thanks for all the replies! I tries ps aux, and this is the output:
sacred@paradox:~$ ps aux
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIM
E COMMAND
root 1 3.1 0.0 488 240 ? S 00:09 0:0
4 init [4]
root 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:09 0:0
0 [keventd]
root 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SWN 00:09 0:0
0 [ksoftirqd_CPU0]
root 4 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:09 0:0
0 [kswapd]
root 5 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:09 0:0
0 [bdflush]
root 6 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:09 0:0
0 [kupdated]
root 10 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW< 00:09 0:0
0 [mdrecoveryd]
root 11 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:09 0:0
0 [kjournald]
root 152 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW 00:10 0:0
0 [khubd]
root 221 0.0 0.2 1404 536 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /sbin/dhcpcd -t 10 -d eth0
root 1086 0.0 0.2 1436 612 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/syslogd
root 1089 0.0 0.1 1376 460 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/klogd -c 3 -x
root 1092 0.0 0.2 1412 540 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/inetd
root 1095 0.1 0.5 3080 1416 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/sshd
root 1105 0.0 0.2 1496 556 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/crond -l10
daemon 1107 0.0 0.2 1504 644 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/atd -b 15 -l 1
root 1110 0.0 0.8 4848 2120 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 sendmail: accepting connections
smmsp 1113 0.0 0.7 4736 1956 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 sendmail: Queue runner@00:25:00 for /var/spool/clientmqueue
root 1119 0.0 0.2 1428 540 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /usr/sbin/gpm -m /dev/mouse -t imps2
root 1121 0.0 0.1 1368 480 tty6 S 00:10 0:0
0 /sbin/agetty 38400 tty6 linux
root 1122 0.0 0.2 2516 660 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
root 1124 2.3 7.1 86956 18388 ? R 00:10 0:0
2 /usr/X11R6/bin/X vt7 -auth /var/run/xauth/A:0-WZsBIg
root 1125 0.0 0.4 2804 1232 ? S 00:10 0:0
0 -:0
sacred 1138 0.0 0.3 2048 968 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 /bin/sh /opt/kde/bin/startkde
sacred 1177 0.1 3.5 20392 9124 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: Running...
sacred 1180 0.2 3.5 20072 9192 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: dcopserver --nosid
sacred 1183 0.2 3.9 22048 10128 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: klauncher
sacred 1185 0.8 4.6 21484 11852 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kded
sacred 1198 2.5 2.2 9928 5836 ? R 00:11 0:0
0 /opt/kde/bin/artsd -F 10 -S 4096 -s 60 -m artsmessage -l 3
sacred 1200 0.9 5.5 26756 14312 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: knotify
sacred 1201 0.0 0.1 1364 320 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kwrapper ksmserver
sacred 1203 0.8 4.4 21184 11388 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: ksmserver
sacred 1204 3.8 5.1 22992 13272 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kwin -session 117f00000100010839833540000001661000
sacred 1207 0.9 4.7 21708 12240 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kwrited
sacred 1209 3.8 5.5 24192 14140 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kdesktop
sacred 1212 4.2 5.6 25404 14564 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kicker
sacred 1213 0.0 3.7 20636 9668 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: kio_file file /tmp/ksocket-sacred/klauncherK03Tha.
sacred 1216 3.0 4.9 22340 12572 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: klipper
sacred 1218 5.0 5.6 26104 14600 ? S 00:11 0:0
0 kdeinit: konsole -session 117f00000100010841520140000001506
sacred 1220 2.8 4.9 22076 12552 ? S 00:11 0:0 0 korgac --miniicon korganizer
sacred 1221 2.4 4.3 21036 11040 ? S 00:11 0:0 0 kalarmd --login
sacred 1222 0.2 0.5 2292 1300 pts/1 S 00:11 0:0 0 -bash
sacred 1225 0.5 0.5 2300 1304 pts/2 S 00:11 0:0 0 -bash
sacred 1240 0.0 0.5 2292 1296 pts/3 S 00:11 0:0 0 -bash
sacred 1258 0.0 0.3 2772 824 pts/1 R 00:11 0:0 0 ps aux
now it seems like a lot is running, as was suggested but windows can have up to like 35 processes going so im not sure what is considered a lot. i dont want to shut off services blindly because i have reinstalled slackware sooo many times bc if i do something, i can rarely fix it.
should i recompile the kernel as well? (2.4 or upgrade to 2.6) I have a guide either from here or tldp that was for newbies. should i do both, just one, etc? all suggestions are GREATLY appreciated! thanks again.
EDIT: ps: not to sound like a smart ass, what is lighter than window maker? I figured my computers are ample for kde (even without added effects, karamba, etc). also, why on a semi-descent computer would it lag simply vc of the wm, is linux gearing toward "state-of-the-art" nowadays?
hope not!