Best Window Manager for Special Needs Children

HalfMadDad · 12-24-2016, 07:27 AM

Hi Everyone

I have heard lots of debates about window mangers. If window Manger A has a number of features that B does not have and it takes just N more memory then it's has the upper hand. However what if memory and features are not the most important thing.

I feel that with special needs kids, easy of use would be the most important thing. I like Joe's window manager but having a "work space switcher" could be very confusing.

Do you think that TWM would be the easiest window manger to use? It has a large X for a mouse pointer by default.

Would a tiling window manager be a good idea. Accidentally iconifying a window might be frustrating as an example.

If you could put yourself into the "shoes" of a child that does not know computers well, what pitfalls could they fall in, how could these be avoided.

Thanks for reading-Patrick

business_kid · 12-24-2016, 11:21 AM

Hi Patrick,

Give us a hint at the special need; I'm guessing mild mental retardation, or ADD. I've just had my head in a windows based linux installer and it has a long list of distros. Among the distros listed are "Linux for Kids"

DouDouLinux
Qimo*4 Kids 2.0
Sugar On A Stick

They must surely have solved this problem for you.

HalfMadDad · 12-24-2016, 11:41 AM

Hi Business_kid

Both of my kids have autism. There are delays but lack of patience and trouble problem solving can be issues

I'll have a look at those distros

Thanks

hazel · 12-24-2016, 11:59 AM

Have a look at this blog post. He recommends xmonad as being very suitable for children.

DavidMcCann · 12-24-2016, 12:19 PM

You can always get rid of the pager on the panel and set the number of workspaces to 1.

You can also disable the minimise/restore/close buttons in some GUIs: in Xfce you use the Window Manager control panel and in Mate I think you use dconf or gsettings and alter button-layout.

fatmac · 12-24-2016, 12:55 PM

My favourite WM is fluxbox, it may work for you, it has simple files for configuring most things, make as complex or as easy as you want, create a very simple menu, or a comprehensive one, by altering a text file. No desktop icons by default, & just a right click menu pop up.

If you want it in a distro, take a look at Antix 'base', this is what I use.
http://antix.mepis.com/index.php?tit...ors.2FDownload

jamison20000e · 12-24-2016, 06:21 PM

Hi.

I like Xfce, KDE and +1 for Sugar or so on (any will do,) key is to block from systems apps &c. Here's a blog post I made a while back: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...like-me-35291/
too bad I did not take any screenshots but wound up giving him KDE with no bar just screen widgets, toys and icons( of various sizes...) have fun, free!

HalfMadDad · 12-24-2016, 07:51 PM

Thanks everyone for these great posts

273 · 12-24-2016, 08:05 PM

What are they comfortable using, and why? Might it be possible to start from something like they are using and gradually change things (change is a problem, I think?) from there? Personally*, I'm hating using Gnome Shell I'm booted into almost as much as the Windows 10 I escaped earlier by doing so because I like XFCE. I would imagine somebody who liked Gnome Shell would feel the same going from Windows 10 to XFCE.
Is it, perhaps, a case of giving them what they need to do and allowing them to learn to expand to what they want to do?

*I've been on edge for the last few weeks because Debian Sid's not been working on my machines.

business_kid · 12-25-2016, 09:49 AM

Kids with Autism have often have concentration in bucketloads, once motivated. Why not involve them in the choice? Better chance of success that way.

I once suffered too regular updates of Mandrake(now Mandriva) as a 'crashtester' while they promised help. I got a python script out of them for starting various window managers in X depending on my choice, by dint of copying their glowing promise of help to crashtesters on to their mailing list and holding them to it. It appears to still exist
http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/se...hp?query=xtart

HalfMadDad · 12-26-2016, 06:46 AM

Hi 273

My son is 10(11 in March.) He can use Ubuntu quite well. However it's on an underpowered laptop and I would like to switch to something lighter.

My daughter just turned 7. She is brand new to computers and needs something simple.

Thanks

HalfMadDad · 12-26-2016, 06:47 AM

hi business_kid

My son's concentration is excellent, my daughter's is not so great yet but is improving.

thanks for the link for window manger testing-Patrick

273 · 12-26-2016, 08:07 AM

It might be worth installing LXDE on the Ubuntu laptop and seeing how he likes it? I say LXDE because it's light and though I don't find it as customisable as XFCE if he's used to Ubuntu he's used to not being able to change much. You should be able to install LXDE (or, indeed, XFCE) alongside Ubuntu's Unity -- it may not work wuite as well as Lubuntu but will give the option to try other DEs with Unity as fallback.

