customizing window manager (i3)

[wim42gnu]

Hi everybody,

 

as everyone I want to have an awesome desktop. I recently switched back to i3 from xfce. I replaced i3status with conky+JSON and changed the default window colors. I am quite happy with my setup now. And I am looking foreward improving the desktop even more. 

I have read the 'Screenshots' thread and noticed that you all have very nice customized desktops.

 

So I would like to hear what software tools you use and prefer.

 

[sputnik]

After Gnome went insane I spent a few months looking for my next desktop.  I finally figured out that a "desktop" is simply a symphony of programs working in harmony to create a view for you.  There are 4 core functions: window manager (creates ... windows), window decorator (adds quit, minimize, scroll bar, etc. to windows), desktop manager (makes pretty background, let's you put files on desktop), and most people prefer having a panel (clock, date, running programs, taskbar, etc.).

All else is just "packaging."  What do I care what audio player something like Gnome is "packaged with?"  I'll just emerge the one I prefer anyhow, so it's all just bloat.  Why not just go out and get what you think is the best of the 4 core programs and forget the bloat?

My symphony is played by compiz, emerald, spacefm and lxpanel.  I love it, wouldn't change a thing.  It's very lightweight and adaptable.  Although if I were coding all day long I could see the benefit of a tiling desktop, I'm not, so I just want functional, beautiful and above all, customizable.

One final note: people who don't use compiz yet know all about it will tell you that it is resource hungry.  Not true at all, just the opposite.  The static memory footprint compares with openbox.  Yeah, if you have all the effects turned on, when you do things like open and close a program, your cpu usage will spike for a millisecond or two doing those fancy video effects.  My 24/7 world domination code can take the hit.  And even you can turn off those effects completely, now you don't even have that hit.

Forget the desktop concept, roll your own the way you like it.

[wim42gnu]

Thanks, I basically have the same view. I like i3 because it is simple and it does exactly what I want, without unnecessary animations, declarations, etc.

I was just thinking about usefull 'helper' programs people use with i3 (or other lighweight wms) e.g. dmenu, conky, feh, xscreensaver or lxappearance.

 

I have thought about using lxpanel or xfce4-panel with i3 but for now I do not feel the need for it.

 

I am looking foreward to hear what programs people use to enhance their desktop experience.