Gnome-3 Top panel- love or hate?

[seppalta]

I was confusing the lxde destop with lmde ....

Please, don't do that anymore. Here is my dual monitor LXDE desktop with rotating wallpaper: http://douwil7.100webspace.net/linux/DualMonitor.png . The 3 desktop web links are temporary until I figure out a way to put web links in the taskbar. Anyone know how? Otherwise, I'll just move them to the Firefox toolbar and live with 2 clicks.

[RamBurner]

In case you prefer a single bar on the bottom, you'll surely like the plans for Mint 13: https://github.com/linuxmint/MGSE/wiki

Yes, with the plans shown for Mint 13 that is most likely what I will wait for.
My exploring with the controlling ex-wife type that 'Lisa' is, it's a big pass on that release.
Thank you for the link on that information AlbertP.

[fnj]

I would humbly submit for consideration that (1) the absence of a taskbar is completely unacceptably (yay Mint! the taskbar is back), (2) a single line high panel, whether it be top or bottom, is hopelessly short of space with a taskbar, (3) two panels uses no more space whatsoever than a two line high top or bottom panel, (4) top plus bottom panels allow the most useful division of information, and (5) there is absolutely no need to be parsimonious with panel space usage on today's 1600x1200 or 1920x1080 monitors, especially since in a well designed DE you can set one or both panels to autohide or manual hide.

[craig10x]

You can auto hide the top panel in gnome 3 or mint mgse by installing the "auto hide the type panel" extension at the gnome 1 click install extensions website
I have it installed on my mint 12 mgse and it works great and regains the top space for me...yet i can access it when i need it by mousing over the area...

Best temporary solution until Mint 13 is released with the old 1 panel on bottom set-up

Like many here...i prefer just one panel and on the bottom of course...

[Bwood1962]

Linux Mint is a great distro. I've been using it since Mint Version 2. Gnome 3 is not for me. Sorry guys Gnome is taking you down the wrong path. Half the fun of Linux is customizing it for each person. Mint 12 seems to be take it or leave it with very little customization. Please let me know how long Mint 11 is going to be supported.

[AlbertP]

Bwood1962, have you already tried the Mate desktop?

About the support for Mint 11: http://www.linuxmint.com/oldreleases.php

[holesovice]

I would rather use windows than Gnome 3!

Simple as that really.
Linux Ubuntu Mint has taken a bad turn.

Gnome 3 has been made by who for what?
Is was not made by users for users. It was made by a closed decision and forced upon the community. And the current opinion from above is "take it or leave it"
Well Sorry but... As I say when things like this are happening then it might as well be windows.
Why Gnome 3?

Then there is the ubiquitous changing to Banshee. Ok Fine. that I can live with but now Banshee comes loaded with crap that wants you to buy into something and start paying for services.
Then there is the Mint branding with Google. confused? What is that about. Money?

Oh Money and useless apps that I don't want need or can't use?
Sound familiar?

The thing with Windows is.... I would get better functionality out of it! My printer would work better for one. God how I miss fast print.
I could use other documents that people send me through work without having to re format them! And worst of all I HAVE to use IE through my work. It is not my choice. So I run two computers. One windows net book and Linux as my main PC so I may as well just move back to Windows.

I did, that is DID, enjoy switching on my PC in a morning. Not any more. Linux has gone all Windows ***** on me and started install ***** I do not want, **** I will not use and ***** I do not want to use.


I want to use a computer!
Not someone elses idea of what they think I should want to use. If I wanted that I would have windows 7 as my main PC.
Oh hang on that looks like what i will be doing. If I stay with Linux or move back to Windows.
BUT. Like I say. With Windows I would get more functionality.

This is not about me.
This is about where the whole linux ubuntu project is going. And Gnome 3 is the wrong direction.

[AlbertP]

We won't stay with Gnome 3 forever. Mint is currently developing Cinnamon. You can already try it by installing cinnamon and cinnamon-session, and then select it with the gear icon on the login screen. Keep in mind that it's not yet finished.

[MALsPa]

We won't stay with Gnome 3 forever. Mint is currently developing Cinnamon.

But Cinnamon is a shell for GNOME 3, isn't it?

To the folks who don't like GNOME 3, seems to me that it's still easy to install Linux Mint (or any other GNOME distro) and add Xfce or something, then customize to your heart's content. As Bwood1962 said:

Half the fun of Linux is customizing it for each person.