Xeratul · 12-26-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HalfMadDad

Hi Everyone

I have heard lots of debates about window mangers. If window Manger A has a number of features that B does not have and it takes just N more memory then it's has the upper hand. However what if memory and features are not the most important thing.

I feel that with special needs kids, easy of use would be the most important thing. I like Joe's window manager but having a "work space switcher" could be very confusing.

Do you think that TWM would be the easiest window manger to use? It has a large X for a mouse pointer by default.

Would a tiling window manager be a good idea. Accidentally iconifying a window might be frustrating as an example.

If you could put yourself into the "shoes" of a child that does not know computers well, what pitfalls could they fall in, how could these be avoided.

Thanks for reading-Patrick

JWM is awesome on a raspberry:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<JWM>

   <!-- The root menu, if this is undefined you will not get a menu. -->
   <!-- Additional RootMenu attributes: onroot, labeled, label -->
   <RootMenu height="15" onroot="123">


      <Separator/>
      <Program icon="/tmp/terminal.png" label="Sound Up"> amixer  -c 1 set 'PCM',0 20+ </Program>

      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Sound Down"> amixer  -c 1 set 'PCM',0 20- </Program>

      <Menu icon="folder.png" label="Sound >>">
        <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Sound Up +10pct"> amixer  -c 1 set 'PCM',0 10+ </Program>
        <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Sound Down -10pct"> amixer  -c 1 set 'PCM',0 10- </Program>
        <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Sound Mute"> amixer  -c 1 set 'PCM',0 20000- </Program>
      </Menu>
      <Separator/>


      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Raspman Manager"> xterm -e raspman </Program>
      <Program icon="rxvt.png" label="Bookmarks XCLIP"> raspman --bookmark-xclip  ; xclip -o >>  ~/.rasp-bookmarks  ; echo  >> ~/rasp-bookmarks  </Program>
      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Play XCLIP"> xterm -e sh ~/scripts/playxccur.sh  </Program>
      <Separator/>


      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="HL2"> xterm -e sh ~/hl2.sh  </Program>
      <Separator/>

      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="bash mplayer cur HL "> xterm -e sh ~/playcur.sh  </Program>

      <Program icon="rxvt.png" label="Terminal">x-terminal-emulator</Program>


      <Program icon="rxvt.png" label=" xmoto "> xterm -e  xmoto --ugly --noexts     </Program>

      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="Mplayer cur "> xterm -e mplayer -fs -zoom ` xclip -o  `   </Program>




      <Program icon="xrand.png" label="xrand r"> xrandr -s 640x480 </Program>

      <Program icon="firefox.png" label="Www Browser">x-www-browser</Program>

      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="YOUTUBE"> iceweasel youtube.com </Program>
      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="Traffic"> sh ~/lisa.sh  </Program>



      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="hatari">  hatari </Program>
      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="supertux">  supertux  </Program>
      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="Sound Settings alsamixer">    xterm -e alsamixer  </Program>
      <Program icon="youtube.png" label="virtual keyboard xvkbd">   xvkbd  </Program>



<!-- #DEBIAN
      <Menu icon="folder.png" label="Applications">
         <Program icon="audacious.png" label="Audacious">audacious</Program>
         <Program icon="dia.png" label="Dia">dia</Program>
         <Program icon="firefox.png" label="Firefox">firefox</Program>
         <Program icon="pidgin.png" label="Pidgin">pidgin</Program>
         <Program icon="gimp.png" label="Gimp">gimp</Program>
         <Program icon="gtk-gnutella.png" label="gtk-gnutella">
            gtk-gnutella
         </Program>
         <Program icon="gxine.png" label="gxine">gxine</Program>
         <Program icon="ooffice.png" label="Open Office">ooffice</Program>
      </Menu>
      <Menu icon="folder.png" label="Utilities">
         <Program icon="xcalc.png">xcalc</Program>
         <Program icon="xfontsel.png">xfontsel</Program>
         <Program icon="xmag.png">xmag</Program>
         <Program icon="xprop.png" label="xprop">
            xprop | xmessage -file -
         </Program>
      </Menu>
-->
      <Separator/>

      <Restart label="Restart" icon="restart.png"/>
      <Exit label="Exit" confirm="true" icon="exit.png"/>
   </RootMenu>

   <Group>
      <Class>Pidgin</Class>
      <Option>sticky</Option>
   </Group>

   <Group>
      <Name>gkrellm2</Name>
      <Option>nolist</Option>
   </Group>

   <Group>
      <Name>rxvt</Name>
      <Option>vmax</Option>
   </Group>

   <!-- Additional tray attributes: autohide, width, border, layer, layout -->
   <Tray  x="0" y="-1" height="32">

