Re: [dwm] Documentation!

On Sat, May 17, 2008 at 12:21:59PM +0200, yy wrote:
> The 2 or 3 characters variable names have been there since the
> beginning to define geometries, I don't understand what the problem

I kind of prefer short variable names, they are much easier to
read, especially in calculations. If you solve an equation with
your pen, you also don't use variable names like

heightOfTheHouse / sqrt(frontSideOfTheHouse * leftSideOfTheHouse)

:)

h / sqrt(a * b)

is more readable. I agree of course, that h, a, and b should be
described somewhere if they are intended being manipulated in
the users setup.

> reorganization of the code is what is needed. I think it should be
> more uniform: sometimes you have toggles, sometimes you have set
> functions, almost every function does different things with NULL
> arguments (this is the most unpredictable thing, IMO),...

That's one thing I currently work on. I will describe the
changes later, and the reasons for them in detail on this list.

> I remember when dwm was going in the wrong direction with nmaster and
> it was discussed in the list what features could be removed, and after
> getting rid of it, window titles, etc, dwm was prettier than ever. I
> think it is time to do it again.

Exactly.

> This is a list of what I don't like/use in dwm:
> - Geom stuff (already removed, I know), though I'm concerned people
> with 2 monitors need a solution.

Well, we don't need to discuss DEFGEOM any further. For multiple
monitor support I consider that people implement their own
function in config.h which can be enabled using a custom
keystroke. I already realized that dwm is and will be a single
head window manager in the future. I think big screens are
affordable and much better than dual head setups.

> - Different layouts, the only one I occasionally use is monocle, but
> because of it we needed(?) the ugly stuff of lt->isfloating and
> remember floating geometries. The only use I do of the floating layout
> is to raise a tiled window...

I want to get rid of monocle. My monocle idea for dwm-5.0 is
some kind of meta layout, which only maximises the currently
focused window to the screen size (note with covering the bar), but
keeping intact all other geometries. This can be achieved in
not updating Client->{x,y,w,h}.

> - I don't like at all remembering floating geometries (and I wrote the
> patch, heh!)

No I don't like it. It should go. We got rules for bad clients.

> - I have never used the reapply thing with Mod+R, but I can live with it.

I consider this being removed as well. Restarting dwm will do
the trick.

> So, to sum up, what I think is stopping dwm is a really good solution
> for xinerama setups and maximize/monocle (maybe we could try with
> Anselm's idea of restoring geometries in focus changes? I could give
> it a try...).

Well, dwm is not for multihead setups after all. If you want to
use dwm, buy a big screen instead. They are really affordable
nowadays (NO, I don't have a contract with screen vendors ;))

Kind regards,

-- 
 Anselm R. Garbe >< http://www.suckless.org/ >< GPG key: 0D73F361