My Openbox Experiment - Ditching the Desktop Environment?
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- Опубликовано: 28 фев 2020
- Could I live in Openbox rather than a full desktop environment? This week I look at how and if that would be possible.
If you enjoyed this video please subscribe to my channel by clicking here bit.ly/364epTf
##Links for obmenu-generator
github.com/trizen/obmenu-gene... #github page
software.opensuse.org/downloa... #Debian Package
My autostart file
compton -b -C &
Set screen resolution
(sleep 4s && xrandr --output HDMI-1 --off --output DP-2 --mode 1680x1050 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --output DP-1 --mode 1920x1080 --primary --pos 1680x0 --rotate normal) &
Launch nitrogen before launching plank
(sleep 4s && nitrogen --restore && plank) &
Launch tint2
(sleep 3s && tint2) &
Launch volume control
mate-volume-control-status-icon &
Launch nm-applet
nm-applet &
Launch pamac system tray
pamac-tray &
##Set GB keyboard
setxkbmap -layout gb & 
Наука
![[LIVE!] BunsenLabs Linux - Bookworm-based Openbox distro](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5PE6T4em2v8/mqdefault.jpg)
R.I.P.....i miss this guy...learned from him...he was definitely one of the better Linux content creators.
Was looking for a proper video about Openbox, found it. I like the way you calmly explain things, subbed!
This old bloke is truly the man! The fact that he isn't a dev and has a passion for Linux makes him top shelf in my book. He's very easy for me to understand because he doesn't talk over my head
The first time I installed X in slackware I didn't know I needed a window manager...and of course unix/linux documentation stunk in 1994...and IRC help then consisted of "read the man". Most linux users were snobs until 10 years ago. RUclips has really changed things for learning how to use technologies, as long as video posters remember not to say anything conservative... I really appreciate these types of videos, as they help to make open source more main stream accessible.
More than ten years using Openbox+Archlinux and no need to change ;) Thanks for this video.
You're welcome!
I ditched LXDE as soon as I understood I only needed OB and Lxpanel... years ago :-) Great video!
Does installing vanilla LXDE in addition to Openbox really add that much unwanted / unnecessary load???
You made me ditch the LXQt environment. I'm full Openbox now! Yay!
Dear OTB, I 've done that, switched to openbox and i3 two years ago and I can only recommend it! Great desktop btw!
Rest in peace OTB. Thanks for all your good work.
Excellent video, I've learned a lot from it! Gonna try with my Debian installation!
I LOVE using openbox!! The way you set yours up is basically how I have mine setup as well. I installed the base Debian 10 and then installed openbox, tint2 etc... Very fast and works great. Like you, it's basically all I need. Thoroughly enjoyed this video! Thanks 😊.
You’re welcome
thank You for the upload! It's really cool to watch someone uses the *exact* same built I do :) I can see You have really great GNU/Linux knowledge, I'm impressed! really nice work exploring OB. of course, there are some small lacks, like screensaver missing or notification-daemon, but You made it really well. To me personally, OB is the best way to go (focusing on personalization, resources usage and UX). although I'm very into OB, I've never had second monitor, so I can't help You solve Your dual-monitor problem, sigh. Your channel gets my sub from now on. Big-big Thanks!! :)
Many thanks. I solved the multi-monitor problem. The issue was actually with the panel I was using and not openbox
The Arch Wiki for Openbox is pretty much sufficient.
Agreed
Thanks for sharing
That tip from the arandr, I didn't even know it existed, what a saving tool.
Yes a brilliant tool
Nice work. I did for myself something similar, also EndeavourOS based but with Compiz instead of OpenBox. And it works amazing. 😊
Just the video I was looking for. Thank you very much sire.
You are most welcome
I was playing around with the latest OB from Manjaro, decided to install it, and remembering your video, rewatched it. Great! Many of the customizations are included OOTB (tint2, polybar, etc) in Manjaro but LXAppearance and the tutorial on OB menu generator were invaluable! Thanks, highly appreciated.
You're welcome
@@OldTechBloke It was some finetuning but the memory usage in Manjaro was still pretty high. I have started up ArcoLinux with OpenBox in a VM and it does all I want: OB menu generator, Tint2, Conky etc in the minimal install. The next one!
Thanks for another informative video. Perhaps because I watch these videos at a relatively low volume, it appeared that your volume levels were all over the place. Not a grumble, just an observation that I thought might help you. Sometimes when you are introducing or summarising it sounds distorted, then when you are commenting on the files it drops off a fair amount...everything in between (where I guess you sat up, talking past the mike) is spot on. Hope you find this helpful.