      <!-- Additional TrayButton attribute: label -->
      <TrayButton label="|Start Menu|">root:1</TrayButton>

      <TrayButton label="_">showdesktop</TrayButton>

      <!-- Additional Pager attributes; width, height -->
      <Pager/>

      <!-- Additional TaskList attribute: maxwidth -->
      <TaskList/>

      <Dock/>

      <!-- Additional Swallow attribute: height -->
      <Swallow name="xload" width="64">
         xload -nolabel -bg black -fg red -hl white
      </Swallow>

      <Clock format="%H:%M">xclock</Clock>

   </Tray>

   <!-- Visual Styles -->

   <WindowStyle>

      <Font>-*-fixed-*-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-*-*</Font>
      <Width>4</Width>
      <Height>20</Height>

      <Active>
         <Text>white</Text>
<!-- #DEBIAN
         <Title>#70849d:#2e3a67</Title>
         <Corner>white</Corner>
-->
         <Title>White:Black</Title>
         <Corner>gray20:white</Corner>
         <Outline>black</Outline>
      </Active>

      <Inactive>
         <Text>#aaaaaa</Text>
         <Title>#808488:#303438</Title>
         <Corner>#aaaaaa</Corner>
         <Outline>black</Outline>
      </Inactive>

   </WindowStyle>

   <TaskListStyle>
      <Font>-*-fixed-*-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-*-*</Font>
      <ActiveForeground>black</ActiveForeground>
      <ActiveBackground>gray90:gray70</ActiveBackground>
      <Foreground>black</Foreground>
      <Background>gray70:gray90</Background>
   </TaskListStyle>

   <!-- Additional TrayStyle attribute: insert -->
   <TrayStyle>
      <Font>-*-fixed-*-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-*-*</Font>
      <Background>gray90</Background>
      <Foreground>black</Foreground>
   </TrayStyle>

   <PagerStyle>
      <Outline>black</Outline>
      <Foreground>gray90</Foreground>
      <Background>#808488</Background>
      <ActiveForeground>#70849d</ActiveForeground>
      <ActiveBackground>#2e3a67</ActiveBackground>
   </PagerStyle>

   <MenuStyle>
      <Font>-*-fixed-*-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-*-*</Font>
      <Foreground>black</Foreground>
      <Background>gray90</Background>
      <ActiveForeground>white</ActiveForeground>
      <ActiveBackground>#70849d:#2e3a67</ActiveBackground>
   </MenuStyle>

   <PopupStyle>
      <Font>-*-fixed-*-r-*-*-10-*-*-*-*-*-*-*</Font>
      <Outline>black</Outline>
      <Foreground>black</Foreground>
      <Background>yellow</Background>
   </PopupStyle>

   <IconPath>
      $HOME/.icons
   </IconPath>

   <!-- Virtual Desktops -->
   <!-- Desktop tags can be contained within Desktops for desktop names. -->
   <Desktops count="4">

      <!-- Default background. Note that a Background tag can be
           contained within a Desktop tag to give a specific background
           for that desktop.
       -->
      <Background type="tile">$HOME/Debian.jpg</Background>

   </Desktops>

   <!-- Double click speed (in milliseconds) -->
   <DoubleClickSpeed>400</DoubleClickSpeed>

   <!-- Double click delta (in pixels) -->
   <DoubleClickDelta>2</DoubleClickDelta>

   <!-- The focus model (sloppy or click) -->
   <FocusModel>click</FocusModel>

   <!-- The snap mode (none, screen, or border) -->
   <SnapMode distance="10">border</SnapMode>

   <!-- The move mode (outline or opaque) -->
   <MoveMode>opaque</MoveMode>

   <!-- The resize mode (outline or opaque) -->
   <ResizeMode>opaque</ResizeMode>

   <!-- Key bindings -->
   <Key key="Up">up</Key>
   <Key key="Down">down</Key>
   <Key key="Right">right</Key>
   <Key key="Left">left</Key>
   <Key key="h">left</Key>
   <Key key="j">down</Key>
   <Key key="k">up</Key>
   <Key key="l">right</Key>
   <Key key="Return">select</Key>
   <Key key="Escape">escape</Key>

   <Key mask="A" key="Tab">nextstacked</Key>
   <Key mask="A" key="F4">close</Key>
   <Key mask="A" key="#">desktop#</Key>
   <Key mask="A" key="F1">root:1</Key>
   <Key mask="A" key="F2">window</Key>

</JWM>

business_kid · 12-26-2016, 11:50 AM

Quite OT, but I appreciate the name you chose, having been there myself. I will pass on a car poster which I saw on an overcrowded old banger going through a small town. It read:

Quote:

Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your kids