Here at MakeTechEasier, we’ve covered Linux desktop issues of all kinds, and we’ve examined desktop environments both well known (Gnome and KDE) as well as somewhat obscure (Window Maker, LXDE). For some reasons, we’ve never taken a close look at the very popular XFCE desktop environment. It’s nearly as feature-rich as Gnome, but with a smaller footprint. As it’s been a big name in the Linux desktop world for quite a few years now, it seems we’re long overdue to check out this polished and useful collection of software.
[Read more...]
A Long Overdue Look at XFCE
By | December 2, 2010 |
A Look at KDE Desktop Effects
By | September 8, 2010 |
KDE’s visual effects for windows and menus technically dates back to KDE 3. Experimental programs like kompmgr provided drop shadows and transparency for windows, and the KDE desktop itself had built-in support for basic menu transparency, shadows, and other effects.
With the coming of KDE 4, the number of effects has multiplied, and KWin (KDE’s window manager) is now on par with Compiz (a window manager with numerous desktop effects). Moreover, KWin’s primary advantage over Compiz is that it is part of KDE and integrates perfectly with the rest of the desktop. While support for Compiz has been added, there are still some outstanding glitches when run on top of KDE.
One misconception about desktop effects is that they are solely used to increase aesthetic appeal and add no practical functionality. The reality, however, is that many desktop effects provide accessibility features and productivity enhancements, but having an awesome-looking desktop certainly doesn’t hurt.
[Read more...]
3 KDE Add-ons Worth Trying
By | April 12, 2010 |
One of the remarkable features of KDE 4 is the extensibility. Developers or even regular users can contribute to the rich collection of artwork, software, widgets, and visual improvements. Ever so often, I look around for rather random add-ons that make my desktop experience more pleasant or occasionally even serve a meaningful purpose. They range from full applications to very basic widgets.
In no particular order, here are a few that I have recently encountered and are worth mentioning.
[Read more...]
Beginner’s Guide to Fluxbox Configuration
By | January 19, 2010 |
On any list of lightweight Linux window managers, you’ll find Fluxbox. Originally a fork of Blackbox, Flux is well known as a fast, light, highly configurable desktop. Unfortunately, Fluxbox’s emphasis on text files for nearly all configuration often acts as a roadblock for those first trying it out. There is a GUI which provides some of the basic config options, but the bulk of it (menus, colors, keybindings) is found in text files. In this article, we’ll go over most of Fluxbox’s config files and how to tweak them to your needs.
Since we’re focusing on configuration, the remainder of the article will assume you’ve already got Fluxbox installed. All examples and screenshots were done using Fluxbox 1.1.1 on Ubuntu 9.10.
[Read more...]
How to Configure Custom Shortcuts in KDE
By | September 28, 2009 |
Perhaps Mac users know this better than anyone else. Shortcut keys do exactly what they say, give you shortcuts, saving you time. On my previous computer, my “C” key had worn off the keyboard because I spent so much time copying with “Ctrl-C” rather than going to the menu each time to select “copy”. Whether you are starting an application or cycling through virtual desktops, Linux users tend to love shortcut keys just as much.
In KDE, shortcut keys are customizable for each and every application, and you can also customize global shortcuts that affect the desktop, window manager, command interface, and other features. What follows is a brief guide to using KDE shortcuts, but first I am going to press “Ctrl-S” to save my work.
[Read more...]
How to Set Special Window Settings with KWin
By | August 3, 2009 |
KWin is a free and open source window manager and is the default in KDE. It is a powerful, highly customizable window manager with a plethora of both aesthetic and nuts and bolts features. With the release of KDE 4, the developers added 3D desktop effects, but they also carried over many customization features from KDE 3. Here are some of the window-specific settings that you can use in KWin.
There are two ways to access Window Specific Settings. One is to right click on the title bar of the window you want to configure, click “Advanced“, and click “Special Window Settings“. The other is to start System Settings, click the “Window Behavior” button, and then click “Window-Specific“. From there just click “New…” to make a new rule. In the second method you will have to manually specify the name of the window or click “Detect Window Properties” and click on the window you want to configure.
[Read more...]
How To Create A Great Window Maker Desktop
By | February 14, 2009 |
If you’ve never used Window Maker on your Linux desktop, you’re missing out. I’ve dabbled in nearly every window manager/desktop environment out there, and while all have their pros and cons, I always go back to Window Maker.
It’s elegant, functional, flexible, and FAST! For those who like screenshots, this link is a Google Image search for Window Maker.
Window Maker was originally developed as a clone of the NeXTstep desktop, an ancestor of OSX. NeXTstep was considered one of the most productive and innovative desktop environments of its time, and Window Maker has extended this legacy to modern hardware and software platforms.
Enough with the history, let’s get down to business. For starters, you’ll want to get Window Maker installed. Depending on your choice of Linux distribution, these first few steps can vary somewhat. For the sake of this article, I’ll assume you’re running Ubuntu or another Debian derivative.
