Re: Workspaces off the grid

[Andrew Douglas Pitonyak <andrew pitonyak org>]

On 06/12/2011 10:45 PM, Alan Schmitz wrote:
> I was going to ask how to put the workspaces back into a static 3x3 
> grid as I've always used on Linux, OS X, and Windows.  After reading 
> through the list archives, I've learned that probably wouldn't be a 
> good idea.
> I am struggling to understand how workspaces are supposed to be used 
> in GNOME Shell.  I've always thought about them as if I were a looking 
> at a larger display through a smaller display, but my spatial 
> organization methods don't seem to apply any more.  I can't start 
> applications "in their place" and expect them to stay where I put them.

I use Fedora, so that is my reference frame..... With Fedora 14, it 
seemed that the workspaces would lead into each other (I used Compviz so 
perhaps if I used now compviz, it still would). When I upgraded to 
Fedora 15, that went away and now it seems that the workspaces are 
totally unrelated (but I don't speak authoritatively).

I always thought of them as...... a place to group applications related 
to a particular task (even if that task is just general use). If I want 
to be able to see two applications at the same time, well, they must be 
on the same virtual workspace.

I usually have email running in the first desktop and a web browser on 
the second.

> How should I think of workspaces in GNOME Shell now that they're so 
> dynamic?

I think that the primary difference is that you can't always just have 
say a graphics editor on workspace 4 because you will not have a 
workspace 4 if you don't also have workspaces 1, 2, and 3. This is a 
disadvantage to which there are workarounds (such as open a terminal 
window in each desktop). I think that the intent is that you do not need 
to predefine how many workspaces you will have and then you can 
dynamically add more as the need arises. Certainly this is a paradigm shift.

>   Is there a keyboard short cut or an overview system I'm supposed to 
> use navigate running applications quickly? 

Yes... Off hand, I would begin here:

http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/CheatSheet

http://askubuntu.com/questions/36956/gnome-3-keyboard-mouse-shortcuts

On Fedora, I found a list of shortcuts from system settings from this link

http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=263727

Specifically,

User
  >  System Settings
       >  Keyboard
             >  Shortcuts



> I really need help understanding the benefits of dynamic workspaces 
> that make up for the loss of spatial reference.
>
> Thanks,
> Alan

I am still out as to whether I love or hate Gnome 3. It seems that you 
need to make a serious investment in relearning how to work to receive 
benefits. In other words, your old way of working will not function 
here. For a casual user that does not make heavy use of the UI 
intricacies, I doubt if it will make a difference.

--
Andrew Pitonyak
My Macro Document: http://www.pitonyak.org/AndrewMacro.odt
Info:  http://www.pitonyak.org/oo.php