FVWM Config

FVWM is a lightweight window manager for Linux and many of other UNIX-link environments. After many years as a dedicated KDE user, in 2005 I made the switch to FVWM.

The biggest reason for my switch was configurability. Essentially in FVWM you have the power to create your own desktop environment from scratch.

I’ve been asked a few times for my FVWM config files, so I’m making them available on this website, released under the GPL-2.

My setup was built off Taviso’s config, although morphed into its own entity at some point years ago. The tar archive includes my .fvwm2rc config, a variety of helper scripts, and additional graphics.

Setup details

Window manager: FVWM

FvwmButton applets running:

• Upper right: Time / Date
• Lower right: Battery monitor / Current weather conditions* / Printer / Network monitor / Lock-restart-logout buttons
• Bottom middle: Quick launch icons (konqueror, pidgin, firefox, amarok, gimp, bc, openoffice k3b)

Applications minimized along the right side of the screen as screenshots

• Firefox (open to Gentoo Forums)
• xpad (used as to-do list)

Other window elements

• Transparent aterm
• FvwmPager (lower left)
• Conky (upper left)
• Bubblefishymon
• Application menu

Font used in FvwmButtons / FvwmMenu: Comics

• The current weather conditions applet slides a small weather map onto the screen when clicked.

Download FVWM config Link updated Jan 2012