Re: My opinions on Gnome Shell

[Thanasis Georgiou <sakisds gmx com>]

On Sun, 2011-06-19 at 17:12 +0100, Dimitris M. wrote:
> >> 1. No minimize button (I can't even mention the number of times I have
> >> cursed you for this, so far...).
> >
> > Minimizing is pretty much an obsolete notion. 
> Software exist to serve the users' needs. I need minimizing.
Adding a minimize button would go against the whole design since the
windows don't have a place to go when they are minimized. It's more like
making windows disappear.
> I believe the number of people that need minimizing vastly outnumber those who don't.
> >> 2. Switching between widows is PAINFUL. The options I have is: move
> >> mouse to top-left or press the window key.
> >
> > Alt-tab / Alt-tick
> 
> Window management should not require keyboard.
That's your personal opinion. I agree with you that we should have
options but I was told on this list that the project avoids adding
options which would result in additional code paths. Disappointing for
some people, I know.
> 
> >> Then when the "window" view opens, and after its effects are finished,
> >> I cannot immediatly find the window I am looking for. Why? Because of
> >> the effects. Colors fade, windows thumbs pop and resize and rearange.
> >
> > The effects are instant for me. 
> The effects are pretty fast on my machine too. However they still blow my focus.
> In general moving things are intrusive. Here is my list of intrusiveness, from worst
> to less bad:
> 
> 1. Rearranging stuff. I map the relative position of each open window in my desktop
> even when they are overlapped. The rearranging effect completely destroys that.
> 
> 2. Moving stuff (slides, scales, etc.)
> 
> 3. Fades in and out.
> >> the one I am looking for. Also the virtual desktops bar at the right, I
> >> have to move my mouse on top of it to see it all! Very annoying, too
> >> many mouse moving around.
> >
> > Ctrl-Alt-Up/Down

> Window management should not require keyboard.
> >> What I would like (suggest).
> >> Having to go to "activities" to manage my windows is a disaster. Window
> >> management should be "always on"! That means the dock and the virtual
> >> desktop bar should be visible by default on my plain old desktop.
> >
> > Noooooooo! I hope we never ever go back to that.
> >
> > Workspaces with many windows are much easier to manage in Shell, and movig windows between workspaces is much more integrated; so I actually use workspaces more. 
> Have you asked the rest of the world?
> 
> >> That would leave the "activities" only with one view, the
> >> "applications" and think about it. It makes sense and maps much better
> >> to the Gnome 2 design.
> >
> > Gnome 2 is dead, long live Gnome 3!  As a very skeptical Gnome 2 user I am totally sold on Gnome 3.  It is different, but different better; but u have to adapt your workflow.
> 
> I really tried to yet it is still painful. As I said, software shouldn't be painful, should be intuitive.