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From: gancarz@decvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Window managers grabbing buttons
Message-ID: <27@decvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Feb-87 09:00:49 EST
Article-I.D.: decvax.27
Posted: Fri Feb 27 09:00:49 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Mar-87 10:48:07 EST
References: <8702211303.AA01735@gjetost.wisc.edu> <1024@cartan.Berkeley.EDU>
Reply-To: gancarz@decvax.UUCP (Mike Gancarz)
Distribution: comp.windows.x
Organization: Ultrix Engineering Group, Digital Equipment Corp.
Lines: 73
Keywords: xwm, xnwm, twm, uwm, grab, window manager

In article <> karlton@decwrl.UUCP (Philip Karlton) writes:

...
>
>This allows you to have a consitent user interface across all your
>applications, as well as not have huge client binaries since all of the window
>manager functions don't have to be loaded with each client. It also means that
>the window manager does not have to "grab" buttons and make them unavailable
>to the applications.
>
>Of course, one does not have to use such a window manager. It is certainly not
>mandated by the V11 protocol.

As Jim Gettys pointed out in his article on 'xmh', client binaries can
be relatively small (for a virtual memory machine, anyway) because
window management can be handled by a separate process.  This is a big
win, but I find the advantage described in the second paragraph to be an
even bigger win for the user.

There are at least 6 window managers written for X10 to date.  At times,
each one can be useful.  The "wraparound" and tiled window managers that
can be done under X11 will be desirable additions to the list.  Still,
there will be times when you will want to be able use several window
managers in tandem.  (Even those that grab buttons :-)  All window
managers must make trade-offs of one sort or another, and I can't see
how one window manager can possibly meet everyone's needs.  It might
come close if it were big enough, but then see 'xwm' below.

And besides, we must uphold the U*IX tradition of giving the user at
least 20 different ways to do the same thing, and therefore 20 different
ways to confuse him or her.

For those who may be interested, here are the 6 window manglers that I
know about and why they're useful:

xwm -
Small, efficient.  Starts quickly.

xnwm -
Similar to xwm, but also provides window management functions in a
pop-up menu or menu bar.  Also starts fairly quickly.  Can be configured
so it doesn't use meta keys.

uwm -
Flexible meta key bindings.  Offers slip-off menus that let you mix window
management functions with shell commands and cut buffer operations.
Invocation may be slow, depending on the size of your startup file.

mwm -
Uses no icons.  Makes your screen look like a desk covered with sheets
of paper.  Moving the cursor into a window raises that window.
Incredibly popular with certain groups of people.

twm -
Invokes window management commands at shell level.  Useful for scripts
and demos.  Command syntax is a descendant of uwm's startup file syntax.

??? -
I forget the name of this one, but it is essentially 'twm' with an
'xset'-like interface.  Lets you do a variety of window management and
user interface functions.  Ideally, it should replace both 'twm' and
'xset'.


There were other window managers in earlier versions of X, but
most of them were never ported to X10.  Please don't ask how to obtain
them or any of those mentioned above.  It's probably reasonable to
assume that those above which acquire the greatest user followings will
likely be available to everyone someday (some already are), but there
are no guarantees.


--Mike