Re: window managers

[Martin Schulze <joey@finlandia.Infodrom.North.DE>]

Branden Robinson wrote:
> I don't subscribe to the QA list, but someone brought this to my attention.
> 
> > ----- Forwarded message from Martin Schulze <joey@finlandia.Infodrom.North.DE> -----
> > I believe that there are three things which need to be done:
> > 
> >   a) Define a way to find out if the admin has installed a default
> >      window manager.
> > 
> >   b) Before any wm.postinst asks the user about a default wm it has
> >      to check if there is a default wm already installed.  If it is
> >      this fact has to be accepted and the user isn't queried again.
> > 
> >   c) There should be a wm-configure script which would be invoked
> >      by the hooks mechanism if it is implemented or issued by the
> >      admin otherwise.  I've already shown an example for this script.
> > 
> > If I remember correctly (I haven't bothered with this before) all
> > window managers place the name of the executable in
> > /etc/X11/window-managers.  Although there is a prioritized ordering 
> > in the file there is no easy way to detect the default manager since
> > the first manager that add itself to the file doesn't need to be the
> > default.
> > 
> > Now come up with proposals how to detect the default one.  This
> > must not break the current mechanism.
> > 
> >  . What about a blank line?
> >  . What about the default being placed before the comments?
> >  . Maybe re-use /etc/X11/config?
> 
> I already plan to implement alternatives handling for window managers.
> That should handle points a) and b) above; I don't know about c).

Ok, that's fine.  I trust you that you come up with a proper mechanism.
Please also provide c) which will be moved into the hooks mechanism as
soon as dpkg provides it.  It should also be callable by users after
the installation to switch from say fvwm95 to afterstep.

I don't know if you have seen my proposal - I don't find it right now...
funny...

------------------
I've found these window managers on your system.  Please chose one
of them which will be used as default if the user doesn't specify
one directly.

  1) twm
  2) ctwm
 ...
  20) icewm-gnome
  21) kwm

  Your choice [1-21]: <---------------- type here some number

The window manager "foo-wm" will be used as default.  If you want
to change this, call wm-configure as root.
------------------

And please please please try to ensure that this script won't be
called each time I install a new wm.

Regards,

	Joey

-- 
A mathematician is a machine for converting coffee into theorems.

Please always Cc to me when replying to me on the lists.