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<!-- The actual name of your proposed change page should look something like: Changes/Your_Change_Proposal_Name.  This keeps all change proposals in the same namespace -->
= i3 Spin =


= i3wm Spin =


== Summary ==
== Summary ==
A minimal Fedora spin which has i3 Window Manger which is a X11 tiling window manager by default on live and after installation along with some widely used packages among i3 users on Fedora which are present on Fedora's official repo.
 
Create an official Fedora Spin shipping the popular i3 window manager. This Spin would be the first Fedora Spin to feature a tiling/window manager instead of a traditional desktop environment.
 


== Owner ==
== Owner ==
<!--
 
For change proposals to qualify as self-contained, owners of all affected packages need to be included here. Alternatively, a SIG can be listed as an owner if it owns all affected packages.
* Name: [[User:Nasirhm|Nasir Hussain]], [[User:Jflory7|Justin W. Flory]], [[User:X3mboy|Eduard Lucena]], [[User:Defolos|   Dan Čermák]], [https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/i3/ Fedora i3 SIG]
This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are.
* Email:
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* Name: [[User:FASAcountName| Your Name]]
<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your change, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved. If the change proposal is owned by a SIG, please also add a primary contact person. -->
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<!--- UNCOMMENT only for Changes with assigned Shepherd (by FESCo)
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
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* Product:
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== Current status ==
== Current status ==
[[Category:ChangePageIncomplete]]
[[Category:ChangeAcceptedF34]]
<!-- When your change proposal page is completed and ready for review and announcement -->
[[Category:SelfContainedChange]]
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<!-- After review, the Wrangler will move your page to Category:ChangeReadyForFesco... if it still needs more work it will move back to Category:ChangePageIncomplete-->
* Targeted release: [[Releases/34|Fedora 34]]
* Last updated: <!-- this is an automatic macro — you don't need to change this line -->  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}


<!-- Select proper category, default is Self Contained Change -->
[[Category:SelfContainedChange]]
<!-- [[Category:SystemWideChange]] -->
* Targeted release: [[Releases/<number> | Fedora <number> ]]
* Last updated: <!-- this is an automatic macro — you don't need to change this line -->  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}
<!-- After the change proposal is accepted by FESCo, tracking bug is created in Bugzilla and linked to this page  
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CLOSED as NEXTRELEASE -> change is completed and verified and will be delivered in next release under development
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* FESCo issue: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
 
* Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
* FESCo issue: [https://pagure.io/fesco/issue/2537 #2537]
* Release notes tracker: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>
* Tracker bug: [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1913852 #1913852]
* Release notes tracker: [https://pagure.io/fedora-docs/release-notes/issue/631 #631]


== Detailed Description ==
== Detailed Description ==


<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate. A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. -->
The Fedora i3 SIG began in May 2020 with a goal of creating an official Fedora Spin featuring the i3 tiling window manager. Since then, a community of i3 enthusiasts around the Fedora community has collaborated to define what an official Fedora i3 Spin would include, how it might work, and how the Fedora community might differentiate this Spin from other ready-to-use i3 implementations already in the open source ecosystem.
 
The SIG has outlined the following design goals to guide construction of the Spin (see [https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/i3/design-goals/ i3 SIG Design Goals] for details):
 
# Simple is better than complex.
# Fast is better than features.
# There should be one—and preferably only one—obvious way to do it.
# Now is better than never.
 
These Design Goals inform and guide decisions regarding the Kickstart. They are also the basis for the SIG's decisions about future changes to the i3 Spin.
 
In summary, this Change is represents the realization of work that began in May 2020. The goal is to create an official Fedora Spin based on the i3 SIG's kickstart.
 


== Feedback ==
== Feedback ==


<!-- Summarize the feedback from the community and address why you chose not to accept proposed alternatives. This section is optional for all change proposals but is strongly suggested. Incorporating feedback here as it is raised gives FESCo a clearer view of your proposal and leaves a good record for the future. If you get no feedback, that is useful to note in this section as well. For innovative or possibly controversial ideas, consider collecting feedback before you file the change proposal. -->
No Fedora Spin currently features a window/tiling manager. The i3 SIG includes newer and older Fedora contributors who use i3 and believe it would be a popular Spin if available to the Fedora Community. Community feedback informs this Change.
 
=== What did Twitter have to say? ===
 
Here are some tweets of what people had to say in response to news that the i3 SIG is working on a Fedora i3 Spin:
 
{{quote|1=Always wanted to see if I can use tiling manager. If fedora is making official Spin then I can try it.|2=https://twitter.com/varoondev/status/1313794208155787264}}
 
{{quote|1=Yes, would love to have i3 on Fedora if you guys can pull it off. Good luck!|2=https://twitter.com/bertmendz/status/1314040245843898370}}
 
{{quote|1=GIF image: "I HAVE A MIGHTY NEED"|2=https://twitter.com/rodgertq/status/1313611595314995200}}
 


== Benefit to Fedora ==
== Benefit to Fedora ==


<!-- What is the benefit to the distribution?  Will the software we generate be improved? How will the process of creating Fedora releases be improved?
This Change benefits end-users who run Fedora on a desktop or laptop, particularly low-end consumer-grade hardware.
 
