KDE Soooooooo Slow!
 

Has anyone else have the experience of a KDE in Fink that is slower than pouring molasses outside on a cold Canadian winter day?

Now, on a Linux portable that is much less endowed than my iBook there is no problem at all, yet on the iBook it takes one minute to bring up the Kmail app, two minutes to get a File Manager super-user mode, etc... Non KDE apps start immediately. Mozilla starts immediately as do all other non-KDE apps. I had the same experience with the older Fink also.

WindowMaker is, and this is with no exaggeration 20 times faster than KDE.

So, does anyone have any tips on giving KDE a swift kick in the API?

Glanz,

KDE in my old iMacG3 400 Mhz is painfully slow. But in my desktopG4 867 Mhz with 1 GIG Ram works reasonably fast.

Instead of calling the whole environment, what you could do if you just want one or two applications, is to call them from the command line and this will avoid the problem of slow window redrawing.

The first time you open the application it will still be slow, but not as slow as when you start the whole kde environment.


Cheers...

I couldn't even call up the KDE SU FM until I did it from the command line first. Your suggestion therefore, is a good one. Normally I use WindowMaker and call up KDE apps from that environment. WM is quite interesting because you can use the collection of KDE hicolor or Conectiva Crystal icons to create desktop launchers. It's quite lovely. I would like to use KDE as my default manager because I like its cut & paste capabilities and it's configurability.

Still, even in KDE the "kdesu konqueror" command takes a minute, then the konqueror window takes another after the root login. That's too bad because this would otherwise be an excellent way to have a graphical root FM from time to time for copying certain files to ~/.xxxx for config purposes and also to manipulate system graphics wo a lot of typing via "sudo cp" commands.

But with your suggestion, it's getting faster, as if it was a motorcycle that needed breaking in. Weird. I noticed that after using a term call-up for a particular app, that later when I call up the app via the KDE menu system, it is noticibly faster each time. :) Go figure!!!!! :D

Thanks for the hint.... I should have thought of that!

BTW....... One more question::: What is the inherent command listed within your KDE menu system for calling up the File Manager SU mode? I noticed that "kdesu konqueror" sometimes does not work. On the Linux system, it's "kdesu konqueror-NOXFT"..... I have tried many combos of various commands, such as using the SU Term to call up konq, etc.... I would like to find the magic formula on this one.

Glanz,

I started using 'Worker' as filemanager, small, fast and well done. It's a clone of the filemanager "Directory Opus", a very famous program for Amiga-systems.

Check it up, it's a small install from unstable, version 2.7.0-1.

http://www.boomerangsworld.de/worker/woverview.php3


Cheers...

Well, I found a solution for KDE speed. I am using the Windowmaker "engine" to power KDE instead of the inherent KDE "KWM"..... Here's what I fished from the Windowmaker site at http://largo.windowmaker.org/wmfaq/Installation.php#2.8

Contrary to what a lot of people think, KDE is NOT a window manager. KDE is a suite of various applications that includes a custom window manager [kwm]

To use it with KDE, read it's documentation to get rid of kwm (and possibly kpanel) and replace it with wmaker. Then, start WPrefs.app, go to "Mouse Preferences" and set the "Disable mouse actions" check box. You will need to restart Window Maker to make this change take effect. The "Disable mouse actions" change is needed to allow you to use krootwm, wich enables you to use kfm's desktop icons, but will prevent you from accessing Window Maker's Applications and Window List menus with the mouse.

Glanz - do you have any direct links for the docs explaining how to replace KDE WM with WindowMaker. The link you sent us to says to see "documentation" for instructions how. Which documentation?

Bluehz,

Check the following links:

http://docs.kde.org/cgi-bin/search/s...-with-kdm.html

or

http://docs.kde.org/cgi-bin/search/s...mode=any&q=kwm


Cheers...

What you want to do to increase speed is replace the "kwm" part of KDE with Wmaker..... In other words one "engine" is replaced with another. In this case we're putting a Porsche motor in a delux Volks camping van with kitchen sink and home entertainment center, not to mention the shower and the penthouse sleeping quarters.

