Window Stackers: Windows 11 vs. Plasma

Window Stackers: KDE vs Windows 11

It's now over two months since KDE released Plasma 5.27 and allowed us to start using what they called a advanced window stacker. After several weeks of using it, I recently upgraded my Windows 11, one that I have on an external SSD, and tried what Microsoft offers. Since then I'm a little less comfortable with what KDE envisioned. between these two window stackers, which is better? Which one do I keep?

What I have no doubt about is that Plasma is more powerful. It allows us to create the arrangement that we want, I think literally. Pressing the META key (Windows) and the T (for “tiling”) we enter the editing mode. By dividing the quadrants in half, either horizontally or vertically, we can create many quadrants in which we will later place the windows. In addition, you can add floating panels. What is missing?

Window managers have nothing to do with this.

What we're going to be dealing with here are window stackers that are very different from those used by window managers, and also from what Pop!_OS uses. Window managers don't even use a typical desktop, and Pop!_OS looks a lot like it, but implemented in its own way. Having explained this, we continue with what this article is about, which is to compare what Windows 11 offers and what Plasma 5.27+ offers. In GNOME you can also using an extension, but it is much more limited.

Window Stackers: Windows 11, more intuitive; Plasma, more complete

What KDE can learn from Microsoft is what makes Windows 11 option easier to use and more direct in some cases. Windows 11 Allows you to start stacking in three ways: if we raise a window to the top, we will see that a kind of tab goes down a few millimeters from above, and if we put the window on top of that tab, we see what is in the header capture on the top left: various layouts. Something like this appears when we put the pointer over the restore/maximize window button. Yet another way, if we press META + Z it looks the same as when we put the cursor over the mentioned button, but this time with a number that we can press to choose that arrangement.

For its part, KDE also has something similar, but to enter it we have to press META+T and then, top right, "Load Layout". The bad? In addition to the walk we have to take to get to that point, right now there are only three default settings:

Layouts in KDE Plasma

Without a doubt, the first one will be used a lot. The second and third not so much, but they serve as a start. I miss many more there. For example, although it can later be corrected by hand, the second one should also be available in three exact divisions, and an option with four windows, one in each corner, I think would also be useful.

KDE said it was a first step

When they introduced it, KDE said they didn't know how this would end, but they did know one thing for sure: it's not here to compete with window managers like Sway or the many that end in -wm. As a first step it's fine, but I miss that everything is more aesthetic. I will not be the one to say that the way to divide the screen in two in the previous Mac OS X, which was done by pressing and holding the restore/maximize button, was the best way to divide the screen in two, which on top of that did not stack or anything , but as it is in Windows 11 I don't dislike it.

Separate mention of the issue of the «gap» or space between windows when we're in that mode. Plasma does allow you to configure it to the point of removing it entirely, but that's not possible on Windows. So, between the two window stackers I prefer the Plasma one...although I will prefer it more when they add more layouts (I assume they will) and if they make the process a bit more visual. The latter is not the most important, but it pleases the eye.


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  1.   FAMMMG said

    I feel that Windows 11 is very complete and more unified in some designs such as the theme of windows and popup menus.
    I feel that it is the weak point of all GNU desktops.

    1.    FRANCO said

      It cannot be that with the arrows you cannot maximize the window. In Windows yes you can.