On Fri, Nov 02, 2018 at 04:35:40PM -0400, Robert Heller wrote:
I one of the few (?) people who use "none of the above" (meaning all of the "modern" desktop managers). I use fvwm in MWM mode and have a Tcl/Tk coded "menu manager" program. My screen looks almost like a 1980s vintage VaxStation 3000 running DECWindows. Right now on C6 and using as little of Gnome2 as it will let me (one panel). File Manage set to /bin/true. No "start" menu nonsense, no desktop icons either, just a fvwm iconbox for running programs and a 10 element Workspace switcher. And yes, I use actual xterms.
Well, I use Xfce, but I understand your approach (as someone used to write just an .xsession file for startup etc.). I have to admit some panel stuff is pretty ok (like battery applet, network applet for switching wifi and vpn's etc.). Terminals with tabs (Xfce terminal) are nice to have too: my desktop is mainly 4-8 terminals with each 4+ tabs and a browser ;-).
I was happy with the release of GNOME 3 afterwards, because it forced me to leave GNOME completely and switch to something better, Xfce :-).