      Be sure to include the following areas if relevant:
      If this is a major capability update, what has changed?
          For example: This change introduces Python 5 that runs without the Global Interpreter Lock and is fully multithreaded.
      If this is a new functionality, what capabilities does it bring?
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          For example: This change modifies a package to use a different language stack that reduces install size by removing dependencies.
      Does this improve specific Spins or Editions?
          For example: This change modifies the default install of Fedora Workstation to be more in line with the base install of Fedora Server.
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          For example: This change replaces thousands of individual %post scriptlets in packages with one script that runs at the end.
      Is this an improvement to maintainer processes?
          For example: Gating Fedora packages on automatic QA tests will make rawhide more stable and allow changes to be implemented more smoothly.
      Is this an improvement targeted as specific contributors?
          For example: Ensuring that a minimal set of tools required for contribution to Fedora are installed by default eases the onboarding of new contributors.  


    When a Change has multiple benefits, it's better to list them all.
An i3 Spin would provide a better initial installation experience for Fedora users installing i3 for the first time. Currently, end-users who wish to use i3 on Fedora must install another Edition or Spin of Fedora, then install the i3 window manager (and related packages) separately (a process often requiring use of an external guide or tutorial). Additionally, this "two-step" method adds unnecessary packages to the user's system, particularly if the end-user does not wish to use another desktop environment.
 
Moreover, the i3 SIG hypothesizes an official i3 Spin will have the lightest footprint (memory and base install size) of any Fedora Edition or Spin, but testing this hypothesis requires more data.


    Consider these Change pages from previous editions as inspiration:
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Annobin (low-level and technical, invisible to users)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/ParallelInstallableDebuginfo (low-level, but visible to advanced users)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/VirtualBox_Guest_Integration (primarily a UX change)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/NoMoreAlpha (an improvement to distro processes)
    https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/perl5.26 (major upgrade to a popular software stack, visible to users of that stack)
-->


== Scope ==
== Scope ==
* Proposal owners:
* Proposal owners:
** '''Finalize kickstart composition'''. The i3 SIG is finalizing a list of packages for an integrated i3 desktop.
** '''Work with RelEng to build'''. The i3 SIG needs to work with Release Engineering to pick up the i3 Spin in regular composes.
** '''Test Day coordination'''. Work with the Fedora QA team to plan and run a series of Test Days to solicit early feedback. An excited group of users in our IRC/Telegram are ready to help.
<!-- What work do the feature owners have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
<!-- What work do the feature owners have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->


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<!-- What work do other developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->


* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issues #Releng issue number] (a check of an impact with Release Engineering is needed) <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issue/9864 #9864]
<!-- Does this feature require coordination with release engineering (e.g. changes to installer image generation or update package delivery)?  Is a mass rebuild required?  include a link to the releng issue.
The issue is required to be filed prior to feature submission, to ensure that someone is on board to do any process development work and testing and that all changes make it into the pipeline; a bullet point in a change is not sufficient communication -->


* Policies and guidelines: N/A (not a System Wide Change) <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Policies and guidelines: N/A (not a System Wide Change) <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
<!-- Do the packaging guidelines or other documents need to be updated for this feature?  If so, does it need to happen before or after the implementation is done?  If a FPC ticket exists, add a link here. -->
<!-- Do the packaging guidelines or other documents need to be updated for this feature?  If so, does it need to happen before or after the implementation is done?  If a FPC ticket exists, add a link here. -->


* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
* Trademark approval: [https://pagure.io/Fedora-Council/tickets/issue/343#comment-707009 #343]
<!-- If your Change may require trademark approval (for example, if it is a new Spin), file a ticket ( https://fedorahosted.org/council/ ) requesting trademark approval from the Fedora Council. This approval will be done via the Council's consensus-based process. -->
 


== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
<!-- What happens to systems that have had a previous versions of Fedora installed and are updated to the version containing this change? Will anything require manual configuration or data migration? Will any existing functionality be no longer supported? -->
<!-- What happens to systems that have had a previous versions of Fedora installed and are updated to the version containing this change? Will anything require manual configuration or data migration? Will any existing functionality be no longer supported? -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
Since the Fedora i3 Spin is a Spin, it assumes new installations only. There is no upgrade/compatibility impact from the Spin.
N/A (not a System Wide Change)  
 
Eventually, the i3 SIG will also create a package group (composition) for `i3` and `i3-extended`. Fedora users can more easily switch from another desktop environment by installing the package group.
 


