Applications now start maximized? Why the continual push for small screen sized low input phone paradigms for big screen rich input desktop interfaces? It doesn't make sense and it's incredibly limiting. We're trading rich desktops for phone interfaces? Why?
Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
31–40 of 44 posts
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#32I've been forcing myself to use GNOME-shell for the past few months, just to see if it was as bad as most people make it out to be, and I have to grudgingly admit that some of the design choices are elegant. For example, I find myself liking the activities overview more and more since it combines together functionalities that you'd have to access separately on other desktop environments, namely a keyboard based appli…
I completely agree, it's much better than GNOME 2.x. Another major thing that's changed in my workflow is that I never use the menus to find programs anymore, it's now much faster to use the built-in search engine to launch applications. E.g. launching a terminal is Windows key + typing "Ter" + pressing Enter.
I've always used alt+F2 to launch apps that I already know are installed on my system. I find menus are great for browsing/scanning applications that I don't know. And they are quick to use.
Whereas the app menus in Gnome 3, are really hard on my head. The icons, just don't really add anything for me, it feels cluttered.
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find there are a few killer extensions like https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/10/windownavigator/ and https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/60/overlay-icons/ . The first one means you aren't forced to grab the mouse in overlay mode (which was my biggest complaint), the second means you have a chance in hell of recognizing what something is when you have more then around 4 windows open. I like it too, but the…
http://extensions.gnome.org is really the killer feature of Gnome-shell. Its really unfortunate that it is not publicised more. I mean seamless installation and control of desktop extensions from the browser? awesome!
The site is totally borked for me. Do I have to run it within Gnome 3?
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#34Does the Gnome foundation think they'll acquire users because they're resembling the user interface of tablet? They won't they'll continue to lose users who are annoyed with trying to use a tablet interface where a desktop environment should be. I'm so sick of the horrible design innovation coming to the Linux Desktop. Fact of the matter is, the Linux Desktop is still for power users, becoming more and more different without innovation will only aggravate those power users and they'll switch to other alternatives. When KDE4 came out, many switched to Gnome 2, and now those users are switching to XFCE or looking for other nice alternatives, such as tiling window managers.
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
Mac OS X is Cmd+Tab to switch apps and Cmd+` to switch windows.
gnome 3 works that way now too, it is one of my favorite changes :) (even though it gets the most hate)
I do miss cmd-`, toggle through currently focused app windows from Mac, one of the few features that I did not get in my switch to Fedora 3 years ago.
Of course, so much more was gained, the point of no return has long been reached ;-) Now the question, to Gnome 3 or not to Gnome 3?
Am I going to freak out as a gnome-do + compiz + dual monitor (laptop + external) user, or, with time, one adjusts, and, like an arranged marriage, learns to love the other?
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#36At some point I'm going to have to get off of Gnome 2, not looking forward to it. Gnome 2 + Compiz + Gnome-Do completely and utterly rocks, particularly with a dual monitor setup. KDE was a bit of a mess last I checked. Some people are saying XFCE is maybe somewhat Gnome-2-ish?
I was in the same boat as you. I looked long and hard and realized that 1) KDE has truly magnificent window management and customizability and 2) the only environment comparable to Gnome 2 in resource footprint is XFCE. I chose KDE but your requirements may vary. The cool part about linux is Live CDs/USB drives. It's not difficult to try out new things.
Yeah, good point, live usb has been a life saver beyond os install and preview.
I've intentionally been sitting on the fence for over a year now. Once Fedora 14 goes EOL, going to have to make the move.
What I have now is a dream setup (gnome 2, gnome-do, compiz, emerald theme mamnager), so have been in no rush. Was hoping Gnome issues would get sorted out; i.e. they'd listen to the power users screaming bloody murder. Apparently not, or not entirely.
I'll take gnome 3 for a spin, it can't be thaaaat bad (I hope); if I'm appalled, check out XFCE, and then, if need be, KDE (KDE felt complex/clunky compared to Gnome 2 when I made the comparison a couple of years ago, maybe things have changed)
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#37Applications now start maximized? Why the continual push for small screen sized low input phone paradigms for big screen rich input desktop interfaces? It doesn't make sense and it's incredibly limiting. We're trading rich desktops for phone interfaces? Why?
If that is your conclusion, it is incorrect. Some applications start maximized by default. Only some, and they'll remember their size. Meaning: if you do not use them maximized, next time they won't be maximized.
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#38Browse the gnome-usability mailing list archives— you will see that there are barely more than a dozen threads each month, none of them really touching major usability issues that would come with significant design changes. http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/ I used to be involved with Gnome a long time ago (pre 2.14), and have lost touch since— so maybe the accessibility mailing list is now outdated and I'm lo…
Usability-list is not used for design. #gnome-design is.
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#39I've been forcing myself to use GNOME-shell for the past few months, just to see if it was as bad as most people make it out to be, and I have to grudgingly admit that some of the design choices are elegant. For example, I find myself liking the activities overview more and more since it combines together functionalities that you'd have to access separately on other desktop environments, namely a keyboard based appli…
I find there are a few killer extensions like https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/10/windownavigator/ and https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/60/overlay-icons/ . The first one means you aren't forced to grab the mouse in overlay mode (which was my biggest complaint), the second means you have a chance in hell of recognizing what something is when you have more then around 4 windows open. I like it too, but the…
1) it is less easy to trigger in 3.4. Agree it is still a bit weird to use.
2) reading of .desktop files is not well done. It has been like that for many years, just wasn't that noticeable in 2.x.
Re: Hands-on: GNOME 3.4 arrives, introducing significant design changes
#40Does the Gnome foundation think they'll acquire users because they're resembling the user interface of tablet? They won't they'll continue to lose users who are annoyed with trying to use a tablet interface where a desktop environment should be. I'm so sick of the horrible design innovation coming to the Linux Desktop. Fact of the matter is, the Linux Desktop is still for power users, becoming more and more different…
Power user is just meaningless. Explain what you're doing and why. Saying "power user" and expecting that to mean something is not going to work. Design needs use-cases to consider.