The links that Sao gave are excellent!!!!!!! I didn't know about them. The key to it all lies in ~/.xinitrc and in ~/.xsession...... In the Windowmaker docs by "getting rid of" they do not mean deletion. I would recommend keeping a handwritten notebook log of everything you do so that you will be able to retrace your steps later if necessary. I will come back later and post some of my notes after I finish my work today.

Thx sao!

WOW!!!! That seems very complicated and not very clear EXACTLY what to do....think I'll still to my Blackbox. I like KDE - but it is MUCH to slow to use - even when starting from console at login screen.

That woudl be excellent Glanz if you could post some notes - I am still willing to experiment - but don't have a lot fo time to read reams of docs....a page or two is cool....but the KDE docs are quite intense!

I'm still at work, but I will spend the weekend on this. I made many mistakes!!!!! I wil post those so that you will be able to find your own goofups! :) Mine are too stupid to repeat again! BTW, you may want to try out WindowMaker first, just as it is. In a Wmaker environment, you can call up those KDE apps [slowly] from the Wmaker menu system. The WM menu system is the fastest and easiest to modify. Xfce is also nice, but under Darwin it seems too dependent on glitchy Gnome libraries for some reason. So far Windowmaker is the fastest I have seen. It calls up all apps, with the exception of KDE apps, instantaneously, much like Xfce does under Linux. I will get back soon!!! In the meantime, be really careful. I too find those instructions rather vague too. I did most flying free and made errors that required me to get my paths straight ..., the right way, as recommended and demonstrated by Merv T.... Who really knows his stuff.

Thnx Glanz - that would be much appreciated. I have toyed with Wmaker a bit when I first started using X11, but haven't messed with it again until today. I played around with it a bit today in my feeble attempts at getting this procedure to work - and I must say - it does indeed load fast and is very responsive. Not sure exactly what to do with it when I have it open (e.g. "...In a Wmaker environment, you can call up those KDE apps [slowly] from the Wmaker menu system.") I am sure that just involves reading a few docs on the subject and familiarizing myself with it. I am always a little leary of experimenting with my X11 setup - it always seems so fragile. Strangely enough - I am completely the opposite with everything else - experiment away is my motto. Sao has saved my ass more than once!

I look forward to seeing your procedure when you get a chance to post it.

Yes the docs, but I am not one to say RTFM because often the "M" part of that acronym sux:) I believe you will be doing yourself a service by learning a bit about WindowMaker. Who knows, you may, like me, find that it is the very best of them all, especially for Fink users. Check to see if you have a ~/GNUstep directory in ~/... More particularly, if "~/GNUstep/Library/WindowMaker is present and accounted for. If not, we'll get to that later.

When you launch the WindowMaker Preference Utility [launched from a funny looking colored icon on the desktop] the ninth icon from the left in that utility is the menu preference thingy. This is a wonderful thing. It's fast and easily configurable. With it, you shouldn't have to write the full paths to app launches. Just the app name will suffice: like "kword" for Kword, "xterm -e nano" for Nano, "xterm -e pico" for Pico, mozilla for Mozilla, etc...
In other words, you write the app appellation as it appears in /sw/bin or wherever else one might be found. It takes a while to learn how to manipulate that menu interface, but the results are instantaneously recorded, configured and ready to go after the "save" button is hit.

I will get back on the KWM "engine" replacement later. Another interesting item is the "paths" config button in that menu system. That will help you personalize Wmaker. Then there are endless choises for Themes for Wmaker, most of which may be found here::: >>> http://themes.freshmeat.net/browse/918/?topic_id=918 and also here ::>> http://www.themedepot.org/showarea.php4?area=24&page=2

Got it up and running.....even installed a different theme. I do have the prereq GNUStep dir as indicated. Thnx for info.

Just for the heck of it tried launching a kde app - and it failed of course. Still needs the kde engine.

Glanz - any progress on those note for enabling KDE within WMaker. Not trying to rush - just anxious to try it out. You can send unformatted (e.g. messy notes, thoughts, etc.) if you want. No need for big deal.

Not sure if this is correct or not....but something I quelled from a lot of online searching.

