Using Multiple Window Managers In The Same Time [Linux How-to]

(in the above screenshot: Gnome (default) and icewm and lxde in Xnest)

When the old GDM used to support running multiple window managers by default, and all you had to do was to type "gdmflexiserver -n" in a terminal, and you would get a new virtual X with a gdm login screen. But a lot of features have been removed from GDM 2, so now, running "gdmflexiserver -n" will display this:

** (gdmflexiserver:30327): WARNING **: Not yet implemented

But running multiple window managers in Linux is still very easy to do. Here's what you need to do:

1. Install xnest and xterm

In Ubuntu, run this in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install xnest xterm

2. Run xnest

Type this in a terminal:

Xnest :1 -ac &

":1" indicates virtual X display number 1. For running even more window managers, also export :2, and so on.

A new window with Xnest should now be opened


3. Export the display and start an xterm

Run this command:

export DISPLAY=:1

Again, if you want to run more window managers, export :2, :3, etc.

And after this, run xterm in the same terminal:

xterm &

And in the newly opened xterm terminal in the Xnest window.

Now you can type a command to start a window manager in the xterm window in Xnest. For instance, to start icewm, simply type:

icewm

To start LXDE, type:

sudo startlxde

And so on. Of course, you must have these window managers installed.