icewm

[Jason W]

Icewm is a window manager for X:

Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm.tcz
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 572K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       Needs fontconfig, graphics-libs-1, Xlibs_support,
expat2
Change-log:     ----
Current:    2009/06/07 First version



Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm.tce
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 572K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       This extension is PPI compatible.  Needs fontconfig,
graphics-libs-1, Xlibs_support, expat2.
Change-log:     ----
Current:    2009/06/07 First version



Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm-locales.tcz
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 172K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       Needs fontconfig,
graphics-libs-1, Xlibs_support, expat2.
Change-log:     ----
Current:    2009/06/07 First version



Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm-locales.tce
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 172K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       This extension is PPI compatible.  Needs fontconfig,
graphics-libs-1, Xlibs_support, expat2.
Change-log:     ----
Current:    2009/06/07 First version



[Jason W]

Updated to fix menu and initmenu function:

Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm.tcz
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 428K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       Needs fontconfig and expat2.
Change-log:     ----
  2009/06/07 First version
Current: 2009/06/26 Patched for menu function and fixed icewm_initmenu.
   Reduced dependencies.




Code: [Select]

Title:          icewm.tce
Description:    IceWM is a window manager for the X Window System.
Version:        1.2.37
Author:         Marko Macek, Mathias Hasselmann
Original-site:  http://www.icewm.org/
Copying-policy: LGPL
Size: 428K
Extension_by:   Jason W
Comments:       This extension is PPI compatible.  Needs fontconfig,
and expat2.
Change-log:     ----
  2009/06/07 First version
Current: 2009/06/26 Patched for menu function and fixed icewm_initmenu.
   Reduced dependencies.





[tinier]

Discovering your IceWM has made a wonderful improvement to the basic TC menu font, and the overall polished look of all windows. Thank you Jason.

I noticed the important AppsAudit tool was missing from IceWm's menu. But when I added this selection to IceWM menu, TC Tools, the menu edit persisted only long enough to mark an extention for removal. Next reboot, AppsAudit selection was gone.

Instruction at top of IceWM Menu file, seemed incomplete as to how to make this edit permanent. Any help would be appreciated.
 

[Jason W]

I'm glad you like the icewm in TC.  Of course, it was made before Appsaudit so that was not included in the menu.  I will update the menu here shortly and include it.  I still need to do the same for Windowmaker.
 
edit:  appsaudit menu added.

[Kingdomcome]

Im just thinking out loud with this.   Would it be possible to have the base menu items stored in a file in the base that each WM could read and insert into their menu so that each WM extension would not need to be updated with every change to the menu?

[roberts]

It has been suggested before and is on my TODO list. However, it was my intention that Core, being so minimal, would not be constantly having changes to the system menu area. Having to parse a common text file to create the system menu only adds to the boot time.

[tinier]

Rather than slow down the boot, could there be a single TC Tools menu item... like "Use TC Menu items" always pasted into any added WM extension?

(But I privately wonder how many nu b's like me, would never think of changing window managers, had not such a crude, 1st impression, menu look driven them to it. That is, if something graphically innocuous, surprisingly lite, but with a modern font and window framing look, like IceWM had been the default -- it's just one less compromise or apology the new Linux user must make. Techies say too much bling is a too costly a resource tradeoff. But is the opposite extreme a hard-to-measure drag on lively growth?)

Anyhow, I'm so strongly drawn to the basic concepts of TC, I've kept coming back over several years, although not commiting -- until I learned that all I needed to do was switch WM's, also generously provided -- although not as functional as the graphically embarassing default.  

[tclfan]

I'm glad you like the icewm in TC.  Of course, it was made before Appsaudit so that was not included in the menu.  I will update the menu here shortly and include it.  I still need to do the same for Windowmaker.
 
edit:  appsaudit menu added.

