Gnome3 for the experienced (FUN Stuff!!!)

[hxu]

Yes. As you said cycling through a few windows is OK, while 10 windows will be a problem for me. I am quite sure in several years of time, G-S will either evolve into a different beast from what it is today, or simply phase out by distributions. Just think about the spacial thing in nautilus, which once was also thought to be a revolutionary improvement but who still remember it today?

[ugh]

I did this:

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apt-get install gnome3-session gnome-themes-standard gnome-control-center gnome-keyring gnome-media libdconf0 dconf-tools gtk3-engines gsettings-desktop-schemas


I do not have the side menu as in these screen shots:
http://www.webupd8.org/2010/02/5-amazin ... ow-to.html
I don't see the side menu in the OP's screenshots either. Maybe that's how it used to look and it has been replaced by the applications list?

On that note....the applications list is nice but some of the standard icons are just hideous (See Gnome Log Viewer icon in screenshot). Additionally, you can only read a small fraction of the name of the application. This means that you have several applications that are called Gnome..... and can't distinguish what is what.


I too miss having a list of open windows. WMjump does provide this functionality under Metacity but it doesn't seem to be aware of all windows on gnome-shell (wmjump exhibits the same behavior under Compiz - can't see all open windows).

This is my first time playing with gnome-shell. So far I like it and will probably give it a good test run for a few weeks.

EditI found the answers to my own questions in the GnomeShell cheatsheet
So there is a window list - I just missed it.

The windows are grouped - Alt+Tab then left/right arrow keys to navigate between windows and up/down arrows to expand and navigate the window groups.
Also noted:

The sidebar is in the early development stage and should not be seen as something suitable for use in its current form.

[autocrosser]

Big update to Gnome3 tonight---not all sorted out yet...be cautious about updating.

[ugh]

Big update to Gnome3 tonight

And after that update, the changes I've noticed are an improved calendar which now interfaces with Evolution

and the Keyboard settings is now actually usable (before you had to do too much scrolling left and right and the window was not re-sizable)

and a frontend for zeitgeist

In the day since upgrading I haven't encountered any additional bad behavior.

Correction - there are a few more bad behaviors within System Settings
Both Date & Time & Network applets crash the System Settings each and every time w/ segfault.
Mouse & Touchpad settings are not applied.

[autocrosser]

Yes--looking good. I'm waiting for the rest to get sorted out...I have 46 updates with depend problems.......

[autocrosser]

I just noted another thread where a user had problems moving to Experimental sources...I make it a habit to only use commandline tools when working with testing sources (comes from long b0rk experience with Ubuntu)--My tool of choice is Aptitude...

In my experience it has the best depends resolving---My first update of the day looks like:

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sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude safe-upgrade
{and if it "looks" clear)
sudo aptitude upgrade

So far--no problems running the bleeding-edge.......(thank the computer-powers-that-be )

I'll post my chroot script if anyone is interested...throws a few errors during updates (due to some non-mounted filesystems), but will get you out of trouble almost everytime

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#!/bin/bash
sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/MintT/dev
sudo mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/MintT/dev/pts
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/MintT/proc
sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/MintT/sys
sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/MintT/etc/resolv.conf
sudo chroot /mnt/MintT su

just modify as required for your install--this script saved my system more that once during 'Buntu testing......

[autocrosser]

Posting a Screenshot of the current look......I've created a wallpaper rotator that is working in Gnome3 if anyone is interested....based off of the Cosmos rotator that comes "stock". Just editing a .xml file, but it works nice---I was missing a changing desktop in G3.....

Still no "easy" way to change Icons & the windows are still locked on Clearlooks (can't find where that can be changed yet).

Screenshot.png (650.16 KiB) Viewed 2543 times

Custom Icons & Wallpaper

[tacoz]

Rats... I like it!
I tried the method posted on the Gnome3 site. Used the 64 version. I guess with having a Mac at home I'm not as attached or fixed into any one or other method of managing windows. I only have one criteria... if I have to use Microsoft, it runs in VirtualBox and lives by itself on another workspace! Anything else can be managed however which currently is with Gnome 2.30... and Compiz. Todate those methods have served me very well but I like the changes with Gnome 3 enough to make the switch permanently when it the final version is released.

http://www.gnome3.org/tryit.html

[autocrosser]

Thank You Ikey!!!

