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LXDE was happy starting from startx, but it doesn't have a way to configure move-on-focus. Searching about "you can't" and "apply this 100 line XML file somewhere". So I moved on to xfce -- the full thing, not just xfwm. It's not happy starting from startx/.xinitrc, or I'm doing something wrong, but it provides its own startxfce4. It resizes, doesn't crash, and had a single step for turning on the One True Mouse behavior. Was also able to configure my usual X keys (I have some function keys mapped to window raise/lower/minimize). Plus it's supposed to be fairly light weight. So that's where I'm at for now. Haven't explored it much since; if it lets me move my windows around, I'm good. (I'm used twm after all, which pretty much is nothing but that.)
On the downside, touchpad scroll still doesn't work. This may be a VMware problem. I was working on a VirtualBox image, but it didn't go smoothly. First I tried export/import, which didn't seem to work -- frozen boot screen. But when I went to Close it, the proper display flashed up, and I've been able to find that it does boot and have my account. But it's not *usable*. Possibly X would fix that. I also tried a pure install, but after applying some tweak to make console resize, it didn't want to boot at all. I haven't had time to go back and try pure vanilla. And the VMware image I'm working with is getting more and more developed, it may be hard to switch.
I also found a program to make *Windows* use move-on-focus. I should probably tell you what it was, but I don't remember, and the info seems to be only on the office machine. But it's SO useful, at least for my workflow which uses overlapping windows a lot. (Often a full-screened browser or VM (or browser in VM) and some other window I'm taking notes in.)
OTOH I really wish I could make *Windows* raise and lower windows with a key.
New co-worker coming Monday, she'll need a VM too. Rather than re-installing, I simply cloned mine. Easy! And purged my limited personal info on it, a bit more work. And got the system working on it... that was a lot more work, we've got too much hardwiring of local IP address. Which will interfere with putting code in source control too, so we've got a double incentive to fix that.
On the downside, touchpad scroll still doesn't work. This may be a VMware problem. I was working on a VirtualBox image, but it didn't go smoothly. First I tried export/import, which didn't seem to work -- frozen boot screen. But when I went to Close it, the proper display flashed up, and I've been able to find that it does boot and have my account. But it's not *usable*. Possibly X would fix that. I also tried a pure install, but after applying some tweak to make console resize, it didn't want to boot at all. I haven't had time to go back and try pure vanilla. And the VMware image I'm working with is getting more and more developed, it may be hard to switch.
I also found a program to make *Windows* use move-on-focus. I should probably tell you what it was, but I don't remember, and the info seems to be only on the office machine. But it's SO useful, at least for my workflow which uses overlapping windows a lot. (Often a full-screened browser or VM (or browser in VM) and some other window I'm taking notes in.)
OTOH I really wish I could make *Windows* raise and lower windows with a key.
New co-worker coming Monday, she'll need a VM too. Rather than re-installing, I simply cloned mine. Easy! And purged my limited personal info on it, a bit more work. And got the system working on it... that was a lot more work, we've got too much hardwiring of local IP address. Which will interfere with putting code in source control too, so we've got a double incentive to fix that.