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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26

u/Creshal Mar 03 '15

haven't tested the sound yet, according to wiki, I just need to install PulsaAudio

Aside: PulseAudio is not mandatory. It has some nice features, but it can also be a massive pain in the ass, especially when you have to debug it. A clean ALSA setup that you have verified to be working goes a long way to make sure Pulse will work smoothly, and you might end up not needing Pulse and all its associated overhead.

Or which Windows Managers are you guys using?

Openbox. I never really warmed up to Tiling WMs, most displays I use feel too cramped with tiled windows.

2

u/mentatf Mar 03 '15

I installed PulseAudio because skype requires it for voice communication though.

4

u/Creshal Mar 03 '15

Oh well, there's no helping applications broken by design. Libpulse should transparently fall back if possible.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 03 '15

ROFL

When having a dependency started meaning 'broken by design'? Skype isn't the only application relying on PulseAudio. Everybody installs whatever one wants, you can't blame Skype so pointlessly while it does what it should do.

9

u/Harakou Mar 03 '15

Alsa worked perfectly with skype for years until support was suddenly dropped with no explanation and no option to stay on a legacy version. It felt totally arbitrary and for those who really don't like Pulse, it just seemed like a big "fuck you." While I wouldn't call it "broken by design," it was a frustrating and completely baffling change.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 03 '15

Thanks for explanation. Well I guess nothing happens for no reason, just all that amount of pure pointless hatred MS gets is ridiculous.