# Description

Fvwm is a window manager for X11. It is designed to minimize memory consumption, provide a 3D look to window frames, and a virtual desktop.

Note that there are several window managers around that have "fvwm" in their name. In the past, version 2.x of fvwm was commonly called fvwm2 to distinguish it from the former version 1.x (fvwm or even fvwm1). Since version 1.x has been replaced by version 2.x a long time ago we simply call version 2.x and all versions to come, fvwm, throughout this document, and the executable program is named fvwm. There is an fvwm offspring called fvwm95, it is mostly a patched version of fvwm-2.0.43. The main goal of fvwm95 was to supply a Windows 95 like look and feel. Since then, fvwm has been greatly enhanced and practically all fvwm95 features can be achieved by fvwm.

Fvwm provides both a large virtual desktop and multiple disjoint desktops which can be used separately or together. The virtual desktop allows you to pretend that your video screen is really quite large, and you can scroll around within the desktop. The multiple disjoint desktops allow you to pretend that you really have several screens to work at, but each screen is completely unrelated to the others.

Fvwm provides keyboard accelerators that allow you to perform most window manager functions, including moving and resizing windows and operating the menus, using keyboard shortcuts.

Fvwm has also overcome the distinction between configuration commands and action commands that most window managers make. Configuration commands typically set fonts, colors, menu contents, and key and mouse function bindings, while action commands do things like raise and lower windows. Fvwm makes no such distinction and allows anything to be changed at any time.

Other noteworthy differences between fvwm and other X11 window managers are the introduction of the and focus methods. Focus policy can be separately specified for different window groups. Windows using acquire focus when the pointer moves into them and retain focus until some other window acquires it. Such windows do not lose focus when the pointer moves into the root window. The policy is provided for use with windows into which one never types (e.g. xclock, oclock, xbiff, xeyes, tuxeyes) - for example, if a SloppyFocus terminal window has focus, moving the pointer over a NeverFocus decoration window does not deprive the terminal of focus.