source: x/wm/wm.xml@ 8a69010

<chapter id="x-wm">
<?dbhtml filename="wm.html" dir="x"?>
<title>Window Managers</title>

<para>Window Mangers and Desktop Environments are the primary user
interfaces into the <application>X</application> Window System.  A window manager is a program 
that controls the appearance of windows and provides the means by which 
the user can interact with them.  A Desktop Environment provides a more 
complete interface to the operating system, and provides a range of 
integrated utilities and applications.</para>

<para>There are many Window Mangers available.  Some of the more well
known ones include <application>fvwm2</application>, <application>Window
Maker</application>, <application>AfterStep</application>,
<application>Enlightenment</application>,
<application>Sawfish</application>, 
and <application>Blackbox</application>.</para>

<para>The Desktop Environments available for Linux are
GNOME, <acronym>KDE</acronym>, and
<application>XFce</application>.</para>

<para>Choosing a Window Manager or Desktop Environment is highly 
subjective.  The choice depends on the look and feel of the packages, the 
resources (<acronym>RAM</acronym>, disk space) required, and the utilities included.  One web 
site that provides a very good summary of what is available, screenshots, 
and their respective features is <ulink url="http://www.plig.org/xwinman/">Window Managers for X</ulink>.</para>

<para>In this chapter, the installation instructions of
several Window Managers and one lightweight Desktop Environment are
presented.  Later in the book, both <acronym>KDE</acronym> and
GNOME have their own Parts.</para>

&sawfish;
&fluxbox;
&metacity;
&xfce;

</chapter>