This is still the case with Linux, unless you feel like you're forced to use whatever desktop a distro comes with by default.

[craig10x]

Malspa...i think a big problem is that there are those who confuse gnome 3 (like holesovice) the system underneath, with the gnome 3 shell (the interface you look at and work with) and they are not the same things...Gnome 3 is fine...no reason why anyone should hate that...it's actually a major improvement on the Gnome 2 base, though it still has a few bugs (since it is relatively new) but they are getting smoothed out as time goes by...

It's the Gnome 3 shell that many don't seem to like because it is different then the way they are use to doing things (not conventional) and they can't do as much configuring as they might like to...Gnome 3 has it's version of the shell, and ubuntu has designed theirs (Unity) which many seem to dislike even more for some reason...

Now, Clem is basically doing the same as ubuntu did but instead his approach is to make the interface more like the way most are use to working (more conventional in other words...lol)...So for those who like gnome, but don't care for unity or gnome shell, your answer is: CINNAMON...

It doesn't have all the features and configuring options yet, but they are being added in gradually with each new version release...but it is already very stable and comfortable to use

[MALsPa]

@craig10x, I think you're right about the confusion about GNOME 3 and the different shells. And I see no reason why there can't (or won't) be even more shells for GNOME 3. Could be interesting to see what the different devs come up with. But even Unity and GNOME Shell will probably be a lot better in a couple of years than they are now.

[minitrucker]

I haven't done my research, but Gnome 3 doesn't run tint2? Is that more of a Xfce thing? Cuz if you can find the tint2 file to edit then you're good to go. On the subject--> As long as there is only one bar, it doesn't bother me where it is. I've come to really enjoy the bar on top cuz it groups everything I need to know together. It doesn't seem "too busy" to me, on the contrary, I'm not searching all over the screen for all my info i.e. time, date, web pages open, other programs open, what desktop those apps are on, etc. That is, if that's the bar you're referring to. I don't use a docky or anything like that. And the menu better not be tied to the bar either. I've gotten used to openbox and absolutely love most of the defaults of crunchbang linux. That's one reason yall haven't seen much of me lately But in the same vein, #! is an extremely personisable(made that one up) OS

And I extremely dislike Gnome 3 overall.... to answer that question as well

[w2ibc]

i hate top panels. if I wanted a top panel ill go get a mac.

[MALsPa]

i hate top panels. if I wanted a top panel ill go get a mac.

I sometimes use AwesomeWM in Debian, with a top panel, so having it up there in Unity or in GNOME Shell is no big deal to me. Can't quite understand exactly why people hate top panels; it doesn't seem to make any difference to me whether it's on the top or on the bottom.

[dandate2]

the top panel is alright, i like it better on my big screen laptop; more room at the bottom for open applications

[DaComboMan]

i hate top panels. if I wanted a top panel ill go get a mac.

I sometimes use AwesomeWM in Debian, with a top panel, so having it up there in Unity or in GNOME Shell is no big deal to me. Can't quite understand exactly why people hate top panels; it doesn't seem to make any difference to me whether it's on the top or on the bottom.

After a bit of tweaking, i finally got to like the top panel too!
My main "hick" remains the fact that we could "autohide" it before without having to run too far to do that.
(not sure it can be done with other apps).

[craig10x]

I prefer just 1 panel and on the bottom because it brings the web page up a bit on my 17" toshiba laptop screen...i think that's the main reason...it's the same amount of web page either way (just 1 panel on bottom or top) but it looks better to me when the page is moved up that extra 1/4"

Also, use to seeing it that way from linux mint...windows and even kde

[AlbertP]

In the next Cinnamon version you will be able to choose between a top panel, a bottom panel, or two panels. Isn't that great?

Currently there's still a bug with programs hiding behind the bottom panel in Cinnamon's git. But that will be fixed before Cinnamon 1.1.4 gets released.

[minitrucker]

open your mind and the rest will follow..... Openbox and your distro will follow XD

[melbo]

I run dual 24" monitors and typically run 2 panels anyway. What I do not like is the inability to do anything with the G3 top panel - can't add or subtract from it or customize it like I'm used to with my Mint 11 system. I don't use G3 yet since it doesn't give me any panels when I try to use my dual head setup.

I think top/bottom panels are like fonts: very subjective. I mean, some people like KDE I can't stand it.

If I have to have any panel, I want it to be MY panel.