Re: What's the difference between a display manager and a window manager?
'plain old X11' included 'xdm' as the display manager, and 'twm'
as the window manager.
The 'display manager' is responsible for giving 'users' access
to 'displays' - although in this context you could probably
replace 'display' with 'X-terminal' as it really includes
screen/mouse and keyboard as the resources managed.
You don't need a 'display manager'. Many old X11 systems, such
as Sun workstations, were managed by letting users log in via
a normal text 'login' session, and then starting the X server
manually by executing 'startx' (or openwin) at the command line
prompt.
The 'Window Manager' is responsible for implementing the
'look and feel' of your GUI, controlling such things as
window placement, window title bars, some way to get applications
started etc. The 'desktop' is a relatively new concept, of which
'window management' tends to be a subset. Having the window
manager as a separate program is what allows X to configured
to look like a Mac or MSWindows box, whereas with the other two
you are stuck with the standard paradigm.
You can work without a 'window manager' if you are running
a dedicated application having total control of the display,
such as an ATM machine.
Regards,
DigbyT
On Thu, Dec 28, 2006 at 04:29:35PM -0600, Shawn Parker wrote:
> i could be wrong, but isn't the display manager simply the 'login
> screen?" like gnome's gdm or x's xdm. the window manager is the
> minimal desktop. something like fluxbox or similar.
>
> although, i'm sure there is more to it than that...and probably a
> better explination.
>
> On 12/28/06, Rick Thomas <rbthomas55@pobox.com> wrote:
> >Showing my ignorance... (I'm an old "command line" guy who mostly
> >just needs a simple console terminal.)
> >
> >Can anyone explain (or point me to a good document on) the following
> >questions:
> >
> >
> >
> >What's the difference between a "display manager" and a "window
> >manager"?
> >
> >Do I need both? Can you give some examples of each and explain their
> >features/advantages/disadvantages?
> >
> >And how does any of this differ from plain old "X11"?
> >
> >Thanks!
> >
> >Rick
> >
> >
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>
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--
Digby R. S. Tarvin digbyt(at)digbyt.com
http://www.digbyt.com
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