Window Maker: X11 window manager with the look and feel of the NeXTSTEP UI

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Window Maker, a lightweight X11 window manager modeled on NeXTSTEP’s interface, is prompting renewed interest as users reminisce about its speed, distinctive dock and “dockapp” ecosystem, and minimalist but highly customizable workflow. Commenters contrast it with modern tiling managers and full desktop environments like KDE, GNOME, and i3, debating how usability, resource usage, and visual design have evolved—and in some ways regressed—over the past two decades. The conversation also touches on the shift from X11 to Wayland, efforts like wlmaker and GNUstep-based environments, and whether classic Unix desktop ideas can or should be modernized for today’s hardware and accessibility expectations.

Window Maker Today & Nostalgia

  • Many recall Window Maker as their first or favorite Linux window manager from the late 1990s–2000s, often on Slackware, Red Hat, Gentoo, FreeBSD, and SPARC.
  • Several still use it as their primary WM, valuing its speed, stability, minimalism (often with dock disabled), and “solid” NeXTSTEP feel.
  • Others stopped using it as needs changed (multi-monitor setups, higher resolutions) or they moved to tiling WMs like i3, XMonad, herbstluftwm, bspwm, or minimalist options like Fluxbox/Openbox/Blackbox.

Dock Apps and UI Concepts

  • Dock apps (64×64 widgets for mail, network, clocks, monitors, etc.) are remembered as a “killer feature”; people miss the abundance and clever use of tight constraints.
  • Some compare them to modern panel widgets, but emphasize the fixed small-square constraint as distinctive.
  • Discussion clarifies NeXTSTEP had an app dock, while Window Maker’s dockapps are separate mini-programs; various WMs (FVWM, AfterStep, Fluxbox) can also swallow/use them.

Comparisons to Other WMs / DEs

  • Fans highlight Window Maker’s configurability, per-app/window rules, window shading, and window list menus as superior to taskbars.
  • Others found dock icons too large and distracting, especially on 4:3 screens, preferring taskbars and more compact UIs.
  • KDE3 is repeatedly cited as a high point in Linux desktop history; some like current Plasma 5/6, others feel KDE never reached KDE3’s polish again.
  • GNOME is seen by some as too opinionated; others appreciate its provisioning (dconf) and Evolution integration.

X11 vs Wayland Debate

  • Strong opinions about X11: some argue X11 “did nothing wrong” architecturally; others call its codebase a mess that lost maintainers.
  • Distinctions made between X11 protocol and Xorg implementation; suggestions to fork/clean Xorg and keep server-side rendering.
  • Critiques of X11: outdated assumptions (single cursor/input model), complex configuration, driver mess.
  • Critiques of Wayland: slower standardization (e.g., HDR), minimal core protocol (no built-in concepts for icons/titlebars/borders), and unresolved accessibility issues in some environments.
  • Mention of libraries/compositor frameworks (wlroots, Mir on Wayland, arcan) and an in-development NeXT-like Wayland compositor (wlmaker).

GNUstep, NeXTSTEP Clones & Related Projects

  • Multiple related efforts noted: GNUstep, Etoile, NEXTSPACE, helloSystem, NsCDE, Trinity, Cappuccino/Aristo.
  • Some wish Window Maker would drop its WINGs toolkit and integrate with GNUstep for better theming and potential Wayland benefits; others argue that would not automatically make it a compositor.
  • GNUstep Wayland support is described as experimental/incomplete; documentation and tooling for GNUstep GUI development are reported as poor and outdated.

Critiques and Practical Use Cases

  • One practical success story: using Window Maker for kiosk-like point-of-sale desktops with tightly controlled docks for non-technical users.
  • Skeptics call the design a historical dead-end: large dock icons, sticky menus, and visual busyness compared unfavorably to slimmer taskbars and modern paradigms.
  • Overall tone mixes affection, active niche use, technical critique, and interest in modern NeXT-style environments on both X11 and Wayland.