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Help Improve Gnome

blogs.gnome.org

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61–70 of 82 posts

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#61

Post by havblue »

The poor use of screen real estate doesn't do it for me: there's a large top panel displaying some system icons but a lot of empty space. On the large bottom panel you can at least select your active window like in the Windows 95 days. So that isn't so bad. You also can't drag these bars around the screen and I don't see any easy way to customize it.

It's like the message is: you're mostly using the terminal anyway and who cares, it's running in a vm. But your customer isn't going to complain and we're the defacto standard so leave us alone, you're welcome.

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#62

Post by 3836293648 »

pjmlp wrote: post #9

No need for a tool, it is quite easy. Stop using JavaScript all over the place, use compiled languages. Don't outsource basic features to extensions, or third party tools. Bring basic stuff like thumbnails and desktop folders back.

Gnome removing desktop icons was amazing. Stopping average users from hurting themselves is a good thing, especially when they're still there for the advanced users that are dumb enough to still want them

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#63

Post by 3836293648 »

jeroenhd wrote: post #19
supernes wrote: post #11

I wanted to help, but this tool doesn't collect any useful data IMO. Just queries the distribution, installed apps and the default browser. Full list here: https://gitlab.gnome.org/vstanek/gnome-info-collect/#client-... I don't see how this would actually help improve the parts of GNOME that need improvement.

It collects plenty of useful information for directing effort. Plenty of Gnome's online account information stuff gets analysed and the installed extension are queried. If the Gnome devs see that a particular extension is installed often (i.e. GsConnect, a sound output chooser that's actually useful, etc.) then they might build that feature into the system directly so users don't need extensions any more. I'm sure th…

Sound input finally got useful in GNOME 43

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#64

Post by Octabrain »

rcarmo wrote: post #48
Octabrain wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, question of taste. I use Fedora 36 with Gnome precisely because I like the provided vanilla experience. I enjoy its simplicity, minimalism and it is nice looking enough for me for not having to spend time on tuning anything.

Mine now looks mostly like this, so that I don't have to re-learn UI conventions: https://taoofmac.com/space/blog/2022/04/02/2130

It looks good, however, it is not for me. On that specific example, I dislike the idea of the window buttons on the left as well as the dock. I find much productive to press the window key and type the app I want to open as I do on Gnome. I used to be a big fan of KDE back in the day and spend plenty of time installing desktop and icon themes, but nowadays I like to stick to "out of the box" experiences and I apply this to everything in computing, from the distro I use, to tmux, vim, web browser etc.

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#65

Post by NayamAmarshe »

rcarmo wrote: post #38

I've recently moved to GNOME on Fedora 36, and I just wish they stopped being hostile to themeing. No, Adwaita is not pretty. No, I don't want to use the default window decorations. And I most certainly do not want to have to install extensions to have a decent dock, proper top bar applets, etc. I have no idea where GNOME gets its UX expertise, but they are well off the mark where it regards what people expect from a…

Gnome: What? You wanna press Super key every time you wanna access the dock or manage windows? Got it, here you go!

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#66

Post by rgoulter »

vbezhenar wrote: post #21

One big thing that gnome did wrong is empty top bar. So much space wasted. Should be task bar instead.

Which also doesn't work with system tray icons. (Although it's possible to install extensions which allow these).

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#67

Post by NayamAmarshe »

3836293648 wrote: post #62
pjmlp wrote: post #9

No need for a tool, it is quite easy. Stop using JavaScript all over the place, use compiled languages. Don't outsource basic features to extensions, or third party tools. Bring basic stuff like thumbnails and desktop folders back.

Gnome removing desktop icons was amazing. Stopping average users from hurting themselves is a good thing, especially when they're still there for the advanced users that are dumb enough to still want them

If the point of the Linux desktop is more choices then I'd say Gnome is kinda against that philosophy. They're the Apple of the Linux world and not in a very good way either.

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#68

Post by NayamAmarshe »

bezier-curve wrote: post #59
pjmlp wrote: post #9

No need for a tool, it is quite easy. Stop using JavaScript all over the place, use compiled languages. Don't outsource basic features to extensions, or third party tools. Bring basic stuff like thumbnails and desktop folders back.

> Stop using JavaScript all over the place, use compiled languages. This is one of the things I like about GNOME. There is something to be said about a tech stack that's accessible and easy enough to use.

Yes, that's one thing they got right. More developer accessibility got them more popularity, although it'd be hard for me to quantify it but I definitely see that as one of the factors.

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#69

Post by petepete »

jmillikin wrote: post #56
petepete wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The desktop icons and click-and-drag shortcuts got removed a few years ago. This is a GUI workflow that I've been using on Windows, MacOS, Atari OS, Amiga OS, going back to the 1980s. Gone. Gnome hasn't had desktop icons for 11 years. I think you must've been using a third party plugin.

Desktop icons were removed from Nautilus about 4 years ago: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/-/merge_requests/46

Well, they were disabled in the first version of GNOME 3 (2011) and you had to jump through hoops to re-enable them. I think from that it's clear they're not intended to be used.

Re: Help Improve Gnome

#70

Post by asoneth »

smoldesu wrote: post #52
asoneth wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

KDE, MATE, and Cinnamon seem like great desktop environments and potentially better implementations of the "Windows-style" (i.e. Windows 95 through Windows 7) desktop environment than Windows these days. I'm glad they exist even if I don't personally use them. But I'm also glad that the GNOME folks have decided to chart a different path even when that results in the occasional (or not-so-occasional) design misstep. T…

> But I'm also glad that the GNOME folks have decided to chart a different path even when that results in the occasional (or not-so-occasional) design misstep I would agree with this if GNOME also didn't treat their own technologies as an all-or-nothing scenario. One of the biggest problems I have is that GNOME is genuinely incapable of admitting when they're wrong; to a lesser extent with stuff like implementing EGL…

Is there an example you have in mind where they were objectively wrong and did not admit it?

In the examples I've seen their decisions generally seem reasonable and well-considered, even in cases where I disagreed with the outcome. The most I can say is that it might benefit some contributors to consider tone and messaging a little.

With respect to closing tickets, unless someone is paying for the work I generally close feature requests that aren't compatible with a project's vision. Focusing is about saying "no" and building every feature every user requests eventually results in a bloated, unmaintainable project.

Finally, with respect to downstream vendors and projects that incorporate pieces of the GNOME shell into their own software the GNOME team has made it pretty clear that (for better or worse) their focus is their own desktop environment. Asking contributors if they're willing to do additional work to support outside projects is reasonable, but demanding that they do so is not a good look.

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