I've just spotted your video "Is VMware Workstation Player for Linux a Virtualbox..." and it might answer a question I had, lol.
Thanks OTB, I've resurrected a Lenovo T61 (core2duo) with minimal Debian and Openbox. You're an inspiration.
Ah a T61. Love old thinkpads
I created my own environment only with compiz wm + arch... and i really love it :)
I can't speak for most people, but when I use a computer, it's for applications. As long as I can open up applications, run multiple apps, multiple instances of the same application and copy and paste between applications and of course use peripherals, then I'm happy. Simple is nice.
Great as always.
Thank you so much sir ... For such an amazing content... ❤️
Thank you friend.
Very good tutorial.
Большое спасибо! Я пользовался Arch с openbox+tint2 вот уже пару лет и не знал, что можно так настраивать темы и разрешение экрана. Очень полезное видео.
Many thanks. Just translated your reply and glad you enjoyed the video
Another great vid from OTB the only one I could find that really went through things properly. Like OTB I don't mind going 'down and dirty' to solve Linus issues in fact I love the challenge. Built all my Linux boxes from scratch for 20 years and currently running Arch as my main OS. Tried DWM, i3, Awesome and now Openbox.
I have since decided none of them are really for me. I can understand the point about learning how things work 'under the hood' and I'm glad I gave it a go for that alone. However, I don''t really see the point of more faffing about getting things to work just to end up with what is basically just another desktop environment, albeit your own, and more than likely not as efficient as the one you already have installed?
I use Xfce but am just as happy with Mate and I can remove apps I don't like and customise both to my own requirements without the hassle of just using a window manager? I got the impression that OTB had one or two mixed feelings himself about it all and maybe by this time has gone back to Mate ... or maybe not!
Anyway, I'm glad I gave it a try ... that's another 'monkey off my back' in the form of Linux 'must dos'! ... and.who knows, I might one day return to WM exploration, just to learn more about how a Linux OS actually works if nothing else, so thanks again, OTB!
damn i love that wallpaper haha! ..
for a little tip instead of playing with the sleep commands you might be able to end the lines with &&\
this is the same as && but then the \ allows you to put it on a new line..
also when i use xrandr i usualt instead of -pos, i use --left-of or --right-of
so your cmd would be something like
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1680x1050 --rotate normal --right-of --output HDMI-2 --mode 1920x1080 --primary --rotate normal
hope this helps ;)
Amazing video, also your narration is top notch.
I quite like your openbox setup, and I think I might try that on my Fedora install.
Has anyone here minmicked GNOME3 behaviour with openbox?
I quite like the workflow but GNOME is a little hefty for my machine.
Thank you, OTB. Openbox and Fluxbox are great for floating WMs.
Pretty cool that you were willing to try openbox. I have recently converted to bspwm.
And me too Brian. Really enjoying it
A cool experiment. Personally I would choose a tiling window manager because that is more different from the regular DE than a floating window manager with a context menu but still, interesting. DistroTube started with Openbox before he used tiling window-managers. I am a bit late again because I wasn't subscribed, now I am. I like it that you show off that Manjaro-wallpaper, it is one of the better ones.
Hi Peter, glad you enjoyed the video. Actually I’m dipping my toes into tiling at the moment. Running i3 this week but I’ve also installed qtile and awesome - I just need to figure out the config files for the last two
For a "non-technical" user, your experimental setup looks beautiful.
I like that using a wm makes your system look and function like no other :D
I'm running awesome wm btw
I've got it installed at the moment and I'm playing :-)
I think you’re a little bit like me when it comes to Linux, except I develop in Python and I like to get adventurous in the terminal when I can instead of going for the GUI approach. I’ve been using Linux for 10 or 11 years now. Started with Ubuntu 9.10, played around with this and that, and I’ve been happily using Arch for about 6-7 years now.
When it comes to desktop environments, I started with Gnome 2 back when Ubuntu used it, then tried to get along with Unity and couldn’t. I ended up settling on Xfce and don’t see a need to change for me, personally. But I can’t lie, I’m genuinely surprised at what’s possible with Openbox. Great work!
P.S. You also don’t sound like you live too far away from where I lived for 10 years; Runcorn. 😁
Thanks for the comments. And yes you've spotted the part of my accent that gives away my roots - being born on the Wirral. Not many people spot it these days as I've moved about the country a lot - North Cheshire, South Manchester, Devon, Coventry (24 years) and now Lancashire :-)
I see people doing that on here- and Want to learn about it FIRST-- I don't have time to sit around experimenting -- need to get to work-- :) ThaNKS for this video-- maybe I can learn enough to know if I really want this or not..
