In Unix

Unix

Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...

 computing, Blackbox is a stacking window manager for the X Window System

X Window System

The X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers...

.

Blackbox has specific design goals, and some functionality is provided only through other applications. One example is the bbkeys hotkey

Keyboard shortcut

In computing, a keyboard shortcut is a finite set of one or more keys that invoke a software or operating system operation when triggered by the user. A meaning of term "keyboard shortcut" can vary depending on software manufacturer...

 application.

Blackbox is written in C++

C++

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...

 and contains completely original code. It was created by Bradley T. Hughes

Bradley T. Hughes (programmer)

Bradley T. Hughes, born Bradley Tyson Hughes, is the creator of the Blackbox X window manager and has contributed to the NetWM specification.As a Native American he moved to Norway to work with Trolltech on their flagship product, Qt....

 and is available under the MIT License

MIT License

The MIT License is a free software license originating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . It is a permissive license, meaning that it permits reuse within proprietary software provided all copies of the licensed software include a copy of the MIT License terms...

. Blackbox has compliance with the Extended Window Manager Hints

Extended Window Manager Hints

Extended Window Manager Hints, aka NetWM or Net WM, is an X Window System standard for window managers. It defines various interactions between window managers, utilities, and applications, all part of an entire desktop environment...

 specification.

Features

Features of the blackbox window manager include:

• A stacking window manager
• Written in C++
  C++
  C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
  
  
• Freely available under the MIT licence
• Compliance with the Extended Window Manager Hints Specification
• Titlebars have minimize, maximize, and close buttons
• Support for themes
• No support for desktop shortcuts

Related projects

There are a number of window managers based on Blackbox:

• Fluxbox
  Fluxbox
  Fluxbox is a stacking window manager for the X Window System, which started as a fork of Blackbox 0.61.1, with the same aim to be lightweight. Its user interface has only a taskbar, a pop-up menu accessible by right-clicking on the desktop, and minimal support for graphical icons...
  
  
• Openbox
  Openbox
  Openbox is a free window manager for the X Window System, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Originally derived from Blackbox 0.65.0 , Openbox has now been totally rewritten in the C programming language and since version 3.0 is not based upon any code from Blackbox.Openbox is designed...
  
   (until version 3.0)

Windows shell replacements

Although they do not share the same codebase, these projects are also inspired by Blackbox.

• BB4Win (the first and most prominent clone/port of Blackbox on Windows)
• bbLean
  BbLean
  bbLean is a shell replacement for Microsoft Windows. It is a development branch of BB4Win, and like that shell, it has a minimalist look. bbLean deviates slightly from the minimalist intent of its parent by offering added functionality while retaining the basic simplicity of BB4Win.Despite this...
  
  (a branch of BB4Win, currently the most actively developed)
• xoblite

External links

• Blackbox Wiki - Blackbox Blackbox homepage
• Blackbox - Free Software Directory - Free Software Foundation BlackBox in FSF/UNESCO Free Software Directory