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Has the Development of Window Managers Slowed?

Posted by Cliff on from the when-updates-begin-to-slow-to-a-crawl dept.

al3x asks: "When I first got into Linux nearly five years ago, the new releases of competing window managers (like Blackbox, Enlightenment, Sawfish, etc.) were a constant thrill, and great strides were made with every release. I can't count the number of nights spent trying to get that sexy new E build to work, and what fun it was! But these days, window manager development seems to be stagnating. The last stable release of Enlightenment is from last year. Sawfish hasn't done much of anything in months, nor has Blackbox. WindowMaker had a recent update, but not with any exciting new features (it is rock solid, however). Now, verging from the paths of window manager favoritism or "they haven't been updated because they just work," why has development in this arena slowed to a crawl, and what's on the horizon?"

2 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. Who cares? by FFFish · · Score: 0, Troll

    I mean, really. WWIII is on the doorstep, and we're wanking about windows managers? Jaysus, people, getta grip on what's important!

    [this message (C)2001 by KarmaWhore Unlimited.]

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  2. Configuring Window Managers by Leif_Bloomquist · · Score: 1, Troll

    "I can't count the number of nights spent trying to get that sexy new E build to work, and what fun it was!"

    And people wonder why Linux is (still) only for geeks!

    This is such a ludicrous statement. I, like a lot of people, use my computer to do *stuff*, not just messing around trying to get it to work at all.

    Development on window managers has slowed because: Despite all the gripes etc about Microsoft, their "window manager", while crude in some aspects, works. It just works when you install it. You don't have to mess around with editing config files and libs and all that. So why create new ones?

    I recall installing drivers for my ati rage 128 a few months back:

    Windows 98: 10 minutes
    Xfree86: 4 full evenings

    Linux will never be accepted by the mainstream until its developers realize that, to normal people, CONFIGURING YOUR WINDOW MANAGER is NOT FUN. It's infuriating. Most users just want to get on with whatever task they want to do.

    Thank you.