Re: Desktop background

[Paul Warren <pdw ferret lmh ox ac uk>]

On Thu, 10 Feb 2000, Wandered Inn wrote:
> Derek Simkowiak wrote:
> 
> >         It's interesting to note that, because of all the GNOME WM "Spec"
> > features that are necessary, combined with the fact that most WMs try to
> > create an entire desktop environment of their own, we now find ourselves
> > in a position where we have a single WM that is the unofficial 'Gnome' WM
> > (Sawmill) that is being designed around the Gnome requirements.
> > 
> >         Seems like it would have been much easier to do from the very
> > beginning, if you ask me.
> 
> I disagree.  Gnome should work with various WMs.  BUT, the WM must
> cooperate as well.  It will be a whole lot easier for Gnome to get
> people to try it, if they don't have to change WM as well as get used to
> Gnome.

Actually I think that that is less of an issue than you suggest.  People
prepared to make a big change like start to use Gnome are probably
prepared to change to a WM that works well with it.

The original WM spec was a good idea in that it allowed Gnome to work with
only minor adaptation of existing WMs, and did not require the development
of an all new WM from the start.  In the long run, people have developed
WMs designed from the outset to work as part of a desktop environment.

> So who is it that has deemed Sawmill the 'unofficial Gnome WM?' 

Popular opinion :-)  The standalone WMs (E, WindowMaker etc.) just can't
compete with a window manager written to work with Gnome, complete with
GTK menus and a control-center config capplet.

yours,

Paul