I’ve been spending a little time recently looking at different Windows Managers (WM) for my linux-based notebook running the Manjaro distribution.
My usual approach had been to run some form of standard Desktop Environment (DE) such at Cinnamon, Gnome 2 or 3, XFCE or LXDE. But for some reason I was drawn to check out some different windows managers. To my non-geek mind, a desktop environment provides the whole package in terms of screen functionality and access whereas a window manager looks after the administration and placement of windows or apps on a screen. Windows managers are generally quicker and less cluttered but more difficult to configure than a desktop environment.
… of Linux distro.
I wrote about my history of Linux Distros here. At the time I indicated I was using Ubuntu 16.04 with the Gnome 3 desktop. That was true (and technically is at the moment), but it won’t be for long.
I find frequent issues with my current setup. Nautilus (the file manager) simply refuses to start when I first fire up the machine three times out of four. It will eventually start – perhaps one or two minutes after I need it. I receive regular crash report notifications telling me something hasn’t worked and inviting me to send some information to someone so they can think about fixing it never. I receive crash reports for programs I’m not even running, or need to run. And sometimes (once every five or six boots) my wifi network isn’t found. It hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s just that Mr (or Mrs) Ubuntu can’t find it.