I have used fvwm almost exclusively for the last 20 years. Used it with my custom config that I modified from time to time.
I find it necessary to use gnome-panel inside fvwm, which always worked great. I need that panel for menus, shortcuts, and, most importantly, indicators. Those indicators are needed to switch keyboard layouts, connect to networks, adjust sound level, and do a few other critical things.
Unfortunately, in 14.04, starting gnome-panel inside a fvwm session does NOT display indicators. The only thing displayed is a keyboard layout switcher, which also does not work correctly (does not switch layouts).
Additionally, if I start a GNOME session, and switch to fvwm with “fvwm2 -replace”, the session ends immediately instead of smoothly switching to fvwm, as used to be the case.
Lastly, in a purely fvwm2 session, google chrome cannot access the local password store.
I am hoping that some members here know the answer on how to integrate fvwm2 with a gnome session correctly.
Essentially what I hope for, is a gnome session, with working indicators, with fvwm as window manager. This would be the best.
You could try Fvwm-Nightshade with layout “G2like” or “Horizontal”. If you would test it choose the develop version. For Debian, Arch, Gentoo and rpm systems you can create packages for easier installation 8)
All layouts have a panel for menus and a systray. G2like has also a panel for personal apps.
For keyboard layouts you can use xneur and sound can be changed with volumeicon-alsa.
I also run 14.04 with fvwm. I can get a some, but I think not all, of the functionality that you have mentioned using gnome-control-center which is available thru ap-get. It gives access to a lot of the gnome gui’s Have you tried that? What I can’t get, which is very annoying, is some of the indicator gui’s like the battery indicator
Everything you mention can be done with fvwm + other apps (so no need for a gnome panel).
With FvwmButtons you can create shortcuts, have menus pop up, and include other custom type buttons such as ones to switch keyboard layouts or adjust the audio levels.
As for more interactive tools like a network gui (most likely just network-manager) and anything else that runs in a system tray, stalonetray can be configured to be swallowed in FvwmButtons.
If you take the time to figure out how to build custom panels/docks with FvwmButtons you could create a panel that suits your needs.