I'll stick with slim then, is there a reason why entrance is deprecated?
it was unmaintained upstream and never ported to the new libs that were introduced.
Any chance that it'll be revived?

I don't think so, it's more likely there will be a complete rewrite. There was a thread on their devel mailing list not so long ago [1] about it, and there have been some others before.

[1] http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/foru … ment-devel

VCoolio · 2010-06-16 16:25:03

BimoZX wrote:

so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?
And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.
Do I have to copy the e stuff to /var/cache/e17_src? Cause the wiki said all that needs to be done is install the easy-e17 script and run it to install the whole thing, or there are extra things need to be done?

If you use the script, the source files will be downloaded to /var/cache/e17_src, built there and it will be installed to /opt. You don't need to do anything yourself but run the script (it has an instructive --help option too). The script doesn't include it, but you can add the ecomorph and ecomp sources to the /var/cache/e17_src folder, then add these packages to the line I mentioned and the script will understand and compile them too with the same values, like install to /opt et cetera. If at any time something is added to svn (e.g. editje isn't in the script yet; not that you'll need it), you can do the same.
Anyway, try the updated packages first, it will be much faster installed and apparently be up-to-date too. I didn't know there was a new snapshot release; good news I guess. If at any time you decide to compile, make sure anything e-related is uninstalled first, or compiling *will* fail.

CPUnltd · 2010-06-16 16:39:15

I agree that e17 is great... I have been using it full-time for quite some time now on my Arch install as well as Unity Linux... my only complaint is that I have never gotten ecomorph to work for me (on any install) on Nvidia or ATI cards... it is the only thing I am lacking so far... but otherwise, I am extremely happy with e17!!!

smakked · 2010-06-18 01:44:20

I have installed it again from the repos and it has come along way since i last tried it , so far i am liking it all effects seem to be working now and composite is working fine for me.

BimoZX · 2010-06-18 17:14:22

VCoolio wrote:

BimoZX wrote:
so the easy_e17.sh script includes ecomorph by default?
And I'm planning to use entrance they say it looks great, so I thought might as well get the whole package.
Do I have to copy the e stuff to /var/cache/e17_src? Cause the wiki said all that needs to be done is install the easy-e17 script and run it to install the whole thing, or there are extra things need to be done?
If you use the script, the source files will be downloaded to /var/cache/e17_src, built there and it will be installed to /opt. You don't need to do anything yourself but run the script (it has an instructive --help option too). The script doesn't include it, but you can add the ecomorph and ecomp sources to the /var/cache/e17_src folder, then add these packages to the line I mentioned and the script will understand and compile them too with the same values, like install to /opt et cetera. If at any time something is added to svn (e.g. editje isn't in the script yet; not that you'll need it), you can do the same.
Anyway, try the updated packages first, it will be much faster installed and apparently be up-to-date too. I didn't know there was a new snapshot release; good news I guess. If at any time you decide to compile, make sure anything e-related is uninstalled first, or compiling *will* fail.

Thanks for the info, so what basic compositing does e provide? And how many memory does a normal e session take, 600MB?

smakked wrote:

I have installed it again from the repos and it has come along way since i last tried it , so far i am liking it all effects seem to be working now and composite is working fine for me.

Ecomorph?

Last edited by BimoZX (2010-06-18 17:16:39)

kevinmchapman · 2010-06-18 18:31:00

E17 has come on enormously in the last two years - it really feels like it is approaching a stable release at last. I've used it as my only DE for the last year with only a few niggles (occasional module loading crash and window not in focus after a desktop change). The difference between now and a couple of years ago is that the recover button now works...

The latest packages now give all the promised compositing without ecomorph (which I could never get working either) - fading in and out menus and apps, transparent panels, wobbly windows on focus, sliding desktops, shadows - all the usual 2D suspects.

Memory use with all that turned on? Well, on this netbook, Firefox is 71MB, Midori 51MB.... and Enlightenment hovering between 38MB and 47MB...

It is flexible too. I use E17 like many use Openbox - no taskbars, largely keyboard driven, just nicer-looking (to me)

Finally, others have mentioned the Run Everything module. I'd stick with E17 just for that.

gefarion · 2010-06-18 19:40:07

More than six months ago that I use e17. The only thing that lacks is a good file manager, but generally works well and fast. The latest version in the repository of the community works perfectly with Ecomorph-git in AUR. The resources used are minimal compared to the options and capabilities offered.

BimoZX · 2010-06-19 09:13:30

what? less than 50MB, you sure about that? It's rare for a full DE to have such light footprints?

I'm also wondering if exalt works on USBmodem, does it use network manager as a backend?

okay, so can the ecomorph-git works alongside of easy-e17 script?

kevinmchapman · 2010-06-19 09:43:58

Assuming xfce4-task-manager is correct:

(of course, this is just idling at the time of the shot)

Last edited by kevinmchapman (2010-06-19 09:44:23)

BimoZX · 2010-06-19 10:08:07

wew, minimal indeed.

mythus · 2010-06-19 12:35:14

Yeah, e17 is incredibly light. I used to run it as my environment on an old p4 system with 1 gb ram and a geforce 2 video card. It ran better and faster than pekwm, for example, and at least as fast as flux box and other light weights.

BimoZX · 2010-06-19 13:49:28

Can gnome-applet also work on e17 just like how xfce can put gnome-applets on their panel?

sHyLoCk · 2010-06-19 13:58:39

My CPU usage becomes very high at times with e17.

BimoZX · 2010-06-19 14:21:09

Maybe the animated wallpaper caused that?

Arch Linux

#1 2010-06-15 03:30:11

Enlightenment Experience

#2 2010-06-15 07:20:15

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#3 2010-06-15 09:32:10

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#4 2010-06-15 11:28:57

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#5 2010-06-15 11:55:39

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#6 2010-06-15 15:18:19

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#7 2010-06-15 16:32:20

Re: Enlightenment Experience

#8 2010-06-15 18:58:55

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#9 2010-06-15 19:23:52

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#11 2010-06-16 00:36:08

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