Amigo Linux Project

Tips for Window Maker

This page shows a few tips and tricks I use with WindowMaker to make a clean light-weight desktop.

I really like the way Window Maker handles windows and there are 2 different GUI applications available for configuration. I also like some of the DockApps, but not the Dock itself. The dock and clip both use a space on the desktop, usually 64x64 pixels, which are wasted space. I

Binary Packages: Most binary packages we provide are here. These are usually Slackware-style 'tgz' packages. However, the binaries should work on many other ix86 Linux systems as well. If you run Slackware, you can install them using 'installpkg'.

Sources: The sources are divided into several areas for convenience. Nearly every program directory contains a description file called slack-desc and a PkgBuild script for compiling the sources and creating an installable binary package. See the PkgBuild Project area for more information. Even if you compile the sources manually, you'll find the included PkgBuild scripts quite useful as they contain valid configuration options used for compiling the package. The main areas of interest are these:

GUI Components: This section contains basic components to build your own compact desktop environment. It includes a variety of software such as window managers, panels, menu tools, run-boxes, system trays, taskbars, dialog and message tools, etc.

Applications: You'll find your new GUI environment pretty spartan without some accessories. This section has an extensive collection of applications and supporting libraries which is constantly growing.

Projects: Along the way we've created or done useful modifications to several Open Source programs. In the spirit of the Open Source concept, we pass along our favorite efforts here when it seems they might be useful to others. Here's a list of some of the more interesting, promising or successful:

PkgBuild Build Engine for source code PkgBuild scripts.
ROX-Filer and AppDirs for GTK-1.2 -modernized and de-Pythonized.
MinimoG12 Mozilla Minimo browser for GTK-1.2.
Chico Browser A very lite GTK-1.2 app with embedded Mozilla html engine.
XFtools GUI applications taken from xfce3.
Xdialog Patched version with extra examples and utilities.
WindowMaker Patches and configuration tricks for optimizing Window Maker.

Usually the latest stable release (if any) of these Projects is available in the other Source or Package directories.

The Do-It-Yourself Light Desktop Every one has their own tastes and needs, but here's how I put together a super fast, flexible desktop using a variety of programs which you'll find available here. This page should give you some ideas, no matter which programs you choose for yourself. You'll also find ideas and materials elsewhere here, especially in the GUIcomponents and AmigoProjects areas.

Extra: Sometimes no program is available for a certain purpose without resorting to the use of other toolkits and libraries. Here's where you'll find such items, including GnuCash, gtk-extra, Gnome and GTK+-2.x programs and libraries.

ChangeLog: Changes to individual packages will always be documented with the package or in the source directory. Any general changes to the site are documented in this ChangeLog. The ChangeLog may also have further general comments, ideas, information, test results, conclusions and other bits of fact, fluff or foolishness which don't fit elsewhere.

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