My Journey into Window Managers
Started when my buddy kept bragging about his slick desktop setup. Told me I should “try a WM” instead of my clunky default desktop. Didn’t know squat about WMs then – thought it was some programmer witchcraft. Grabbed a Linux USB stick and went to work.
The First Faceplant
Installed a WM called i3 first. Rebooted and panicked! Black screen with nothing but keyboard blinking. Felt like falling into a cave. Smacked keyboard randomly like playing whack-a-mole until something reacted. Finally got a terminal open by mashing Alt+Enter.
Key discoveries from that disaster:
- WM doesn’t come with batteries included – no taskbar, wallpaper or start menu
- Everything needs keyboard shortcuts (felt like learning piano chords)
- Config files are your new best friend/worst enemy
Breaking Down What WM Actually Means
Eventually figured it out: Window Manager = traffic cop for your apps. Instead of clicking and dragging windows around, it arranges them automatically like puzzle pieces. Basic job breakdown:
- Decides where new windows pop up
- Makes windows tile/snap like Lego blocks
- Switches between apps using keystrokes instead of mouse
The Lightbulb Moment
Stubborn me refused to quit. Watched YouTube tutorials at 0.5x speed copying configs line by line. Finally got windows snapping to grid when pressing Win+Left. When that browser window perfectly filled half screen without mouse dragging? Felt like inventing fire. Kept adding more keybinds:
- Win+Enter for terminal
- Win+D for app menu
- Win+Number keys to switch workspaces
Biggest shock? Once muscle memory kicked in, my hands stayed glued to keyboard. Didn’t touch mouse for hours. Felt like becoming touch-typing ninja.
Why Bother Though?
Told my girlfriend about WM setup expecting eye-rolls. But when she saw how fast I could flip between code editor, browser and music player? She actually asked me to set one up for her old laptop. Core benefits for newbies:
- Makes slow computers feel fast (uses less RAM than Gnome/KDE)
- Keyboard control = less wrist pain from mouse
- Feels like having cheat codes for your OS
Final piece of wisdom? Choose a keyboard-friendly WM like i3 or AwesomeWM to start. Stay away from tiling WMs that need mouse – defeats the whole purpose. Took me weeks of facepalms to learn that. Still configuring new tricks every weekend!