Proficiency
Cleo Menezes Jr. 🌵For fun: partially implementing the Moisac Windows concept by @tbernard.
https://blogs.gnome.org/tbernard/2023/07/26/rethinking-window-management/
At the moment I am making a dynamic and intelligent tiling system that coexists with the mosaic as shown in the mockup and this has been a fairly wide road.
I have already achieved good results, but I think I will only have something that can be proved next year.
Some momentum.
Using mosaic windows is so good that going back to using overlapping windows feels strange.
It's still quite experimental, but I think I can start sharing it to begin getting some public testing.
https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM
https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM
The solution I found to alert the user that the window they are resizing will overflow and no longer fit in the workspace was to make it opaque.
I initially used the Shelf algorithm to build the mosaic, but I ran into limitations I didn't like. I'm testing a hybrid approach: MaxRects algorithm augmented with some BSP algorithm features to improve space utilization and partitioning flexibility.
I need to weigh the pros and cons: a hybrid MaxRects with BSP improves space utilization and flexibility (fills gaps and eases reorganization) but increases computational complexity and processing cost.
Any thoughts?
In the end, it was worth trying to improve the algorithm I already had rather than attempting to implement something so complex that didn't meet my expectations.
Using the Shelf algorithm, I implemented an approach where windows are arranged with radial growth; exactly what I was looking for. This greatly improved space utilization and looks visually well-balanced.
Before the algorithm tried to complete the horizontal space of their "shelf" with windows before creating another "shelf". The look was very unbalanced and uncentric.
I was researching some articles about algorithms for collages and came across an interesting one: https://callistaenterprise.se/blogg/teknik/2025/06/11/genetic-algorithms-collage-creation/.
The proposal presented seems brilliant, as considering the concept of "collage" makes more sense than thinking about "mosaic" to solve this problem.
I tried everything: spiral packing, radial growth, bin packing... Each one promised to be "the definitive." The radial looked nice but had gaps. The spiral got stuck on edge cases. The bin packing ignored aspect ratios.
In the end, I went back to basics: horizontal rows with smart distribution. Windows arrange themselves in lines, respecting their original sizes. Simple, predictable, and it works.
Sometimes the elegant solution is the one that doesn't try to be brilliant. 🧘
Guys, MosaicWM is becoming more and more stable, so I would like to start having people testing it.
Jacob@CleoMenezesJr ooo, I really like this. This is the stuff of dreams
@Jc00qe Me too. I had been wanting this to be a reality for a long time. 🫣
fe@CleoMenezesJr Looking pretty good!!!!
@fkinoshita Isn't it? I loved the animations.
aburka 🫣@CleoMenezesJr so... I disabled PaperWM followed the install instructions (had to log out and back in after `./install.sh` to be able to enable the extensions, btw). But it... isn't doing anything? No mosaic here, just regular overlapping windows :(
@CleoMenezesJr no errors in `lg` so I must be doing something wrong... also, I tried the "nested gnome session" setup but it won't run because gnome-shell-toolbox-tools.conf doesn't exist
@aburka
Are you on GNOME 49? Try disabling other extensions as well, something might be conflicting.
How about using journalctl?
https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM?tab=readme-ov-file#debugging
Are you on GNOME 49? Try disabling other extensions as well, something might be conflicting.
How about using journalctl?
https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM?tab=readme-ov-file#debugging
@CleoMenezesJr I checked journalctl but didn't see anything, oh I'm probably on an older gnome though
@aburka some things to score:
1. The extension is being tested in GNOME 49, it may work without problems in versions 45+, but you will have to manually change it in the extension/metadata.json before installing.
2. I was using a script to install that had as dependency the zip package, if you didn't have it on your system it would fail.
3. I added a new, more polished script. You no longer need to have the zip package installed.
Please see the new installation method in the README and try again
@CleoMenezesJr okay I changed the version field to 47 and it works! (I realize you haven't tested on this version.) It's only tiling windows on the primary monitor, on the second monitor they seem basically unmanaged, is that a limitation at this point or an issue with my old Gnome?
@aburka The extension should work on multi monitor, but if it's not working it could be a bug. Unfortunately I don't have two monitors to test it at the moment. Please fill a bug report.
@CleoMenezesJr done! is there a way to simulate two monitors in the nested session?
@aburka I never asked myself that and I hadn't thought I could. I'll ask in the GNOME Extensions support channel. It would be a great solution.
