Re: [Usability] Switching applications accross desktop

[Milan Bouchet-Valat <nalimilan club fr>]

Hi!

Le mardi 02 février 2010 à 10:32 +0100, Edwin Günthner a écrit :
> Hello there,
> 
> I am new to gnome and I hope I selected the matching mailing
> list from this page long list of options. Just one question I have:
Hmm, I don't think that's the right list. This list is about making
programs easier/nicer/more efficient to use, so it's mainly intended
for designers and developers to discuss new features. Since your
mail is more of a support request, you may have asked on
gnome-list gnome org first. But now that you are here... ;-)

> It looks like there are a lot of ways to configure the
> gnome window manager; even this special CompizConfig conf manager.
> A lot of fancy things i have no usage for ...
Actually, Compiz is not really GNOME's window manager, that's
Metacity. But the same discussion applies to it.

> But: I could find no way to enable "application switching to other
> desktops". When I use the "alt-tab" to switch ... I always see
> only the applications on my current desktop. This means:
> gnome seems to be the only desktop environment where I need
> to move my hand to the mouse in order to switch to 
> an application on a different desktop. KDE has this feature
> (somewhat hidden, but its there); xfce has it. So, where
> is it hidden in gnome?
I'm not sure what you need exactly. If by "desktops" you mean
workspaces, then one of the reasons you'd use them is to separate
several workflows or groups of tasks. So it makes sense not to Alt+Tab
to windows on another workspace. What you may need is simply to use
Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right to switch to the next workspace without the mouse.
That's the most logical design for me.

Another option would be to use the new GNOME Shell[1], which lists
windows from all workspaces when using Alt+Tab, with a mere visual
separator. Since that's going to be the new default for GNOME in the
future, you won't have to stop using it!


Regards