== How To Test ==
== How To Test ==
1. Boot the Fedora i3 Spin ISO image either on bare-metal or in a virtual machine (V.M.).
2. Confirm successful boot into a configured i3 environment with basic packages available.
3. Launch Anaconda installer. The Anaconda installer can be launched either from a terminal or via the application launcher `dmenu`.
4. Confirm no major issues with windows and display. The installed system uses `lightdm` as the login manager and comes preinstalled with i3 as the default desktop environment with default applications present for most uses cases.
<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document. Describe the dimensions of tests that this change implementation is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.  
<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document. Describe the dimensions of tests that this change implementation is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.  


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<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
N/A (not a System Wide Change)


== User Experience ==
== User Experience ==
<!-- If this change proposal is noticeable by users, how will their experiences change as a result?


This section partially overlaps with the Benefit to Fedora section above. This section should be primarily about the User Experience, written in a way that does not assume deep technical knowledge. More detailed technical description should be left for the Benefit to Fedora section.
New Fedora users can install i3 from https://spins.fedoraproject.org instead of installing another desktop, and then manually installing i3 after the initial install. This reduces the number of steps needed to start using i3.
 
Additionally, the i3 Spin intends to be a ready-to-use, integrated i3 configuration. Often a new i3 user must find or set up other system utilities for things like networking, profile management, and other common desktop functions. The Fedora i3 Spin offers a ready-to-go environment that aims to offer an integrated, lightweight environment without pulling in larger dependency stacks from other desktops.


Describe what Users will see or notice, for example:
  - Packages are compressed more efficiently, making downloads and upgrades faster by 10%.
  - Kerberos tickets can be renewed automatically. Users will now have to authenticate less and become more productive. Credential management improvements mean a user can start their work day with a single sign on and not have to pause for reauthentication during their entire day.
- Libreoffice is one of the most commonly installed applications on Fedora and it is now available by default to help users "hit the ground running".
- Green has been scientifically proven to be the most relaxing color. The move to a default background color of green with green text will result in Fedora users being the most relaxed users of any operating system.
-->


== Dependencies ==
== Dependencies ==
<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this change depends?  In other words, completion of another change owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel change)? -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
See `%packages` [https://pagure.io/i3-sig/Fedora-i3-Spin/blob/master/f/fedora-i3-common.ks#_13 in fedora-i3-common.ks].
N/A (not a System Wide Change)
 


== Contingency Plan ==
== Contingency Plan ==


<!-- If you cannot complete your feature by the final development freeze, what is the backup plan?  This might be as simple as "Revert the shipped configuration".  Or it might not (e.g. rebuilding a number of dependent packages). If you feature is not completed in time we want to assure others that other parts of Fedora will not be in jeopardy.  -->
* Contingency mechanism: If a blocker bug comes up that breaks composes of the i3 Spin in time for Fedora 34, the Change can be bumped to a future Fedora release (e.g. F35).
* Contingency mechanism: (What to do?  Who will do it?) N/A (not a System Wide Change)  <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Contingency deadline: Change Checkpoint: 100% Code Complete Deadline (Tue 2021-02-23)
<!-- When is the last time the contingency mechanism can be put in place?  This will typically be the beta freeze. -->
* Blocks release? No
* Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)  <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
 
<!-- Does finishing this feature block the release, or can we ship with the feature in incomplete state? -->
* Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), Yes/No <!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* Blocks product? product <!-- Applicable for Changes that blocks specific product release/Fedora.next -->


== Documentation ==
== Documentation ==
<!-- Is there upstream documentation on this change, or notes you have written yourself?  Link to that material here so other interested developers can get involved. -->


<!-- REQUIRED FOR SYSTEM WIDE CHANGES -->
* https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/i3/
N/A (not a System Wide Change)
* https://pagure.io/i3-sig/docs
 


== Release Notes ==
== Release Notes ==
TBD.
<!-- The Fedora Release Notes inform end-users about what is new in the release.  Examples of past release notes are here: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/release-notes/ -->
<!-- The Fedora Release Notes inform end-users about what is new in the release.  Examples of past release notes are here: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/release-notes/ -->
<!-- The release notes also help users know how to deal with platform changes such as ABIs/APIs, configuration or data file formats, or upgrade concerns.  If there are any such changes involved in this change, indicate them here.  A link to upstream documentation will often satisfy this need.  This information forms the basis of the release notes edited by the documentation team and shipped with the release.  
<!-- The release notes also help users know how to deal with platform changes such as ABIs/APIs, configuration or data file formats, or upgrade concerns.  If there are any such changes involved in this change, indicate them here.  A link to upstream documentation will often satisfy this need.  This information forms the basis of the release notes edited by the documentation team and shipped with the release.  

