IceWM alternative. IceWM - Lightweight and Customizable Window Manager.

IceWM is a lightweight window manager for X Window System, designed to provide a fast and efficient desktop environment. It aims to be stable, reliable, and customizable while consuming minimal system resources. Here are some key features and characteristics of IceWM:

• Lightweight and Fast: IceWM is known for its low resource usage, making it suitable for older or less powerful hardware. It prioritizes performance and responsiveness, allowing for smooth window management even on systems with limited resources.
• Customizable Appearance: While IceWM has a simple default appearance, it offers a high degree of customization. Users can modify the window decorations, icons, colors, and other visual aspects to suit their preferences. The configuration is done through editing plain text files, providing flexibility for advanced users.
• Virtual Desktops: IceWM supports multiple virtual desktops, allowing you to organize your workspace and switch between different sets of windows. This feature helps in managing and organizing open applications, improving productivity and workflow efficiency.
• Taskbar and System Tray: IceWM provides a taskbar where minimized windows and running applications are displayed. It also supports a system tray for displaying icons of background processes and system utilities. This allows easy access to frequently used applications and system tools.
• Window Management: IceWM offers various window management features, including window resizing, moving, and stacking. It supports keyboard shortcuts for quick window operations and provides options for maximizing, minimizing, and closing windows.
• Extensibility: IceWM can be extended using themes, plugins, and additional tools. Users can choose from a range of available themes to change the overall look and feel of the window manager. There are also plugins and utilities that can enhance functionality, such as task switchers, application launchers, and system monitors.
• Internationalization: IceWM has support for internationalization and localization. It includes translations for multiple languages, allowing users from different regions to use the window manager in their preferred language.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: IceWM is primarily developed for the X Window System on Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and BSD. However, it has also been ported to other platforms, including Microsoft Windows and macOS, providing a consistent window management experience across different operating systems.

Compared to some other window managers, IceWM has a relatively limited set of built-in features. While it provides essential window management functionalities such as virtual desktops and taskbars, it may lack some advanced features found in more feature-rich window managers.

Moreover, IceWM offers extensive customization options, but configuring it to suit individual preferences can be complex for users who are not familiar with editing configuration files manually. Modifying the appearance and behavior of IceWM typically requires editing plain text configuration files, which may be less intuitive for some users. While there is documentation available for IceWM, it may be less comprehensive and user-friendly compared to some other window managers. Additionally, the community around IceWM may be smaller and less active, which can make finding support and troubleshooting issues more challenging. IceWM does not have native compositing support, meaning it does not provide built-in support for desktop effects like transparency and shadows. Users who desire visually appealing effects may need to rely on external tools or compositing managers to achieve them.

If you’re an inexperienced user who prefers a straightforward and easy-to-configure window manager, and find Awesome Window Manager to be too complex for your needs, then SMBAct can be a suitable alternative. SMBAct is more than just a window manager—it also functions as a window switcher. With its user-friendly and intuitive interface, accompanied by quality support, user video tutorials, regular updates, and continuous addition of new features, SMBAct presents itself as a compelling choice for users seeking a user-friendly and feature-rich window management solution.

Here you can find detailed information about SMBAct