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[LUG] Trying different Windows Managers, etc

 

Hi all,

With the discussion in the Lucid Experiences thread descending into
window managers, etc, I thought I'd share this for anyone wishing to
try alternatives:

You can run your own X session within a window on your current
'desktop'.  The tool that I've used is called "xephyr" and is available
via the Debian/Ubuntu package: "xserver-xephyr".

To run it simply open up a terminal session and type:
$ Xephyr :1 -screen 800x600
(please note the capital X).

This will then open a new window that is essentially a completely
discreet X environment running at 800x600.  Open a new terminal session
(or a new tab) and run:
$ xterm -display :1

This will then start a command-line session *within* the new X
environment, from here you can run most things.

Note that most GUI apps will take the "-display" (sometimes with
--display instead of -display) and so can be told to run in a different
X environment to the one you're currently in.

I found this useful for testing alternative window managers 'back in
the day'.

I appreciate that for some this may be educating your elder female
relations to create a partial vacuum using the protected ovoid cells
produced by avians, but the newer members of the GLUG may not be aware
of this.

Grant.

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