Just wondering how many other people there are out there who use fvwm2 on a home computer? Did you write your config file from scratch, and how long did you spend on it?
I have been using it for a couple of years now with the same config (written from scratch in vi), it works pretty well but looks a bit basic. I keep thinking I'll get around to writing myself a great all-singing, all-dancing new one but I think the work I'd have to put into designing it etc would be too long! I'm one who likes to have quick launch keys, menus dependent on context, mouse buttons mapped to different things etc rather than having something which just looks nice.

Be interested to hear what everyone else does, and also other peoples views of fvwm2 in comparison to the mainstream desktop environments like KDE. (I know fvwm2 is a window manager not a desktop environment for anyone who is being picky!).

I used it for a while just for grins and giggles, primarily experimenting with the fvwm-themes package and using it to build a theme. I did not like the menu structure.

I read a lot on building a theme, but just didn't have the time; maybe some day, because it looks as if it would be a great learning exercise. If I tried, the first thing I'd do is redesign the menu.

I ended up going back to Fluxbox because I am really really spoiled by the Fluxbox right-click menu and the clean desktop that lets my wallpaper be visible (I do like my pretty pictures). There really isn't anything that I want my environment to do that Fluxbox doesn't do.

I'm not interested in widgets or wizards, dislike desktop icons, don't want gimcracks and geegaws, don't care about fancy fade in and fade out effects, though I do like Fluxbox's transparency feature.

I guess I'm a desktop curmudgeon.

Hi

fvwm2 is the latest generation of a window manager called fvwm, but in neither case has it been entirely clear what fv stands for. Virtual seems a reasonable guess for the v. fvwm predates both GNOME and KDE as a program that can provide multiple virtual screens to expand your desktop real estate. But the meaning of the f in fvwm has led to much speculation. In fact, among the latest group of the program's developers are a number of cat lovers who claim the f stands for feline.

That's the thing, I'm not sure if it's worth all the effort - I love the flexibility of fvwm2, you can do some fantastic things with it, but hell, it certainly takes a lot of work!

According to what I've read, FVWM stands for "feeble virtual window manager."

That's the original name Rob Nation gave it, yes. These days, we prefer to leave the F as anonymous.

-- Thomas Adam

I use FVWM, and no, it didn't take me long to write a config, but then these things usually evolve over time anyway.

-- Thomas Adam

Once in a great while I do google searches and 'borrow' pieces of other people's configs, or get ideas from them. But as Thomas said it "evolves over time" and eventually you end up with a config just for you. I have found there are parts of my config I hardly ever change (menus, keyboard shortcuts, fonts). I found this thread doing one of my "fvwm config" searches, it helps me relax a bit

Regards,
Jack

I have been using fvwm for like 10 years. Originally, I was attracted by the speed (login took 5 seconds on a pentium laptop), later I got used to the keyboard shortcuts, and found it very convenient just to copy the config file during a new install, and immediately have all my favorite stuff just there.

Nowadays my favorite feature is the window-side-titlebar. This saves me some precious vertical pixels on modern widescreen laptops. Otherwise, I just use a basic setup, keep widows maximised for most of the time, and use just one gnome panel for menus and applets on the right hand side of the screen. No wallpapers, no icons, no taskbars.

What I do not like is dynamic handling of multiple monitors. If I connect another monitor to my laptop (with different resolution), the workspaces, maximization, etc will just be messed up. Perhaps I can configure my virtual screen in a better way (Suggestions welcome ;-).