== 2025-07-26 ==

I've been switching around between different "tiling" window
managers trying to find one that suits me best. I've used i3 for a
number of years, and was quite happy with it, but tried "DWM" for a
change and decided I liked it.

DWM is a /pain/ to configure, you have to edit C source code to
alter anything, and to add functionality (it's pretty sparse in its
initial form) you have to apply source code patches.

And recompile and re-install each time

Adding patches becomes problematical over time, as they often fail,
as your version of the source code diverges from the patch author's
version and "patch" can't find the correct locations to make the
changes. It's possible to manually patch, adding and removing lines
by reading the patch file and the source code and making the
changes line my line. But that's tedious.

I tried "herbstluftwm" but on an initial exploration I didn't like
it so much.

Then I discovered a relatively new solo project (from a You Tube
video)[0] called "SXMW". It's being written by someone still at
school![1]

It already has all the functionality of DWM (that I want/use) and
is /MUCH/ easier to configure. The config is done in a simple text
file and changes can be made and applied by simply editing the file
and then re-loading SXWM (Mod-r) - no need to quit X and restart,
as with DWM.

There's the same basic operation as DWM, with Master/Stack layout.
Resiszing of Master and also of the windows in the Stack. There are
multiple Workspaces, Scratchpads etc.

I really like it, so far.


The only "bug" I've come across so far is that when running
"lxterminal" (instead of "st") it displays as "transparent" and
shows the underlying root window, and the foreground (cursor,
prompt, text etc) are also invisible. I'll continue to use "st" (my
own patched version) and perhaps try some other terminal emulators.

I like lxterminal for its easy copy/paste and its scrollback, as
well as /much/ easier config of theme/colour than st allows.


There's also a new SXBAR project by the same author, which is very
new, and with limited functionality at the moment, but I've been
able to modify it to add a few things of my own - using script(s) I
wrote for DWMBLOCKS to display a few things.

I've made a few github repos. to keep track of my changes to SXWM,
SXBAR, as well as DWM, DWMBLOCKS and ST).[2]

[0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5A6fnDSFfQ
[1]https://github.com/uint23/sxwm
[2]https://github.com/gm4slv

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