Comment by javert | Hacker News Reader

Comment by javert | Hacker News Reader

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Like the author, I use the Awesome window manager. I think you have a perfectly valid perspective, but just want to speak for the other side.

The main benefit I get from Awesome is having 9 workspaces ("desktops"). I use my mod key (in my case CAPS but it can be Alt or anything) plus # to get to any workspace. I have web browser on one desktop, email on another, IM on another, terminals on another, programming on another, and it's really, really easy to switch around. This was a HUGE improvement for me over Windows (and even Gnome), just in terms of managing multiple windows/applications running at once.

Also nice to be able to get two windows to share the screen with a keystroke, if I need to look at two things at once. And in the same vein, tiling is really nice for IMs, because on the workspace for IMs, I can see all my chats at once. Normally for other tasks, like web browsing, I just switch into the tiling "mode" that doesn't tile (i.e. application is "maximixed").

Do you use a terminal multiplexer or something similar?

I only ask because my set up was exactly like what you just described. Once I buckled down and started using one, it negated the need for a lot of the tags I had with dwm.

I use dwm and tmux (rather than screen). My muscle memory knows that I keep a tmux session local to the computer I'm physically located at on #1, remote (if any) on #2, side tasks on #3-7, Emacs on #8, and a web browser on #9. (I use a slightly different setup on a dual-head station, but usually w/ two Emacs windows, etc.)

I've never needed one, probably since a tiling WM allows you to accomplish something similar, as you point out.

I know screen has some nifty features, but for the things I do, a tiling WM is a superset of the functionality screen would provide.

Screen's primary payoff is when your connection to another machine goes down a lot for whatever reason. A good wm can handle the multiplexing better but they don't restore context like screen.

I love this! I use dtach (with dvtm) instead of screen, but it's serves the same purpose. I'll be working at my desk and then have to head to a meeting (with my laptop) to another floor. My ssh connection will drop but once I log back in I just need to reattach and I'm right where I left off.

I know, and I usually work locally.

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