Current X Window Managers

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Ideally a new file viewing system should be complimented with an equally intelligent and well thought through UI.

[edit] A note before we continue

Now, before I start ... I should stress that I don't intend to offend anybody! I realise people get quite attached to things they use every day. The following list covers things I feel could be different or improved. I'm not saying these current UIs have no merit.

[edit] The list

Up front I should admit my depth of experience with the two main X window managers - Gnome and KDE - is somewhat limited to various Linux distributions running as virtual machines. (I should be up-front about writing this on a Mac running Firefox too.) However I do have some very early opinions and I hope I'm not trashing long-term usefulness or ease of use. This section doesn't deal with the file system, which of course is simply based on the traditional tree format.

I realise many of the users are heavily shell based too, but since there is a UI, there seems to be little need for a flawed one.

Overall thoughts

  • Both main rivals (Gnome and KDE) look dated. Alternatives - I've seen a few screenshots of quite a few others are equally dated looking or worse. Some far worse.
  • Designed elements are often heavy handed or look like they've not been designed by a designer
  • There is an over-reliance on customisation at the expense of clear design and usability
  • Modern technologies available in commercial window managers (in particular Aqua and also Aero) seem very much advanced in comparison
  • Special effects attempting to ape the commercial software are poorly implemented or requre dirty hacks and additional software layers
  • All the faux-Aqua pseudo-dock themes are horribly depressing
  • Sluggishness. These window systems are really unresponsive. I realise I have them running in a virtual machine, but even Windows Vista in VM is faster and feels smoother. (A large part of this might be down to good design principles on the part of Microsoft - or Apple - rather than actual speed, but perception is everything!)
  • Despite Linus Torvalds' preference I've read in more than one place that KDE can ruin a whole system, requiring complete reinstallation! That makes Windows seem rock solid! So much for Linux stability. (Mind you, I now can't find either reference to this, so maybe there's nothing in it. If I find it I'll add the reference - MPR)

[edit] Possible solutions

  • Design a consistent set of UI assets that are based on and respect human interface principles
  • Lock things down! I realise this is contrary to the mystical 'openness' of the system, but fixed, well designed, usable, accessible UI elements would be liberating. The current situation sees a UI impoverished by the principle of customisation.
  • A fixed design can be optimised for the current, dated X technology (basically designed with binary transparency only)
  • Let's leave the glassy, drop-shadowy transparency to the commercials. It must be possible to create a slick, beautiful UI by returning to core design principles
  • Let's revisit basic UI elements, like taskbar, system tray etc. Let's kill Apple's badly thought through Dock. Vanilla Gnome creates about 60 pixels of unadaptable space top and bottom (Mind you, so does OS X - often more) and there must be a more clever way or integrating these things


Next: Desktop comparison

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