Which Linux desktop for long time OS/2 users?

[Andi B.]

I've played a bit with Linux systems in the last months and I'm a bit familiar with Debian now. I've a NAS running Debian and OpenMediaFault which also serves my git repositories. I'm also running a Debian box with MATE which I connect with RDP from my main OS/2/eCS/ArcaOS system when I need a newer browser.

MATE is not a bad choice. But what I didn't find with any Linux I tried until now is, how can I convince the desktop to remember the window position of my programs. I understand there are people outside there who work on very small displays like with notebook and they 'full screen' every program the use. But I'm used to big displays. 2 times 24" at least or 42.5" are my standard displays. I need a window manager like the WPS who respect my needs. Not the needs of smartphone junkies or notebook users only. My mail window have to stay near top right. Chatzilla near bottom right (but not below or over some task bars). Browser windows near the center/bottom. Various other programs have to be placed on the different places I closed them last time.

Which Linux window manager or which setting can do that the way it was standard the last decades? Did I overlook some setting or helper program? On later Windozes I've to use a WindowManager utility for this. At least there is a solution. But on Linux?

Btw. RDP should work too. I remember that's the reason I didn't test KDE plasma and Gnome at first as I understand they use Wayland which TTBOMK does not work with RDP.

[aziz]

I do not use MATE currently, but I think that mate-session-save might be the thing you are looking for.

By the way Debian is a very good and stable choice for a distribution.

[ivan]

I have my Linux computer, running Mint 19.3 Cinnamon, under my desk connected to my 28 inch 16;10 monitor via a 4-port HDMI switch.  The switch allows me to also check on a data logger running on a very cut down win 7 box as well as my original OS/2 Warp 4.

Comparing OS/2 desktop with the Linux desktop they are setup almost alike - I have the warpcenter at the top of the screen and the linux equivalent is at the bottom of the screen/

[Andrew Stephenson]

By the way Debian is a very good and stable choice for a distribution.

IIRC, Debian is the Linux-of-choice for the Pineapple micro-computers, as sold currently.

Sidebar: I don't suppose there could be an AOS for Pineapples? Or would that mean radical (and costly) retooling to handle different CPU machine code?

[Andi B.]

I do not use MATE currently, but I think that mate-session-save might be the thing you are looking for.

Unfortunately this is not what I'm looking for. I like a window manager or program which stores the window positions and sizes on the desktop when the program is closed and restores it when the same program it started again. F.i. when I start Semonkey the browser window takes always about 1500x1000 pixel at position x, y 200, 200 (from bottom left) whereas the email window is sized about 800x1000 pixel at 2500x1300 and the calendar (lightning) window is below the email window at about 2500x200 sized 1200x800.

This is (was) the standard behavior with OS/2 and until Win7 I think.

[Dave Yeo]

It's one of the things that I find irritating about the various Linux desktop environments, this forcing everything to open in the centre of the desktop. In theory you could pass -geometry x y IIRC to force where to open but wouldn't be surprised geometry is ignored.
Another irritation is associating an icon with a program, which seems non-trivial.

[Heikki Kekki]

I am using Xcfe desktop mostly via FreeRDP. Just tryed it, File manager opens same as last time, same with Firefox.

[pagetelegram]

#!++ or Bunsenlabs is my go to. They both forked from a join project Crunchbang [#!]

It uses openbox which is easy on resources and comes reconfigured with tools reminiscent of OS/2's unique utilitarian nature with similar type customization that I think you will enjoy.

I have been using the #! and forks since 2015. I have not looked back except for Pop!OS for video editing with Davinci Resolve. I don't like when a kernel updates and kicks nVidia driver to the curb causing the system to produce a boot loop due to monitor settings conflicts. Otherwise I'd be using #!++ / Bunsenlab Linux 100%.

[Ibrahim Hakeem]

For general computing, GNUStep(Windowmaker) works quite well for me. For certain applications that otherwise don't play well, XFCE is my go-to.

[pagetelegram]

For general computing, GNUStep(Windowmaker) works quite well for me. For certain applications that otherwise don't play well, XFCE is my go-to.

I recall using it and its support for multi-screens was non-existent or buggy at best.

I use WindowMaker Live on one of my laptops....been a while since I fired it up --- though it is setup without multiscreen support in mind. ie extended desktop. WindowMaker goes weird when you force extended between more than one screen with arandr.

[Ibrahim Hakeem]

I recall using it and its support for multi-screens was non-existent or buggy at best.

I use WindowMaker Live on one of my laptops....been a while since I fired it up --- though it is setup without multiscreen support in mind. ie extended desktop. WindowMaker goes weird when you force extended between more than one screen with arandr.

You're correct, but GNUstep has made notable steps towards resolving this. So long as you don't have a constantly changing screen layout, say a laptop being plugged into different workstations, you can get away with it. As a desktop user, it's smooth after some difficult initial setup.