Re:policy for window managers

[Bill Mitchell <mitchell@mozcom.com>]

On 1 Jul 1997, Linh Dang wrote:

> Why not make /etc/X11/window-managers a directory which contains scripts for
> windows managers. Change /etc/X11/Xsession to start
> /etc/X11/window-managers/default (which is a symlink). A fvwm script should
> looks like:
> 
> #!/bin/sh
> exec fvwm -F /etc/X11/fvwm/system.fvwmrc

I don't think this does what you intend.  First, fvwm doesn't seem to
have a -F option:

    usage: fvwm [-d dpy] [-debug] [-f config_file] [-s] [-no-m4] [-m4-prefix] [-m4opt option] [-m4-squote squote] [-m4-equote equote] [-m4prog m4prog]

Perhaps you meant to say '-f'.  However, from the fvwm man page:

       -f config_file
              Causes  fvwm  to use config_file in the user's home
              directory instead of .fvwmrc as the window  manager
              configuration file.

So, this doesn't provide an alternate name for the system-wide
startup file, but instead precludes individual users from having
a local customized .fvwmrc file in their home directories to
override the system-wide defaults.

Also, if I understand correctly, you're proposing a new and
nonstandard mechanism for selecting what window manager is
started up.  I start X11 with startx(1x) and start my
window manager from my ~/.xinitrc script.  This, AFAIK, is
common practice, and users who check common reference works
(e.g., the O'Reilly book "X Windows System User's Guide")
will expect this to work.



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