I edited /sw/bin/startkde from:

# kwrapper is used to reduce startup time and memory usage
kwrapper ksmserver || \
xmessage -geometry 500x100 "Couldn't start ksmserver. Check your installation."

to this:

# kwrapper is used to reduce startup time and memory usage
kwrapper ksmserver --windowmanager wmaker || \
xmessage -geometry 500x100 "Couldn't start ksmserver. Check your installation."

and that seems to work, although you get the kdesktop over the top of the wmaker desktop. Basically kdesktop is floating in a window (with titlebar and all) above the wmaker desktop. I just right clicked and killed the kdesktop, but I was thinking you might be able to just delete the kdesktop from the /sw/share/autostart dir and prevent it from starting in the first place.

Glanz - does this sound correct or close to what you have done. This gives you KDE with wmaker as the Windowmanager I believe. Or were you talking about running wmaker and then just running KDE apps within it (e.g. w/o KDE taskbar, menus, etc.)?

Addendum:
I just tried moving /sw/share/autostart/kdesktop.desktop out of the autostart dir and restarting - works perfect. You get all of KDE with the wmaker desktop.

Addendum 2: I have found this technique only works with fullscreen mode. Not sure - but kdeinit seems to die when attempting to run rootless.

I have been using Worker and ROX as file managers for quite some time. I also have Midnight Commander and Gnome Midnight manager.

Already installed Worker last week - very fast!

It's even faster under Fink than it is on my Linux installs.

It has more of a GUI than Midnight Commander and has the same general options.

Another manager that is excellent is XFtree, that comes with Xfce. It's a good reason to install Xfce even thou you have no intention to use it. It gives this excellent file manager which can be called up from any desk environment because it is X-based.

ROX is another good one but is very particular about dependencies..., and is sensitive to false maneuvers.

Glanz,

Have you ever tried fluxbox wm? (It has support for KDE and partial gnome support)
I really enjoy to use Fluxbox tabs (same as in PWM) which are great to work with a lot of windows at the same time and the Fluxbox "slit" which accepts WindowMaker dockets and KDE docklets as well.

http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/

Posted some pictures of 'fluxbox' with wmaker dockets and gkrellm here:

http://homepage.mac.com/sao1/PhotoAlbum7.html


Cheers...

No, I haven't used it yet, but I'm on my way! Looks pretty impressive! I'll keep you posted. I didn't like Blackbox too much, so I've been avoiding it.

Post Scriptum & BTW:: Here's a great site for some very elegant WindowMaker Themes. I think you'll like them. http://lonelymachines.org/wm_themes.html

Well I'm back a few hours later. Thanks Sao, but I found the menu system of Fluxbox to be nearly impossible to manipulate, especially in rootless mode. It is unresponsive, does not obey mouse actions or clicks, and hardly recognizes the touch pad functions. It is therefore no good for me. I'll stick with fast, reliable, easily configurable, WindowMaker which doesn't require file editing via Pico or Joe every time I want to change a menu item, like ICEwm does.... , doesn't look like something out of the late sixties like FVWM or AfterStep, doesn't take five minutes to launch a mail app like KDE, does not depend on non-existant Gnome libraries like Xfce, is not in a state of Limbo on the development side like Enlightenment, and doesn't have an inherent glitch in each and every application like Gnome does. :p

Yes, I should have told you that there is no fluxbox-rootless package, so the fluxbox menu system doesn't work in rootless. I write in my ~/.xinitrc file the starting apps. and I open others from the the command line.

I have fun working with tabs because is clean and neat and I don't have windows open everywhere.

Thanks for the wmaker themes link, that site was one of the first I downloaded themes, when I first installed wmaker.


Cheers...

Once again I use Xfce in combo with FluX, but not as a "restart/change manager" command, but as an app, so to speak. That gives me Fluxbox and all the styles and themes with all I launch from the Xfce menu. The terminal isn't all that bad either. I notice that Fluxbox is instantaneous in launches!!!! Impressive!

That site for WM is Finnish, I believe. I like the art. I'll keep Fluxbox because I like minimalist managers. They really come in handy when you have to have a large number of apps open at the same time. KDE can't handle that, not even under the latest Debian on a 1.5 GHz, 80G, PC with two hard drives and maximum ram. But I really like the Konqueror File Manager.
As you stated earlier, Worker is a great FM. XFTree is too. GMC is also, but it likes to draw the desktop at launch whether asked to or not.