Now it's only a matter of time before we'll see DWM video
Lol don’t count on that :-)
Awesome.... :-p
This comment didn't aged well...
I enjoyed your video setting up Openbox. I never was attracted to most window managers, Openbox included. Xfce does everything I want, takes up few resources, and is easy to set just the way I like. I guess if I had to live in less than 4Gb of ram I would worry about resource usage, but with 16Gb of ram, I can spare the couple hundred Mb's and have a desktop environment.
Cheers mate. I’ve never been bothered about resource usage either as I also have 16gb so this was more about playing with openbox to see what it took to get it as I wanted.
why leave that extra memory wasted though? My philosophy is every bit counts!
Sir, thanks for this video!
Never tried nothing but standard desktop environments but now I've gained some courage to try this particular one. 🙂
BTW, configuring xml files bring back some memories when I was young, spending some time edited Civilization IV game files. 😜
Thanks for the feedback
Haven't touched a de in 10 years. Openbox eversince. Not planning to go for any de ever. The thing is, openbox is mainly known as some wm in stuff like lxde and the likes. But the fact is, openbox is way ahead of its time. As in a lot. Once you learn how to use this with things like xdotool and scripting, a de looks like an xp clone that hasn't really changed since Waterloo. And that's a fact.
I recall messing around with crunchbang Linux about 10 years ago. It used openbox and I found it to be very light and fast. At the time I was still using a pentium iii. Crunchbang ran light enough to have much better performance in mame games on the old hardware.
Nice video thanks :)
.. my journey ..
- 20 years ago moved to linux, redhat
- then, ... 10 years ago moved to Lubuntu which is debian + openbox. Loved it. Low on resoures and it flies. Extremey configurable. A keybinding for everything changes computing.
- then, .. 4 years ago moved to arch. I still use openbox, but I never liked pre-configured tools with distros becasue when they broke I didn't understand what was there.
4. Over next year plan is build up with arch and openbox and, on another machine with dwm. dwm a great way to learn lots of differemt things. Already using it.
DWM is on the list and I'll no doubt get to it after xmonad :-)
just discovered this: instead of logging in and out to test changes:
$ openbox --restart
(much quicker)
if you have an error and want to logout, but can't see your menus.:
$ openbox --exit
(that's double minus before the options)
I finished a similar build on my media center laptop with Debian 10, if you want the same you can do it by disabling the desktop and the panel from the autostart in LXDE, you will have a blank page to play with openbox as shown in the video. I used that as frame to KODI. Don't ask why i need a desktop behind it... its complicated to answer.
Variety is a good wallpaper switcher
I have been using Openbox on a home IoT server(s) for more than a decade now, with a my TV connected as a second monitor for media playback. And I have never had issues with window maximization. They always maximize on whatever monitor they happen to be at the time. So if someone reading these comments is considering Openbox on a multi monitor setup... your mileage may wary.
At the moment I am using Debian 10.5 with lxde and lxqt installed. I boot into my custom openbox, tint2 session. I don't believe it gets faster than this. I only have 4GB of RAM on my desktop PC and it is so fast!! 😀
Humility: I'm not that technical...
- - Switches to a beautiful working Arch system
Non-narcissistic: Switches to desktop without inserting self so he can be seen
Content: Fantastic, simple to follow, well presented.
Glad RUclips randomly listed your videos on my feed last week.
Many thanks, glad you enjoy my ramblings :-)
Great video, one question! The systemctl command works with systemd only? I run MX without systemd so what i must write to add logout,shutdown... on the menu?
yay openbox with a dark theme
Very nice. Some very useful recommendations on how to modify OpenBox. But, IMO once you used a tool like lxappearance to modify your display instead of manually doing all the grubby work of finding ways to change objects one at a time, the User might as well at that point should be considering installing the full LXDE (or the superceding Desktop LXQt), the diff of course is that a full DE like LXQt will also install a Display Manager (might be useful for more login options) and a recommended collection of applications... Plus the full set of configuration tools. Still, whereas running on a Window Manager like OpenBox is possible on only about a gig or less of RAM, IMO LXQt should be run on about 2 GB of RAM. That's still a lot less than 4 GB or more generally required to run KDE or Gnome with equal non-lagging performance.
