IceWM, the venerable X11 window manager, has released a new version, bumping the version number to 4.0.0. This release brings a big update to the alt+tab feature.
The Alt+Tab window switcher can now handle large numbers of application windows in both horizontal and in vertical mode. Type the first letter of an application class name in Alt+Tab, to select the next instance window of that application class. Select an application by pressing one of the number keys. Select an application by mouse in Alt+Tab in horizontal mode. Support navigating the quick switch with all navigation keys. Press the menu button on Alt+Tab to open the system menu. QuickSwitchPreview is a new mode to preview applications. These previews are updated while the quick switch is active.
↫ IceWM 4.0 release notes
On top of this major set of improvements to alt+tab, there’s the usual list of bug fixes and small changes, as well as a bunch if updated translations.
I like IceWM but sadly it is another x111 window manager destined for the dustbin of history. As Wayland only apps eventually appear in numbers, a system that cannot run those apps becomes less and less viable.
Maybe Phoenix or 12to11 will save the day and it will be possible to run Wayland apps on an X server. Before Phoenix, I would bet against it. But who knows?
LeFantome,
It goes both ways. There are still many X11 apps without Wayland counterparts, and not all distributions come up with simple X11 setups anymore..
(Not to mention fundamental loss of functionality. There is no “ssh -X” counterpart for Wayland, which is a major regression for remote integrated setups. I heard there is “Waypipe”, but… it is nowhere as simple)
@sukru
No debate that there are deficiencies on both sides. Of course, Wayland is still filling gaps while Xorg no longer is. My statement is that Wayland-only apps are not only here already in small numbers but that large numbers of them are inevitable and, when that happens, X11 is no longer a viable daily desktop. If Phoenix is able to run Wayland apps, X11 window managers may have a future.
> There are still many X11 apps without Wayland counterparts
Most X11 apps should work just fine on Xwayland. Xwayland is the same source code as Xorg after all.
I assume you are thinking of tools to modify the X server behaviour itself, or accessibility tools, or automation. These all need to be built for Wayland specifically of course. Alternatives generally exist already though they may not do what you want. The two environments are different. I think accessibility is also “different” but maybe even better on Wayland already. There are issues with Talon Voice but those are as much just Talon not porting their software as much as anything else. But there are certainly gaps.
While we agree on differences in functionality, what is hard about Waypipe?
waypipe ssh user@remote-host firefoxThat does not seem any harder than
ssh -X user@remote-host firefoxThat said, I like wprs better:
https://github.com/wayland-transpositor/wprs
LeFantome,
Thanks, I’ll check wprs out next time I need such a thing.