User:Gwern/Stumpwm

Stumpwm (Stump Window Manager) is a tiling window manager for POSIX-compliant Unix-like operating systems running the X Window System. It started as a rewrite of the ratpoison window manager.



Stumpwm is written in the Lisp dialect Common Lisp. This allows complete reprogramming and customization instantly, without restarts, by running StumpWM in an interactive Common Lisp system like SBCL or CLISP. According to its creators, using a higher level programming language also made it easier to create a window manager that has the same basic paradigm as ratpoison (written in C), but far more malleable and rewritable:
 * "Stumpwm attempts to be customizable yet visually minimal. There are no window decorations, no icons, and no buttons. It does have various hooks to attach your personal customizations, and variables to tweak."

StumpWM and Ratpoison emulate Screen and Emacs in many respects. Besides sharing similar default keybindings, they allow rebinding of keys to other commands, writing of commands, access to the Unix shell for scripting, and virtual desktops. Unlike Ratpoison, StumpWM includes a mode-line much like GNU Screen and GNU Emacs have.

As the Debian page describes Stumpwm:
 * "It attempts to be highly customizable while relying entirely on the keyboard for input. You will not find buttons, icons, title bars, tool bars, or any of the other conventional GUI widgets."

It is intended to continue where ratpoison left off.

A Linux.com review by Bruce Byfield found it "virtually unusable until you read the documentation".