Latest revision as of 17:47, 7 January 2021

i3 Spin

Summary

Create an official Fedora Spin shipping the popular i3 window manager. This Spin would be the first Fedora Spin to feature a tiling/window manager instead of a traditional desktop environment.


Owner

Current status

  • Targeted release: Fedora 34
  • Last updated: 2021-01-07


Detailed Description

The Fedora i3 SIG began in May 2020 with a goal of creating an official Fedora Spin featuring the i3 tiling window manager. Since then, a community of i3 enthusiasts around the Fedora community has collaborated to define what an official Fedora i3 Spin would include, how it might work, and how the Fedora community might differentiate this Spin from other ready-to-use i3 implementations already in the open source ecosystem.

The SIG has outlined the following design goals to guide construction of the Spin (see i3 SIG Design Goals for details):

  1. Simple is better than complex.
  2. Fast is better than features.
  3. There should be one—and preferably only one—obvious way to do it.
  4. Now is better than never.

These Design Goals inform and guide decisions regarding the Kickstart. They are also the basis for the SIG's decisions about future changes to the i3 Spin.

In summary, this Change is represents the realization of work that began in May 2020. The goal is to create an official Fedora Spin based on the i3 SIG's kickstart.


Feedback

No Fedora Spin currently features a window/tiling manager. The i3 SIG includes newer and older Fedora contributors who use i3 and believe it would be a popular Spin if available to the Fedora Community. Community feedback informs this Change.

What did Twitter have to say?

Here are some tweets of what people had to say in response to news that the i3 SIG is working on a Fedora i3 Spin:

Always wanted to see if I can use tiling manager. If fedora is making official Spin then I can try it.


Yes, would love to have i3 on Fedora if you guys can pull it off. Good luck!



Benefit to Fedora

This Change benefits end-users who run Fedora on a desktop or laptop, particularly low-end consumer-grade hardware.

An i3 Spin would provide a better initial installation experience for Fedora users installing i3 for the first time. Currently, end-users who wish to use i3 on Fedora must install another Edition or Spin of Fedora, then install the i3 window manager (and related packages) separately (a process often requiring use of an external guide or tutorial). Additionally, this "two-step" method adds unnecessary packages to the user's system, particularly if the end-user does not wish to use another desktop environment.

Moreover, the i3 SIG hypothesizes an official i3 Spin will have the lightest footprint (memory and base install size) of any Fedora Edition or Spin, but testing this hypothesis requires more data.


Scope

  • Proposal owners:
    • Finalize kickstart composition. The i3 SIG is finalizing a list of packages for an integrated i3 desktop.
    • Work with RelEng to build. The i3 SIG needs to work with Release Engineering to pick up the i3 Spin in regular composes.
    • Test Day coordination. Work with the Fedora QA team to plan and run a series of Test Days to solicit early feedback. An excited group of users in our IRC/Telegram are ready to help.


  • Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Release engineering: #9864
  • Policies and guidelines: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Trademark approval: #343


Upgrade/compatibility impact

Since the Fedora i3 Spin is a Spin, it assumes new installations only. There is no upgrade/compatibility impact from the Spin.

Eventually, the i3 SIG will also create a package group (composition) for i3 and i3-extended. Fedora users can more easily switch from another desktop environment by installing the package group.


How To Test

1. Boot the Fedora i3 Spin ISO image either on bare-metal or in a virtual machine (V.M.).

2. Confirm successful boot into a configured i3 environment with basic packages available.

3. Launch Anaconda installer. The Anaconda installer can be launched either from a terminal or via the application launcher dmenu.

4. Confirm no major issues with windows and display. The installed system uses lightdm as the login manager and comes preinstalled with i3 as the default desktop environment with default applications present for most uses cases.


User Experience

New Fedora users can install i3 from https://spins.fedoraproject.org instead of installing another desktop, and then manually installing i3 after the initial install. This reduces the number of steps needed to start using i3.

Additionally, the i3 Spin intends to be a ready-to-use, integrated i3 configuration. Often a new i3 user must find or set up other system utilities for things like networking, profile management, and other common desktop functions. The Fedora i3 Spin offers a ready-to-go environment that aims to offer an integrated, lightweight environment without pulling in larger dependency stacks from other desktops.


Dependencies

See %packages in fedora-i3-common.ks.


Contingency Plan

  • Contingency mechanism: If a blocker bug comes up that breaks composes of the i3 Spin in time for Fedora 34, the Change can be bumped to a future Fedora release (e.g. F35).
  • Contingency deadline: Change Checkpoint: 100% Code Complete Deadline (Tue 2021-02-23)
  • Blocks release? No


Documentation


Release Notes

TBD.


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