It is very frustrating when you don’t know every programming language (I’m a PHP guy). There are so many things I’d like to change in Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex (it is still a great Linux OS), but don’t have the time/knowledge to do. I am very active in promotion, but maybe someone who knows his stuff will read this list of ideas for inspiration. Or let’s just have a conversation about it in the comments!

System Hardware Rating

This is a new idea I got just a few days ago: wouldn’t it be cool if a new user popped in A Ubuntu LiveCD, which would quickly analyze the your system and grade its performance? If it were good enough it would continue with the launch, and in the case of a bad ’system grade’ it would pop up a warning that the system isn’t good enough for optimal performance and that if you want you should maybe download Xubuntu or a lighter OS?

Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is even doable.

Compiz Settings Manager installed by default

There is no doubt that Compiz Fusion is extremely popular nowadays. Is the Settings Manager really that big of a package that they cannot include it in the default install? I think many users would enjoy being able to tweak Compiz instead of having only the basic functions. I don’t get the “you’re just here for the eye-candy” argument due to the fact that compiz is being shipped in the default install. Why not go all the way then?

Less complicated user Lockdown Tools / Parental Controls

Not only useful in schools, but also at home, Pessulus and Kiosktool just don’t cut it. I’m being optimistic about the Guest Account option, although it would be nice to see a very school- or public-computer-specific settings tool in Ubuntu or the Edubuntu add-on. I bet many parents would like to be able to easily (as in: non-command line) restrict the time of Game/Internet usage. A desktop OS is not used exclusively in a business environments.

Tablet support

I love drawing and doodling with my Wacom Bamboo Fun. It’s much better than paper. I just twitch a little when I have to run an instance of XP to use the GIMP with a tablet. There is a great guide on the Ubuntu Forums. Sadly, it works only 70% of the time and an update broke it for me. There is this Linuxwacom project. OK, well maybe working on the Wifi support is much more important than this, although I know a lot of fellow artists like to use the GIMP but can’t make the switch because their little tablet doesn’t work on Linux.

Fix Pulse Audio!

Nuff’ said.

Error/Bug Reporting Advice

We have to admit that you encounter a lot of errors when trying to do something advanced in Linux. I don’t like Windows’ & Firefox’s way of sending Crash Reports (what use do people with out an Internet connection have of it?). What Ubuntu could do, it could give you the standard error message and underneath it tell you what you can do with it if you want to report the bug (with a link to Launchpad or something similar).

Do you have any cool features you would like to see in 9.04? Tell us in the comments!

Wow, the ReactOS developer team is really something. When I first heard about ReactOS, I was fairly sceptical. An open source, reverse-engineered Windows? Well, looks like the developer team is on schedule. They actually have a release road-map and are working closely with the WINE project, which ensures an even faster development phase. The alpha OS is available as a LiveCD for download, you can even try it in a virtual machine or just check out the screenshots on the main site.

ReactOS is a descendant of the late FreeWIN95 project. Even though it isn’t a beauty contest winner, it’s the inside that counts. There’s even a DirectX compatibility subproject called ReactX. Will they succeed? I don’t know, but they already have something very cool for us to play with, right?

Update: seems like the article went popular! If you like it, please Digg

As promised, today we’ll take a look at the various interesting window managers for the X Window System which aren’t (necessarily) a part of a certain desktop environment (that means Enlightenment DR 17 doesn’t count here people, sorry, please take a look at the desktop environment guide).

So what are window managers? Officially, a window manager in GNU/Linux is a piece of software which controls placement and appearance of windows in a graphical user interface in X. So, what you get is a module which could be used in a desktop environment, or as a desktop environment (in conjuction with other modules, such as a idesk). All the WMs listed here can easily be obtained through your distribution’s respective repositories. You can also visit the project’s website and download the WM from there.

I am a satisfied Openbox user, for instance. There are many other Window managers available for download that were created for X. I’ll try to mention as many cool Window managers out there as possible. If your window manager of choice isn’t listed and it angers you, here’s the deal: instead of swearing and telling me it isn’t fair, maybe you can put together a little description of it, post it in the comments, and I’ll put it in the article, along with a screenshot. Neat, huh? Some window managers that deserve a mention and aren’t listed in this post (because I haven’t tested them and don’t want to make them look bad) are: LarsWM (a fork of 9wm), FVWM, AmiWM, EvilWM, xwm, Enlightenment DR16 & Compiz.

Attention: www.box-look.org is a great site if you are looking for themes, add-ons and more for different window managers.

The list:

1. The *Boxes

They are called the *boxes, because the concept is extremely similar, almost to that point, that these window managers are basically clones. Of course, each has its own goals and quirks, you will see what I mean later.

1.1 Fluxbox

Probably the most well known of the three, Fluxbox is still a fairly minimalist window manager, looking from the outside. Like other *boxes (it is based on Blackbox), a right click anywhere on the desktop will open a basic menu. You can modify this menu by editing the config text file, or simply use a graphical interface for the job. Fluxbox is in my opinion the best one to start with, as it needs little configuration and is able to handle auto-starting, wallpapers and more by itself. It also comes with a lot of themes pre-installed, no wonder - it is very easy to create your own. The window tabs are one of the special add-ons. Compared to Blackbox, Fluxbox even provides a tray with a window list and icon support for applications, running in the tray (this part is called a ’slit’. Window Maker and KDE dock apps are supported as well. The coolest thing about Fluxbox to me is that it can automatically recognize applications that are able show a wallpaper on your desktop (feh, idesk etc.)