This setup already has a DM installed so that bit was easy. But I take your point about doing the dirty work manually.
thank you for this video - what is your opinion about openbox VS fluxbox ?
Openbox is pretty good. I would like to try Enlightenment but there isn't a good Enlightenment distro (at least not one that I know about).
Currently running Openbox on a minimal (Lite) install of Raspberry Pi OS. I don't even have a panel, it's literally just Openbox + Conky for a clock. Less distracting. Liberating for me, though it is a bit extreme.
For dual screen you can use arandr it's gui version of xrandr
I did :-)
I recommend to set the monitor resolution with xrandr, it is very simple. I saw either DistroTube or ChrisTitusTech do a video on it, both xrandr and arandr, in my opinion xrandr is slightly easier in this case. The advantage of doing it via the terminal is that it will probably keep working, a GUI-tool is more likely to break. If you regularly do a install of Linux then the terminal allows you to automate it (script). Also I think that it is easier if you don't have to use the mouse. I am in favor of using the best tool for the job, there are tasks for which I prefer a GUI-tool but when the terminal is easier then better learn to use it for that task.
Ask DistroTube for help with your maximizing-problem. I am sure that he knows how to solve it, he is very experienced with OpenBox. He also has a forum.
Thanks Peter, I will ask him
@@OldTechBloke Here are some suggestions: blog.summercat.com/configuring-mixed-dpi-monitors-with-xrandr.html
Install devilspie and use some commands for it: wiki.gnome.org/Projects/DevilsPie
help.ubuntu.com/community/Devilspie
Install CCSM (CompizConfig-Settings-Manager) go to Place Windows > Fixed Window Placement > Window with fixed placement mode > New
In the Windows field => type=Normal and in the Mode field => Maximize
Cheers
YES- I actually DO like that..
Openbox is great, but as a DE it comes up a little short of lxqt and way short of kde 3.
Hello. Nive video tutorial. I was wondering which settings you used in Compton to get the transparency in the openbox menu for example. Greetings from a French guy 😉
just compton -b, no other settings
@@OldTechBloke oh great... You didn't change the Compton.conf so?
Volumeicon-alsa. Use default root menu, not the dynamic (waste of time if you think of it). Maybe add pipemenus. Lxsession-logout for..well. You could add some xdotool commands for cornerbindings that make things easier. For instance dragging mouse to top right maximizes/undecorates. Bottom right unmaximizes/decorates. Bottom left executes skippy-xd. With the maximizing, make sure rightclicking the active tint2 tab closes that window. Fiddle a bit with the rc.xml to add window "snapping", well rather splitting windows. Makes your desktop usage a lot easier. A corner command looks something like this (use the set keybindings) sleep 3 && xdotool behave_screen_edge top-right exec xdotool key alt+F4 &. And so on..Have fun.
Cheers John, just getting started with this so appreciate all tips
@@OldTechBloke Okidoki. The volumeicon-alsa in autostart for, well, volume. Logout, hibernate etc;;;lxsession-logout. An absolute absolute musthave is that xdotool ( and far from for OB only). It emulates keybindings and as you know, openbox has a lot and all are customizable. Consider OB as a tiling wm, but with a gui. I hate keyboard usage, so hence xdotool. Those tips I gave you for the cornerbindings turn the desktop into something DE's need a lot of python stuff for to achieve. This doesn't. As in zero. Now, that dynamic menu doesn't really serve a purpose. Besides eating some resources it doesn't really provide the real personality and usage. Sure, you can add some to it. But, imagine the entire menu with all the stuff you really need. Look at it this way, if you have your default applications and options set for, say, a picture, what good is a graphic entry so to speak. But anyway, those cornerbindings are great especially when you realize tint2 and OB are a perfect match. Back in the days, the crunchbang guys realized that. Crunchbang wasn't a de. It was a concept, an idea. Ps, I'm belgian, so my english is meh
I have Xfce4 and Openbox/Tint2 installed together on laptops using Fedora, Debian Stable, and EndeavourOS . I customized Tint2 to display the usual stuff plus CPU temperature and Percent Usage via an "Executor" together with a bash script The right-click menu uses a pipe menu for applications (a different one for each distribution--a pain), and I also have xfce4-appfinder in a launcher on the panel as a menu button.
I very much like Openbox, but as with all the tiling wms I've tried, I end up configuring it to look and feel like xfce. So is it worth the trouble? Well, I like using Openbox, and I think it is prudent to have a backup desktop/wm environment. Cheers. PS. There is a GUI Tint2 configuration program.