Sashin@CleoMenezesJr is the idea here that if you open a new window, and there's enough space on the screen for both the existing one and the new one, it would be silly for the new window to open on top
@sashin I didn't understand what you meant. The windows will only be in the workspace if they fit in the space; if not, it will try a new one.
@CleoMenezesJr hmmm... Do you know if this would play nicely with another extension that ensures certain apps open on specific desktops
@sashin I believe so. I don't see any reason for there to be conflicts. But of course, the extension is still experimental, it might break something here and there. Please report anything you find on the bug tracker.
Haydn Trowell@CleoMenezesJr This is great! If I can make a UI suggestion, perhaps it would be good if, while dragging a window, it shrinks down and goes semi-opaque like when dragging a window in the overview? There's already an outline of the space the window will fill when released (which could perhaps be a bit less transparent), so this would mean you would be able to see other windows better while moving another.
@haydntrowell It seems like an idea I could try experimenting with, but I can't see how it would interfere with seeing other windows since they adjust by 'repelling' the spot where you're placing it.
visnudeva@CleoMenezesJr it looks good, I will test it.
@visnudeva Thank you, I need some tests and feedback. 🪲
@CleoMenezesJr here is my feedback, I couldn't test it further than the installation. Your gît clone is wrong, you should do this instead;
"git clone https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM.git
cd ~/MosaicWM
chmod +x install.SH
./install.sh"
But then you have more errors so it can't be installed, for exemple ./export-zip.sh: line 5: zip: command not found, [email protected]:No such file or directory...
@visnudeva Yeah, it should use the http not the ssh for git clone. Which errors on install?
@CleoMenezesJr it is on my previous post
@visnudeva just get you, try the manual installation. I added a section for that in the readme
@visnudeva You don't have the 'zip' package installed. I added a manual installation method in the readme, try installing it using that, and I will add a warning about it.
@visnudeva I just updated the installation script so it no longer requires the zip package. Try it out:
https://github.com/CleoMenezesJr/MosaicWM?tab=readme-ov-file#from-source
Roman Schaller@CleoMenezesJr Ah great! Try to get some time to test it.
@romix Thank you. Any test is welcome.
Alex Dufournet@CleoMenezesJr wow 🔥🔥🔥
Axel Antoni@CleoMenezesJr absolutely stunning.
lj·rk@CleoMenezesJr Ohhh that's lovely! I've always wanted to try the concept @tbernard blogged about, amazing someone implemented it! Especially since native GNOME halves/quarters tiling doesn't make me happy on my 49" monitor, I'd rather have thirds, at least.
Will try this when I'm on my personal box again, currently dealing with macOS at work (which also has bad tiling and I'd love to see mosaic/collage there as well...)
Peter Hilgenfeld@CleoMenezesJr oh my god, when it stacks three windows on top of one another on the left after putting one on the full half tile on the right.
I'm so excited for this.
I'm so excited for this.
@pethil beautiful, right?
Ian McLean@CleoMenezesJr This is sick!!! I thought the blog post exploring this idea was fantastic and was really hoping it would get prototyped
@ianmclean still quite experimental, but already taking shape.
@CleoMenezesJr I've been using it for the past week, I really like it. Would you like some feedback?
Tris@CleoMenezesJr You can use a hybrid layout approach that predicts where a window should be positioned, then adjusts it locally with a constraint-driven reflow using an incremental solver on a small subtree. If the solver fails, it falls back to a pre-defined append or scroll slot and support versioned diffs for undo. Take insights from @YaLTeR btw :)
@CleoMenezesJr @scottjenson Thoughts? :)
Scott Jenson@tris @CleoMenezesJr Sorry? I don't see the OP?
@scottjenson @CleoMenezesJr My bad, see: https://floss.social/@CleoMenezesJr/115676796813945950
Based on the idea: https://blogs.gnome.org/tbernard/2023/07/26/rethinking-window-management/
Cleo Menezes Jr. :verified: (@[email protected])
Attached: 1 image Using the Shelf algorithm, I implemented an approach where windows are arranged with radial growth; exactly what I was looking for. This greatly improved space utilization and looks visually well-balanced. Before the algorithm tried to complete the horizontal space of their "shelf" with windows before creating another "shelf". The look was very unbalanced and uncentric.
Toni Aittoniemi@CleoMenezesJr @tbernard looks great!
Chris Wood@CleoMenezesJr @tbernard this looks *so good*, amazing work! I’ve been excited about this feature ever since it was announced
Diegovsky@CleoMenezesJr @tbernard it's been a while since I used that wallpaper for pics and as a wallpaper