[K12OSN] Window Manager Question

[Shawn Powers]

Hmm... I do like the idea of "choice"  (go figure, eh?) -- perhaps 
DEFAULTING to IceWM, but allowing KDE and/or Gnome would be a good 
option.  That way, I could make it well known that if our servers start 
to feel the pain of growth, KDE and Gnome may be taken offline.

The one thing that stops me from going all out with IceWM is that you 
can't configure the taskbar, etc easily.  Yes, I know there are tools 
(iceme, icepref, etc) but no simple "right click and select 'add 
application'" like in KDE/Gnome.

I'll keep pondering.  Thanks for the input. :)  I still have no idea 
what I'll end up doing. :)

Huck wrote:

> Shawn,
> 
> I'd go with IceWM for 3 main reasons...
> 
> #1..it looks more like "windows" (perceived as a minimal change)
> 
> #2..makes things "seem" faster  (perceived as.."Hey! Word doesn't load
> that fast on my computer and I have 1 gig of ram!")
> since you aren't likely to come close to maxing out your server to do
> this "introduction"
> 
> #3..I personally don't think much 'eye candy' is lost.
> 
> some supporting reasons...I won't have enough $$$$$ or time to set up
> load balancing with another server
> therefore I need the entire campus (about 70 student machines, no staff)
> to be able to run off of ONE pimp'd out server.
> 
> Not sure what your set up will be like...but your #1 "I have the
> horsepower to allow KDE or Gnome to everyone next year.
> This comment makes me think that maybe you COULD implement/demonstrate
> all 3...simple because some on this list for sure favor
> KDE or Gnome or IceWM and even IceWMLite...as a personal
> preferance...you could show them how it allows 'personalization' and
> the different looks of each. etc etc...without ruining it for everyone
> like Window's Theming does...*grumble*
> 
> --Huck
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:k12osn-bounces at redhat.com] On
> Behalf Of Shawn Powers
> Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 9:19 AM
> To: Support list for opensource software in schools.
> Subject: [K12OSN] Window Manager Question
> 
> 
> I have the pleasure of introducing LTSP to our entire district next 
> fall.  The teachers will come in with a thin client on their desktop.  I
> 
> would like some feedback from those of you that have been "in the 
> trenches" with window managers.  Here are my thoughts:
> 
> 1) I have the horsepower to allow KDE or Gnome to everyone next year.
> 
> 2) Once things "catch on" and more and more clients are added in the 
> classrooms, I worry that eventually KDE/Gnome will start to be to 
> bloated to keep my monster servers happy.
> 
> 3) Does it make sense to START the introduction to linux with IceWM?  I 
> have zero expectations, other than "it has to work"  I figure, IceWM 
> will give me the room to grow, and I won't have to take away the eye 
> candy of KDE/Gnome when we start to grow.
> 
> 4) I guess my question is, those of you using Gnome/KDE for your clients
> 
> -- do you wish you'd have started with IceWM?  Those of you using IceWM,
> 
> do you wish you'd have started with KDE/Gnome?
> 
> 5) Please don't suggest xfce or windowmaker -- my choices are really to 
> go "all out" with eye candy, or to use IceWM.  I'm leaning towards 
> IceWM, but if anyone has any suggestions or reasons that KDE/Gnome would
> 
> be better, please let me know.
> 
> 
> Thoughts?
> -Shawn
> 

-- 
Shawn Powers
Technology Director
Inland Lakes Schools
PHN: 231-238-6868 x9174
FAX: 509-356-7024
spowers at inlandlakes.org
http://techcorner.inlandlakes.org

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