Cheers Andrew. Its early days for me on openbox but I'll check out the tint2 gui. Is it tint wizard?
@@OldTechBloke Hi OTB. In EndeavorOS the GUI for tint2 is tint2conf. I think it was packaged with the panel itself. I did find a small bug in the panel, namely the launcher icon theme needs to be set manually in tint2rc with the command launcher_icon_theme = .... This is undocumented and I found it with a web search. Cheers.
I've been wondering if we could swap vb for an os & just place os to run tools in vb . I've been w/o a PC since pandemic & am just building a new one now but I don't want it to ever go online & will have a second box for running the internet. My dream box is just for production, personal work like a private learning lab😂
I have always liked Openbox and used it back in the day... now when i Have 4k monitor i use XFCE.
Why?
Dear OTB
Can you post your desktop hardware setup ? I would love to know. Many thanks
Hi Sachit, it’s nothing special, I use an intel NUC mini PC with an i5 cpu, 16gb ram and multiple SSD connected via nvme and usb3. The graphics are just basic intel iris graphics but they seem to do the job
just switch to openbox lol..
to solve the dual screen problem.. its actually not a problem with xrandr ..
go to tint2conf and go to you panel settings and panel tab, on the bottom uncheck Pivot reserved space. and its fixed.. had the same problem
It turned out to be the placement of plank. I moved that and it all worked
Would && instead of & mean uou don't need the sleep command? Hoping to try OpenBox myself sôön.... Wondering if I'll still to be able to use my fav. MATE apps like Pluma, Caja, etc..? They are exceptionally decent...
Sometimes that works, you just have to experiment a little. BTW you can still use your favourite apps
@@OldTechBloke Great stuff! Appreciate your work.
This guy literally looks like a retired Google employee who got frustrated from his job and now the only thing he do is Distro Hopping. No offense. xD
What accent is this? Manchesterian? Some variant of Scottish? I like it!
Ha ha, it's a real mix. Part wirral (a bit like Liverpool), part mancunian and part Coventry. I've lived all over but I'm from the North West originally
I have been using elivecd.org w enligthenment wm guess what?
Why don't you try awesome wm
I may
I'm watching this with AmiWM.
Interesting
Jesus $&@! *hrist!? Every time I come back to watch another minute or two of this video, I have to suffer through 30-60 seconds of GORRAM ADVERTISING! RUclips is a cesspool.
hi
Are you seriously still using an analog VGA cable? I have really old LED monitors at work (square screens) that still use VGA or they can use DVI. Eeek.
Nope, I use hdmi now
I don't understand people's obsession with 'lightheight'. On old or less powerful hardware, maybe, but even then, most computer these days happily run Gnome, XFCE, KDE, etc. with tons of ram and cpu to spare. In my opinion, this 'lightweight' bollocks is just another form of Linux snobbery. I've used Gnome3 and Cinnamon, I've used i3, xmonad, etc. and I'm happily using XFCE now. For your average desktop user who doesn't spend his/her life in the terminal, i3 and the likes slow you down rather than give you a better desktop experience. Sure, it's fun setting things up, and if you like spending ages trying to copy the integrations and conveniences you had before in your full desktop environement, then good on you. But for the average user, you just end up with a bad copy of a full desktop environemnt and it's no surprise to me that a lot of people I know who spend ages hopping from WM to WM now just use XFCE
Bro, old hardware users are big part of the linux community, myself included, years ago I used kde and gnome3, kde always give me problems, but now i need efficiency for my serious work and not jumping into DEs, and break something. So I stick with lxqt and mind about other business like the programs that I really need
@@chris-jy7eb My XFCE install uses 650K RAM after start, and XFCE isn't even that light. If you don't have 4GB of RAM these days, even in a computer of 5+ years old, you are part of a minority, but even if that is the case, you can still get a very good desktop experience without having to resort to Window Manager-only setups. If you need that sort of efficiency for serious work, surely you're not your average casual user?
@@LosPompadores dude, try to edit videos on DV/PAL with 3gb of ram and no gpu (also you need a IEEE 1394 port). I wish i was a casual user who just want to read his emails, I've been using arch linux for many years, I'm a film student with no resources and a lot to problems to fix due to coronavirus. I don't even own a notebook for editing. Xfce is actually too heavy for me (and so systemd). The point is that what you consider unnecessary, other people do really care (like drivers for old hardware) in the same way others don't care about gui's, that's the magic in Linux community.