On the updates note: Gnome-Shell was updated in Experimental over the weekend....currently, Nautilus will not display the desktop...also went thru a point update. Only a couple of weeks to go to release,

[Sphaerophoria]

I'm getting dependency errors with libmozjs3d on amd64 when trying to install. Any suggestions other than waiting?

[autocrosser]

I'm getting dependency errors with libmozjs3d on amd64 when trying to install. Any suggestions other than waiting?

Unfortunately all you can do is wait---right now Gnome-Shell is broken. I can login with a "Legacy" desktop & it works OK, but Shell is flashing rapidly & partly loading. I will post as soon as I can get into a working session......Sorry I have not posted before now...I had broke my Experimental install (Xorg update) & it took me a bit of time to downgrade to what Sid is running.

[autocrosser]

Well--still no good news. GTK3 was updated last night & mutter was updated today....still won't start a GS session...at least the screen is not flickering now, but the desktop is not accelerated---so no Shell start.

[tatsujin79]

I can't wait for gnome 3. Right now im thinking of switching my mint 10 main to lmde and may try out gnome 3. Without the shell mainly cause i have older hardware and as far as I know i just wont be able to support gnome shell

[autocrosser]

I can't wait for gnome 3. Right now im thinking of switching my mint 10 main to lmde and may try out gnome 3. Without the shell mainly cause i have older hardware and as far as I know i just wont be able to support gnome shell

I'd think that you would like my Laptop---T42P/15" 2.0GHZ w/Radeon-FireGL graphics & a 200G harddrive......I've had very good service from it over the last few years. Dual boots Ubuntu 10.10 & XPee right now---will be converting it to Mint very soon. It's just above the min spec to run the Shell--I was trying it, but was a bit slow, so I've reserved that testing for my main system only.

[tatsujin79]

I'd think that you would like my Laptop---T42P/15" 2.0GHZ w/Radeon-FireGL graphics & a 200G harddrive......I've had very good service from it over the last few years. Dual boots Ubuntu 10.10 & XPee right now---will be converting it to Mint very soon. It's just above the min spec to run the Shell--I was trying it, but was a bit slow, so I've reserved that testing for my main system only.

Yes I would be happy with that, would you like to send it to me?

[autocrosser]

Yes I would be happy with that, would you like to send it to me?

Well--I've grown very attached to this one.......I do have lots of T40-series bits I resell on ebay.......PM me if interested.

Enough commercial fluff......GS is back!!!!! updates tonight have got Shell back on line...so I am once again posting from Gnome3/Gnome-Shell, Version is 2.91.91-1 if anyone is interested. About a month (give or take) to release.

[Arenalgarden]

It looks like a busy year for Linux. Squeeze, Gnome 3, Firefox 4, XFCE 4.8 all coming at once ( more or less).

[autocrosser]

Another couple of days closer to release & more working,,,,updates within the past couple of days made GS unuseable & then the missing parts came thru--Lo & Behold all works again. You need to accept the updates to Gnome-Control-Centre which removes Gnome-Media...I am "assuming" that it will be included back into the Control-Centre soon.

[sidneyk]

I finally got gnome-shell and gnome-session to successfully install from the experimental repos on both my desktop system and a laptop. Last week or so ago when I tried it borked my system with a partial install due to lots of dependency issues. I think I like it. It is definitely a different beast and will take some getting used to. It also needs a bunch of polish yet, but overall seems to be coming along nicely. I'm using it in conjunction with the awn dock for quick access to a few apps and programs. There is not a lot of customization that I'm able to find yet, but I'm sure they'll get that all worked out. The search bar is pretty much working like Windows 7, where you can just type a few letters of the program name and a list of matches starts appearing for you to choose from. I'm still finding my way around and I'll post back later after I get a bit more used to it. I just enable one of the experimental debian repos and did a sudo apt-get update and then sudo apt-get -t experimental install gnome-shell and the sudo apt-get -t experimental install gnome-session and a reboot or two. I then went in to Synaptic and to the gnome desktop section and applied a few updates and installed a few things that appeared to be related to gnome3 and then disabled the experimental repo to keep from accidentally screwing anything up.

[autocrosser]

Just a "still waiting" update post. No real changes in Gnome3/G-S, small updates--nothing major. I am hoping to see 3 final sometime this coming week......