Linux Window Managers and Keyboard Friendly Applications
So, I've started getting sick of point-and-grunt user interfaces, so I started finding cli-based replacement apps.
It was helped by our corporate email system being migrated away from Microsuck to Zimbra, which is a standards-compliant email system. Now, I can use Alpine for email, calcurse for calendaring, and finch for chat.
But, this wasn't enough! Sure, inside of each app, I could live on the keyboard, but to switch required pointing-and-grunting!
So, I started checking out WM's (Window managers). I tried Ratpoison. It's nice, but relies on screen bindings (The application "screen", a terminal multiplexing app). I don't really like those bindings.
Tried plain jane TWM. Slick. Light. But... dreary. I test drove AwesomeWM. It was ok, but, just didn't fit well for me.
Finally landed on i3wm! How nice! Easily customizable! Keybindings are easy to change, add, etc. People have done pretty much everything for it! And, if you're feeling spunky, you can build i3gaps, which adds the ability to add gaps between windows, which is easy on the eyes (Especially for multi-terminals).
I tried a really bare-bones install, but realized I did. in fact, miss some of the things provided by a real Desktop Environment. But, that fix is easy: install MATE, and use parts of MATE!
Eventually, the system I'm settled on is thus:
* Ubuntu MATE
* i3-gaps by Airblader
* i3-gaps configured to execute nm-applet, mate-settings-daemon, mate-volume-applet
* Xombrero for Web Browsing (Vim based graphical browser)
* Alpine for email
* Finch for chat
* mate-terminal for default terminal
With that, you've got a fully-modern, fully keyboard driven UI interface. If anyone would like pointers on setting it up, let me know, post here, whatever. Love to help :)
