Linux Desktop: large inventory of the desktop environment and Window Manager

Source: Internet
Author: User

Original article link

Many people think that the desktop environment and the window manager are the same thing, but there is a difference between the window manager and the desktop environment. Desktop environments is a recently developed desktop graphics environment. Its main goal is to provide a more complete interface for Linux/UNIX operating systems and a large number of integrated tools and applications.ProgramIts ease of use attracts a large number of new users. The most common desktop environments in the Linux World are gnome and KDE. Window Manager is a software that can control window properties in the X Window environment. Simply put, the Window Manager manages the appearance, desktop menus, icons, virtual desktops, and button styles of the Windows displayed on the screen. If you have to use a word to include them, use "graphic environment.

Speaking of the most brilliant desktop environment, it must be gnome and KDE.

Gnome is the GNU network object model environment (the GNU network Object Model Environment). It is part of the GNU program and an important part of the open source code movement. It is a tool that allows users to easily operate and set the computer environment. The goal is to build a fully functional, easy-to-use and user-friendly desktop environment for Unix or Unix-like operating systems based on free software. He is the official desktop of the GNU program.

 

KDE, short for K desktop environment (K desktop environment. A well-known free graphics operating environment running on Linux, UNIX, FreeBSD, and other operating systems. The entire system uses the QT library developed by trolltech. KDE and gnome are the most popular desktop environment systems in Linux.

 

In other graphics environments, xfce is a lightweight desktop environment running in Various UNIX environments. It is similar to CDE in commercial graphics environments. Its author is Olivier fourdan. Two years ago, Olivier fourdan tried to find a fast, friendly, and efficient Linux desktop, so xfce was born. Xfce was first based on The XForms 3D graphics library, and then developed some later versions. Last year, Olivier fourdan moved his work to Gnome's core tool GTK +. The most important feature of xfce is that it is easy to configure. You can use the mouse to complete the whole process without modifying the configuration file.Code. The latest version of xfce also supports mouse drag and drop, system task management, multi-byte, and other features.

Fluxbox is a lightweight graphic operation interface based on GNU/Linux. It is not as elegant as gnome and KDE, but its operation has extremely low requirements on system resources and configurations, therefore, it is installed on many older machines or machines with high performance requirements. Its menus and related configurations are saved in the user root directory. the fluxbox directory makes its configuration extremely convenient.

 

The openbox Project is a quick, lightweight, and scalable window manager that fully complies with standards. Openbox 3 series is a brand new window manager that does not inherit the code of any similar software in the past, although it looks like blackbox (openbox 2 series code is based on blackbox 0.65.0 ). Openbox can be used as an independent operating environment, or as a window manager to replace the default window manager for desktop environments such as KDE and gnome.

Icewm is a lightweight window manager with small sizes and high speeds. At the beginning of its design, it considers the speed, availability, and stability of combining with the system. It also features flexible configuration. Advantages: 1. Small Size (Installation File is only 1 MB, occupied space is about 6 MB) 2. Fast start, the original interface is similar to Windows (Win95) Disadvantages: 1. Single interface, it is not necessary for users who like the gorgeous interface (but the latest versions have been greatly improved, with xloadimage, Rox-filer, and other software, it can also beautify the GNOME Desktop level ). 2. Most applications must rely on gnome or KDE Desktop library files.

 

In other words, not anyone will like FVWM. Using FVWM is obviously not as simple as using KDE or GNOME Desktop. You need to configure it yourself. It is a well-established and persistent window manager that always works in a loyal XWindow window manager. With FVWM, you can learn a lot about XWindow. You will soon understand the working principle of XWindow and see the power and flexibility of XWindow. If you like to control your windows at will, make them all obedient, instead of always jumping out to block you. You can customize your window style at will, quickly and efficiently control the window, and save resources ,...... In short, you are a picky person. Then FVWM is your final choice.

 

Enlightenment is a powerful Window Manager designed to make it easy for users to configure what you see is what you get. Now the Enlightenment interface is quite luxurious. It has a visual clock like afterstep and other flashy interface effects. You can not only choose borders and dynamic sound effects, most attractive because of its open design philosophy, each user can configure the border, menu, and other parts of the window as per their interests, without having to contactSource codeAnd does not need to compile any program.

Window maker is an X11 Window Manager designed to provide additional comprehensive support for gnustep applications. It tries its best to simulate the first-class nextstep graphical user interface. Compared with the nextstep graphical user interface, the Window maker runs faster, has more functions, and is easy to configure and use.

Afterstep is a window manager developed based on nextstep of the next operating system. It originally originated from the Bowman Window Manager created by Boyang, afterstep developers decided to change the name of the Bowman by simply imitating them to try to improve and improve its functions, so the afterstep program was born. The afterstep interface has many similarities with nextstep, but it is worth noting that afterstep has made a lot of improvements to meet the needs of different users, the nextstep interface does not give a very comfortable feeling, so afterstep draws on the advantages of the nextstep interface and adds many useful features.

 

Mwm (motif Window Manager) follows the motif window management standard developed by OSF (Open Source Foundation, open source code Foundation). Because motif uses the OS/2 Operating System Program Manager as its template, therefore, all window features and shortcut keys are identical to OS/2 and windows. (OS/2 was developed jointly by IBM and Microsoft, but Microsoft quit the cooperation and developed Windows on its own, however, many things in Windows still follow the OS/2 idea ). Motif can be used only at a cost, and mwm has been provided in many commercial UNIX operating systems.

Blackbox is a novel Window Manager developed in C ++. It does not share any code from other Window managers. The settings are implemented by image processing technology and are re-developed. Compared with other Window managers, blackbox's main feature is less code and faster running, blackbox all code is developed and maintained by both Brad Hughes (blackbox@alug.org) and Jeff Raven (jraven@psu.edu. Due to its compact structure and refined code, blackbox occupies a small amount of system resources.

 

Sawfish is an extensible Window Manager developed based on the lisp scripting language. It is not structured on TWM, and the entire architecture is completely new. Users can modify user configuration information, modify components, and control user interfaces by modifying the lisp code in the Personal Configuration File. sawfishrc, or by using an integrated user-defined system. (Responsible editor: A6)

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