This article is part of a special 24-day Linux Desktop series. The Openbox window manager uses very little system resources, is easy to configure, and is a pleasure to use.
You probably didn’t know you used the Openbox desktop: Although Openbox is an excellent window manager in its own right, it is also the window manager “engine” for desktop environments like LXDE and LXQT, and it can even manage KDE and GNOME. Aside from being the foundation for multiple desktops, Openbox is arguably one of the simplest window managers to configure for those who don’t want to learn as many configuration options. Using the menu-based configuration application of Obconf, you can set all common preferences as easily as you would on a full desktop like GNOME or KDE.
Install Openbox
You’ll probably find Openbox in the software repository for Linux distributions, as well as at Openbox.org. If you’re already running another desktop, it’s safe to install Openbox on the same system, because Openbox doesn’t include any bundled apps other than a few configuration panels.
After installation, exit the current desktop session so that you can log into the Openbox desktop. By default, the session manager (KDM, GDM, LightDM, or XDM, depending on your Settings) will continue to log in to the previous desktop, so you must override this selection before logging in.
To override it with GDM:
To override it with SDDM:
Configure the Openbox desktop
By default, Openbox includes the ObConf application, which you can use to select and install themes, modify mouse behavior, set desktop preferences, and more. You may find other configuration applications in the repository, such as obMenu, used to configure other parts of the window manager.
Building your own desktop environment is relatively easy. It has all the usual desktop components, such as system Tray StaloneTray, taskbar Tint2 or XFCE4-Panel, just about anything you can think of. Mix and match until you have the open source desktop of your dreams.
Why use Openbox
Openbox uses little system resources, is easy to configure, and is a pleasure to use. It will be almost unobstructed and will be an easy system to get used to. You’d never know that the desktop environment in front of you secretly uses Openbox as a window manager (wouldn’t it be nice to know how to customize it?). . If open source appeals to you, try Openbox.
Via: opensource.com/article/19/…
By Seth Kenlon (lujun9972
This article is originally compiled by LCTT and released in Linux China