How heavy is IceWM in terms of memory requirements?
Also, would this be correct to say that in the spirit of modular design the only thing required to start TCL with IceWM in place of flwm is to install IceWM tcz? Pardon me if this is thoroughly documented elsewhere...

[tinier]

to tclfan...

All I did was (from a 32bit Win/DOS boot at the c:\ drive)...

'md \TCE'

Then rebooted via tinycore-2.5rc2.iso CD to the default menu.

Open Appbrowser,
click 'File'
select 'Connect'
Search 'IceWM' enter,
Select 'icewm.tcz
Click 'Mount'. (not install)

When popups report installed, close appbrowser, and

Menu Exit TC,
selecting 'Reboot' with Backup checked. 

It came up fine on next boot.

I tested it on an old Compaq Presario 1600 PIII w/182,240kb, with Opera, TreeLine, Geany, and E2FileMgr extensions.

[Jason W]

All you should have to do is install a window manager, exit and restart X, and you should then be using the new window manager.  That is, unless you have multiple installed into the tce directory, which would normally best be done by booting with the proper bootcode.

There has been criticism of flwm and it's appearance, but it is a WM that fits into the TC base concept of start minimal, and build up with whatever you want from there. 

[tclfan]

All you should have to do is install a window manager, exit and restart X, and you should then be using the new window manager.  That is, unless you have multiple installed into the tce directory, which would normally best be done by booting with the proper bootcode.

There has been criticism of flwm and it's appearance, but it is a WM that fits into the TC base concept of start minimal, and build up with whatever you want from there. 

Thank you Jason and tinier.
Would you perhaps know how much memory requirement for IceWM is incremental in relation to flwm? Is it still lighter than LXDE? LXDE is a DE so such comparison might not be fair though...
And yes, I do accept flwm as minimal, in sync with TC philosophy. For many implementations this might be all that is needed. As now I am at the point of composing a nice desktop from components, aesthetics start to matter. The lighter+nicer the better for this.

[tinier]

With a warning that I may have less experience than you, tclfan -- but I liked your question and so tried this test of IceWM mem use.

rendir c:\tce c:tcex   // to preserve my regular settings
MD c:\tce   // to get a clean empty extension folder

rebooted via CD using 'tinycore base' -- it took 54 sec.

In Control Panel, System Stats, tab 'mem'...

MemTotal        182,240 kB                
MemAvailable  144,888 kB   //using base flwm

Then after Mounting IceWM only, 1st reboot took 60 sec.

MemAvailabel  133,008 kb   // for a loss of 11,880 kb compared to flwm

Same procedure to test Joe's window manager; jwm...

MemAvailable   143,704 kB   // for a loss of only 1,184 kB compared to flwm

and jwm adds date and time -- (now if it just shoehorned in one pretty, bolder font to aging eyes  )

So, tried same procedure with jwm-snapshot... gaining larger font, date time & dynamic mem...

MemAvailable   140,024 kB   // for a loss of 4,864 kB compared to flwm

For me, still ugly window frames and chintzy impression --

Same procedure for HackedBox...

MemAvailable   143,148  // for a loss of only 1,740 kB compared to flwm

Styles Artwiz and Steelblue have adequate to beautiful graphic refinement, 3d window frames, but with a weak font off a previous century's pre-selectric typewriter.

(Since I like to plant flower beds here, paint white walls and hang art and drapes, I'm stickin' wid' IceWm!)

                          

[tclfan]

Thank you for the comparison of mem usage. Looks to me according to these figures that memory loss would be very small, which may be an indication IceWM is still light. I will try tonight after work.
Did you also mention the font gets tremendously improved over flwm?

[tinier]

Yes, the very boldness I prefer, tclfan -- and I felt no driving compulsion to change any of the visual choices installer made, either -- minimal, conservative, but 'modern' and slightly 3d. Adding the xonclock used half the memory of flit, by the way.

[tclfan]

How do you change theme or look and feel in IceWM in TC? The default appears to be still too crude and I know IceWM is capable of nice ones...