LinuxPlanet: From the Desktop: Blackbox

"The popularity of the NeXT interface among Linux users forms a strong undercurrent in the GUI community. Like Trekkers on a letter-writing campaign, this stalwart group of users keeps this interface alive by emulating it in other X window managers. After Step and WindowMaker are two such window mangers based on NeXT, as well as the GUI de jour: Blackbox."

"For those of you who have not tried this window manager out, let's air something out right now: if you just want something simple to run your apps in a graphic interface, without a lot of frills, go download and install Blackbox right now. Of all of the window managers in this class that I have seen, this is definitely one of the fastest and most intuitive of the bunch. (I am defining this class, by the way, to be NeXT-type interfaces.)"

"Now, if you like your interfaces heavy on the control panels, automated configurations, and what not, hang on and keep reading this article--Blackbox may still be of use to you."

"Blackbox's authors, Brad Hughes and Jeff Raven, stipulate on the Blackbox Web site that this is meant to be a minimalist interface, and they aren't kidding. The toolbar, root menu, and windows menu are the only on-screen tools available, something that could make the hard-core Gnome/KDE user hyperventilate in panic. After they breathe into a paper bag, they would see that the interface can handle a lot of tasks through its simplicity. Blackbox is austere without being stark."

Complete Story

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• Geeks404.com: Six Ways to a Cool Linux Look - Customizing Your Desktop and Installing Themes(Jun 20, 2000)
• Linux Journal: Installing Window Maker(May 27, 2000)
• Linux.com: Themes(Nov 28, 1999)
• Linux.com: Window Manager Review(Oct 31, 1999)
• Linux.com: Choosing a window manager(Sep 27, 1999)
• LinuxPower: A Review of Blackbox(Jan 17, 1999)
• BlackBox 0.50.2 released today. Includes KDE support(Dec 22, 1998)