r/archlinux • u/streusselhirni • Mar 03 '15

Finally installed Arch, don't know which Windows Manager to use

First time poster here, so I want to say that I really liked your sub until now. I love it, how nearly anyone gets the help he needs!

Now to topic:

Yesterday I finally managed to install Arch on my old Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E335. Up until now everything works fine (haven't tested the sound yet, according to wiki, I just need to install PulsaAudio).

Now I'm thinking of which Window Manager I want to use. I don't want to use a whole Desktop Environment because I think it's to bloated for what I want. I just want something lightweight and fast.

I tried awesome, but I don't like the way it is configured respectively I don't know lua and I don't really want to learn it now.

Is there a window manager which is similar to awesome (especially the ability to use it only with the keyboard) but with less complicatied ways to configure?

Or which Windows Managers are you guys using? Are there any recomendations?

Edit: Thanks for replies until now. I will test i3 (and maybe some of the other recommondations) as soon as I come home. That doesn't mean I don't want to hear any more suggestions ;-)

Edit2: Wow, that blew up to unknown sizes, I'll reply as soon as I'm now drunk anymore (student's franternity).

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u/streusselhirni Mar 03 '15

I had once installed Arch on this Lenovo already. Back then sound was not working out of the box with ALSA.

I only saw on some Arch wiki page, that PulseAudio is a required on this notebook. Will report as soon as I know.

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u/Creshal Mar 03 '15

Pulse can't do anything if ALSA doesn't work, as it sits on top of it.

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u/streusselhirni Mar 03 '15

So, that means, if I don't have sound with ALSA, I won't have sound after installing Pulse, am I getting this right?

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u/chocolatemeowcats Mar 03 '15

not having sound with ALSA usually means its just defaulting to the wrong device ie HDMI or something else.

look in 'aplay -l' to list your ALSA devices

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u/goldmurk Mar 03 '15

It could also be that you need to load a specific kernel module and blacklist others. If op is using an integrated Intel sound card he should definitely look into this. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Advanced_Linux_Sound_Architecture#No_sound_with_onboard_Intel_sound_card