DSL Tips and Tricks :: JWM Mouse-less/anti-WIMP reconfiguration
I'm keeping a log of changes I've made to my JWM configuration for use on my laptop so that it's easier to use without a mouse or touchpad.
In a nutshell, I've bound a lot of my most common tasks to keybindings and I'm relying on a few default bindings to manage application launch (menu is bound to alt-F1), window management (window variables are in a menu bound to alt-F2), and setting up applications to open in the way I want them to via the GROUP tag -- e.g., opening terminals in maximized state without sacrificing screen real estate with borders or title bars. This makes its behavior similar to other window managers that automate window placement, etc., without having to memorize too many esoteric bindings.
I know it's not on the level of wmii or others that actually tile placement, but I think there are ways to make it behave in a manner that makes it suitable for users who want to avoid mouse use as much as possible.
Log of what I'm doing and screenshots (more later):
http://lucky13linux.wordpress.com/dsl-rel....wm-mods
Updated link above about goal for dynamic content menu ("recent documents") to make this more "DSL 4" than it presently is (which is static), summary of what I've done so far to make JWM less dependent on mouse control, and one of the shortcomings it has with respect to keybindings.
Added more content to my page to show what I did to make a more data-centric menu. Scroll down to "14 Dec 2007 - 0730 US/Central" for the latest.
http://lucky13linux.wordpress.com/dsl-rel....wm-mods
Updated my mods page to note that it's the nextstacked binding that clobbers the alt/meta key. The only loss in utility of changing the alt-tab binding to next from nextstacked is that switching between windows is sequential rather than between current and previous windows, but nextstacked also toggles between pages sequentially if the keystroke is continued.
Mouse-less tools: Internet
Users who want to reduce or eliminate mouse use don't have to resort to console apps. Many programs offer keystrokes by default or via configuration file even if they're very oriented for mouse use. Some programs also have extensions that make them more keyboard-oriented. This isn't exhaustive, just a few ideas.
Console apps are usually oriented for keyboard use, though many of them allow for mouse use via gpm. DSL comes with netrik, a console browser that's very fast and easy to use. DSL also includes naim and nirc for chatting. There are also many console applications in MyDSL. Among them are browsers like lynx and elinks, an easy to use email client called elmo, chat apps like epic4 and centericq, and various download tools and bittorrent clients. These all have easy to learn keybindings, and many of them have help screens.
There's also a lot available for those who don't want to live out of the console or terminals. Most apps have a variety of keyboard shortcuts so navigation needn't be done via the menu with alt- strokes. Look at their websites for documentation. Some of it is more extensive than others, such as the shortcuts for firefox:
http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/keyboard
Conkeror is an extension for making firefox (versions 1.5+ and 2x) completely keyboard driven by use of emacs-like strokes; it also allows vi-like bindings. It includes a few features that I like, such as the numbered links (enter the number of the link you want to follow instead of clicking on it) and default search bindings (g and then search term for opening Google with the search term). Nitpicks: it's not designed for tabbed browsing so stick with firefox' default bindings if you want to use tabs from keyboard, it also doesn't handle frames all that well and it requires some manual configuration (or work-around with a separate utility) to do things like download content. It helps if you're familiar with emacs. Those who aren't will probably feel very uncomfortable as soon as conkeror starts the first time. Read the help page, or even print a copy.
http://conkeror.mozdev.org/
Opera is a free browser, but it isn't open source. It's innovative (first with tabbed browsing and mouse gestures), fast, and lighter on system resources than using firefox plus an e-mail client or seamonkey (Mozilla suite) because Opera's e-mail client uses the same engine as the browser (Opera's e-mail opens in a tab in the browser right alongside websites rather than a separate instance as other suites do). Opera also includes a chat client (IRC). It has a large community contributing tools (widgets and panels) for customizing Opera. Best of all for those who want to minimize mouse use, Opera comes with plenty of bindings to make keyboard navigation easy.
http://www.opera.com/products/desktop/keyboard/
http://www.opera.com/support/tutorials/nomouse/
Sylpheed comes with DSL and has keyboard shortcuts for every command. It's also very functional -- in addition to POP, it does IMAP (got gmail?) and NNTP (usenet). The pull down menus list the shortcuts available. The message panel imitates more while navigating from the message list panel and using the return key (hold it down and the active message will page down).
http://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/doc/manual/en/sylpheed-17.html#ss17.1
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