On 2021-11-27, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello OpenBSD users and devs, > > I am wondering if there are plans to change the > default window manager in OpenBSD. > > Currently, the default WM is fvwm, with cwm and > openbox available as alternatives. However, none > of these are particularly user-friendly, simple, > or modern, and I think it might be advisable to > use a better default here.
There are dozens of alternatives, ranging from lightweight WMs like i3, evilwm, ratpoison, icewm to larger desktop environments like xfce, lxqt, GNOME. fvwm works, the version in xbase has an acceptable license, and importantly it doesn't require constant fiddling. It's not particularly clever but anyone who has used a windowing environment is likely to be able to pick it up, open a terminal, and do something useful without reading a manual (the same isn't true for many other WMs). > * Using xcb instead of xlib, since xcb is faster > and supposedly better No speed problems seen with fvwm on Zaurus sl-c3100 last time I used it. I don't think this really matters. > * Dynamic virtual desktops fvwm has virtual desktops, it doesn't really matter if they're dynamic. > * Tiling (dynamic or manual) This is a divisive feature! And it really doesn't work well with some software. > * Decent window decorations Divisive too, some do not like decorations. > * Can be controlled with both the pointer and the > keyboard > * Simple, minimal configuration that fits with the > rest of OpenBSD fvwmrc is _fairly_ simple. Pity it doesn't generate menus from .desktop files as I think that would be really useful for new users but I'm not seeing anything that gives a strong reason to replace it with something else. > What do you think? I think the only consensus to be found on this is "something that people don't hate too much but mostly wouldn't use themselves other than to open a terminal and install their preferred WM". And fvwm already fits that, so there doesn't seem a big need to replace it. -- Please keep replies on the mailing list.