1.2 Openbox

Is another Blackbox clone, albeit completely rewritten in C since v3 - leaner, meaner, faster! When I first installed it on Debian I was like, ‘where’s everything else?’. Extensions are not necessary, but add a lot of missing functionality. PyPanel and other modules make your Openbox experience richer while maintaining a minimalist feeling. Again, installing themes is pretty easy, and so is the configuration (rc.xml and menu.xml, pretty straight-forward XML files), you can even configure key-bindings. If you’re a lazy guy like me, you’ll probably prefer a GUI. Use ObConf. A special feature of Openbox are dynamic menus. You can use them to set up menus which show your Gmail inbox and other cool things.

1.3 Blackbox

The original, written in C++, Blackbox remains a very simplistic widow manager. Like the wiki states, ‘it manages windows, period’, Openbox does not give you a tray, and does not handle the keyboard. A number of add-ons are available, though, since the developers emphasize  the importance of keeping up to standards. What surprised me is that it uses the MIT license and not the GPL. In comparison to Openbox and Fluxbox, I can’t give you a real reason except plain curiosity, to try Blackbox out. Maybe someone a bit more experienced could give us a better idea?

2. IceWM

For all you Asus Eee owners, this is the program that draws the windows in the Xandros Linux distro which runs on the Eee. IceWM’s goal is to imitate the Windows 95/98 user interface (to a certain degree). It is light and has some embedded functionality (virtual desktops, GNOME/KDE menu support, tray). Spicing IceWM up with themes can give you a nice-looking desktop environment, suitable for old Windows users, but it’s also worth a try if you’re just looking for a light window manager. Don’t let the ugly default theme scare you away. IceWM is very customizable, you can edit parts of it through text files. As always, GUI configuration apps are available.

3. Special Guest: Avant Window Navigator, or ‘AWN’

As far as I know, this is the only Mac OS X-like dock clone which provides the same full functionality as its  Apple counterpart, which means you can use it as a window switcher. AWN has matured a lot since I first tried it, and if you like eye candy and maybe want to try a different way of working with your windows, AWN is the Linux WM for you.It is usually used in conjunction with other window manager, as it can only manage- not draw- windows. So it isn’t a full window manager, this is why the developers describe it as a Window Navigator.

4. AwesomeWM

I hear often about this one on forums. Not only does Awesome WM have an awesome name, it’s also clean and useful, although a bit different. The WMs we are normally used to, are called floating window managers. You know how it looks like, when you open a window. Now, Awesome WM opens your app (say, xterm) full screen. If you open another app, it will separate the screen to two equal spaces for both programs. You can adjust the ’tiles’ later, that’s where the name tiling window manager comes from. There is also a possibility to use it in floating mode, but the floating mode won’t give you window borders. Windows are classified by tags. AwesomeWM’s ca. 150 kB size, focus on the basic functions, and pure awesomeness, are some of the pros which you should consider. I don’t recommend AwesomeWM for people who do a lot of graphic design, though. It’s a bit weird working with it, takes some getting used to, especially with the GIMP.

5. Sawfish & Metacity

They are both window managers, used in the GNOME Desktop Environment.

SawFish (previously SawMill) deserves a special mention because it was the default WM of the early versions of GNOME. It is written in a Lisp-like language, through which you can add more functionality (SawFish does not come with a panel). Many people still use SawFish (to my surprise!) and there are GUI config tools available for it.

Metacity is, quite curiously, even more basic. It requires GTK+ (it inherits the theme style) and does not work with GNOME 1.xx. Many people use Metacity but don’t know about it, because the options are shown as desktop options, not Metacity options - Metacity is heavily integrated now. It works nice and must be a very solid WM, as we can see if we analyze the percent of people who using it (basically, most GNOME users).

6. AfterStep

Making lists is always a tough job, heh… how should I introduce AfterStep? It takes some of its elements from NEXT’s NextStep OS. There’s a pager to select the current virtual desktop, a taskbar called a WinList and a module similar to a Dock, called a Wharf, which controls launching and manages different applets. AfterStep is a great WM with lots of originality and the flexibility of FVWM (the WM AS is based on) built-in. If you decide to try it out, do use a big screen for a better experience. The main AfterStep page provides pre-compiled binaries, more screenshots and lots of other goodies.

7. WindowMaker

WindowMaker may remind you a bit of AfterStep. This window manager also tries to emulate the NeXT interface. It has similar functions like Afterstep, although without the FVWM foundations, so if you put it all together, along with a Wharf with drag-and-drop support, graphical config tools and support for gradients for nicer window decoration, you get AfterStep’s older brother. WindowMaker is still an extremely popular window manager for X with both the Linux and the BSD crowd. Just take a look at how WindowMaker kicked the other WM’s asses in this poll.

8. JWM

Joe’s window manager reminds me of IceWM, but has an even lighter feel to it. Lots of light GNU/Linux distributions use JWM (DSL, Puppy, SliTaz) due to its low memory footprint. There is a number of add-ons available, SliTaz for instance provides a Panel. JWM is skinnable, but I’ve never seen a really good skin. To me, JWM would always be a second choice to IceWM (more stuff, nicer skins), but as both are very light on computer resources, I suggest you first try the latter, and then see what works best for you.

I hope you liked my little reviews! You can find out even more on this handy little website.

This is what the first alpha version of Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex will look like. The 8.10 version of Ubuntu GNU/Linux won’t be a long-term support version, so Canonical will get a chance to test-drive some new features. Aside from the updated GNOME 2.24.0 and a new kernel version, kernel 2.6.26, the most notable feature currently is the long-awaited theme change. In the screenshots currently published on the Interwebz I can only see lots and lots of brown and I’m not liking it at all. How about you?