Anil DashDec 13
One amazing thing about 2025 is that, if you start up an Apple product, it forces you to choose between _three different_ window mangers, but if you start up a clean install of a current version of Linux, it just chooses good defaults for you.
Show threadozamidasDec 13

@anildash last time i checked MacOs had the worst virtual desktop management of all modern desktops, maybe slightly better than W10. It's so bad that it made it look unnecessary and impractical. It's no wonder they have to offer 3 different interfaces to compensate for these design choices.

GNOME on the other hand has the best virtual desktop implementation, it's so good it makes it feel like a natural option.

The fact that GNU/Linux can beat MacOs is insane, 15 years ago it wouldn't happen.

Show threadEpiphanic SynchronicityDec 13
@ozamidas @anildash Virtual desktop management on macOS is actually quite good if you learn the keybindings, which use the control (not command) key: Ctl-1 to 9 to jump directly to other desktops, ctl-left/right to go to adjacent desktops, ctl-up for an overview where you can add/remove/rearrange desktops and drag windows from your current desktop to others.
Show threadEpiphanic SynchronicityDec 13
@ozamidas @anildash Last time I looked at Gnome I didn’t like the way it automatically added a new desktop when opening new windows (or was it new apps?), or the way it automatically opened them full-screen in those new desktops, but it’s been a long time and maybe that’s been improved.
Show threadsmxiDec 13

@EpiphanicSynchronicity @ozamidas @anildash no gnome stayed that bad. I like free software operating systems because you find install then stay with the desktop and/or window manager you like. #xfce in my case, or #i3 / #sway.

Note that most free software window managers / desktops can be installed on the BSDs too so it's wrong to call these #linux when you are referring to the user interface. A few have hooks to systemd which ties them to the linux kernel, but most don't.

Show threadEpiphanic Synchronicity
@smxi @ozamidas @anildash I put MX Linux on an old laptop for someone I know, and found their implementation of Xfce pretty solid. I also played around with i3 enough to see why its users like it, and was particularly impressed with the quality of the documentation.
Dec 13 at 7:49pmWeb
Show threadsmxiDec 13
@EpiphanicSynchronicity @ozamidas @anildash yes re excellent #i3 docs. When I was extending #inxi window manager and desktop support I installed everything available, in some vms. i3 had by far the best docs of anything I tested. Best man page, best web docs, so I figured if their docs are this good their code must be as well. Sadly the same could not be said for #sway, the wayland i3 clone. Maybe that's gotten better by now. i3 docs also inspired me to upgrade inxi docs and public data.
Show threadEpiphanic SynchronicityDec 14

@smxi @ozamidas @anildash At least most of the i3 docs must apply to Sway as well, I assume.

I expected Fluxbox to be easier to learn than i3 because it’s a stacking WM, but I found it harder because the docs were nowhere near as good.

Show threadsmxiDec 13
@EpiphanicSynchronicity @ozamidas @anildash the group who does #mxlinux and #antix are some of my favorite distro people. It's a good community and solid distro. Also a good intro to #Debian, which is what they are built off.
Show threadEpiphanic SynchronicityDec 14
@smxi @ozamidas @anildash Agreed. They’re community distros and the support is better than a lot of commercial stuff. I particularly like their MX Tools collection, and AntiX is blazingly fast and lightweight.