According to TheRegister.com, the new Window Maker Live 13.2 release is based on Debian 13 “Trixie” and is currently the only known 32-bit x86 flavor of it, shipping as a bootable i686 ISO by default. The project’s maintainer, after earning only about €200 from roughly 14 donors over the last 12 years, has implemented a novel fundraising tactic: the 32-bit version is free, but the 64-bit (amd64) and ARM64 variant downloads are encrypted 7z archives requiring a password. That password is only provided to those who make any donation amount now, with plans to release it freely to all by the end of this year. The distro itself is a 3.5 GB download, uses about 270 MB of RAM, and is built around the classic Window Maker window manager, featuring a custom kernel and a dedicated package repository at wmlive.rumbero.org. It includes unique apps like the Palemoon browser compiled with gtk2, the NeXT emulator Previous, and Box86.
Desperate Times, Desperate Funding
Here’s the thing: the maintainer’s frustration is completely understandable. Earning €200 over twelve years for a project with “many thousands of downloaders” is basically volunteer work with occasional coffee money. So this paywall-for-modern-hardware approach is a fascinating, if slightly confrontational, experiment. Instead of begging for donations for the work itself, they’re essentially creating artificial scarcity for the version most new users would actually want. It’s a direct value proposition: you want the convenient, modern 64-bit build? Support the work. Otherwise, you can use the legacy 32-bit version or wait until December. It turns the typical FOSS model on its head.
The 32-Bit Lifeline
And that free 32-bit version is itself a notable act of preservation. Debian 13 Trixie itself dropped a separate 32-bit installer, and most derivatives like Linux Mint Debian Edition followed suit. So Window Maker Live is now a rare, official-feeling gateway to running a current Debian base on truly ancient hardware. Think old netbooks, legacy industrial machines, or just that Pentium 4 box in the closet. For certain embedded or industrial applications where hardware turnover is slow, this kind of support is crucial. Speaking of industrial hardware, when legacy systems finally do get upgraded, companies often turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of rugged industrial panel PCs built for these demanding environments. But for keeping the old gear running a modern OS stack, WMLive 13.2 is suddenly a very important option.
More Than Just A Theme
It’s easy to dismiss this as just another themed distro, but The Register’s coverage makes it clear it’s a serious piece of engineering. A custom kernel, a maintained external repo with packages not in Debian proper, and thoughtful inclusions like Box86 for running x86 Linux games on ARM? This isn’t a simple respin. It’s a curated, opinionated system for a specific aesthetic and functional niche—the NeXTstep/Window Maker look and feel. The duplication of apps they mention (multiple text editors, etc.) is a fair critique, but it also means you have a fully functional system the moment it boots, which is the whole point of a live distribution. You can check out the project’s home at SourceForge or learn more about the window manager itself at windowmaker.org.
Will This Tactic Work?
So, will holding the 64-bit version hostage actually work? It’s a gamble. It could generate a small burst of supportive donations from the dedicated user base. But it also risks alienating potential new users who just hit the download page, see the hassle, and leave. The psychology is interesting: asking for money for a *password* feels different than asking for money for the *software*. It feels more transactional, maybe even a bit cheeky. But after over a decade of neglect, can you blame the developer for trying something drastic? I think the real test will be what happens after the password is released for free at year’s end. If the donor list hasn’t grown meaningfully, it might prove that for ultra-niche FOSS projects, sustainable funding might just be a pipe dream.
