Gnome3

[Paul_Vandenberg]

I keep telling myself that should give GNOME Shell the benefit of the doubt. However, I have my concerns about it. One of them is the apparent lack of an organized menu structure. I don't like the idea of 'searching' for apps. What if I don't know what an app is called? Xfce might be the way to go.

Paul

[emorrp1]

Paul: I used to think that about gnome Do, now I enjoy launching each of my most used apps with 4 keystrokes

Also, I've found XFCE to be great, it uses the same gui toolkit as gnome (GTK) so most apps will look identical, but it's snappier and you can actually remove the panel entirely if you want (possible, but difficult in gnome)

[altair4]

I've been a non-stop KDE user since Suse 6. Mint is my first Gnome distro because of what was happening with KDE4. With Gnome3 it looks like I'm going to read the same discussions and the same arguments over why Gnome3 is such an improvement. To me Gnome and KDE seems to be in a race to see who can produce the most infantile DE. I agree that XFCE looks like a viable alternative unless they get caught up in this race to the bottom.

I do apologize, I guess I got a little carried away. I don't think I'm the right person to voice an opinion anyway. The first thing I do when installing WinXP is to enable the "Classic Windows" style which removes the XP playskool look and replaces it with the Win2K look. So clearly I have "change" issues.

[Skorpiius]

I've been a non-stop KDE user since Suse 6. Mint is my first Gnome distro because of what was happening with KDE4. With Gnome3 it looks like I'm going to read the same discussions and the same arguments over why Gnome3 is such an improvement. To me Gnome and KDE seems to be in a race to see who can produce the most infantile DE. I agree that XFCE looks like a viable alternative unless they get caught up in this race to the bottom.

I do apologize, I guess I got a little carried away. I don't think I'm the right person to voice an opinion anyway. The first thing I do when installing WinXP is to enable the "Classic Windows" style which removes the XP playskool look and replaces it with the Win2K look. So clearly I have "change" issues.

Just do the hack that allows you to use the Royale Noir theme, it's wayyy better than the dayglo default.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/ ... emixed.jpg

[Linux-user]

Wow I don't think I will ever be using gnome3 as it is now. -__-;;

True. I like GNOME the way it is now, but I really don't like the interface of GNOME 3. Like Paul_Vandenberg said:

One of them is the apparent lack of an organized menu structure. I don't like the idea of 'searching' for apps.

The day GNOME removes its current interface and moves on to this new interface, I'll immediately move to another Desktop Environment. I think I'll move to Xfce, like others suggested.

The first thing I do when installing WinXP is to enable the "Classic Windows" style which removes the XP playskool look and replaces it with the Win2K look.

That's exactly what I do. I hate the default look of Windows XP. In the days I used Windows XP I even modified my installation disc, so the default theme wasn't even available. Windows Classic was the only theme available on my system.

[symon1980]

I think that Gnome 3 looks like utter crap. I for one moved to Kde... its pretty damn stable now, and with kde 4.3 on its way soon, theres no way gnome will catch up
in terms of beauty, and modern looking d.e.
kde is the future in my opinion
gnome is going downhill if this is the way they are headed. xfce could do with a makeover in my opinion. looks good in dreamlinux though.

[Old Marcus]

It's too early for me to comment with much knowledge, but I'm going to stick with gnome and try gnome 3 when it comes out, since I don't like KDE and Xfce is too limiting compared to what I'm used to.

[exploder]

I watched a video clip of Gnome 3 and I agree with the above comment that it looks like crap. KDE 4 on the other hand is starting to get some functionality again. Gnome 3 is still a ways off, so lets hope for the best.

[gotjazz]

hrm I have to admit I enjoyed playing around with gnome-shell quite a bit. Once you get used to it, it even borders on being efficient. But there is a lot missing. For example - as mentioned before in this thread - the possibility to browse apps in some organized fashion is something no DE can live without. Favorites+search+all-at-once just don't cut it.
The top panel could also use somethign like a mini task-bar for stuff that's open on the same workspace - or would that be too close to the oooooh so overcome "desktop-metaphor"?

Anyway, I could see myself using it exclusively for a couple of days if it wasn't for the fact that I get completely messed up icons and other display errors after a short time with kernel mode settings and poor performance without kms (just the other way around from how old-school gnome behaves) on my ati x800xt.

And if I do take it for an extended spin I want my videos resizing smoothly when dragging them from wokspace to workspace and watching them resize.....
(I know - it's silly)

[monkeyboy]

Every time there is a big change in a DE there is an accompanying manure storm that continues till the bugs get worked out and the users get over the learning curve hump. As a daily GNOME user I too am a bit apprehensive about the change but even if it totally sucks the sun will continue to shine and the earth will turn.

[linuxnut69]

Well i have officially switched to KDE and XFCE. Just when the Gnome people get everything right they have to mess with it, like they are nervous, since Ubuntu is going with that unity crap that takes up valuable desktop space. Gnome is perfect the way it is especially with Compiz enabled and useable. I mean how many computers do not have a graphics card capable of running it ? (Few if any) Why can't the drivers for Nvidia and Ati auto install/set up when installing ? I believe Several different Gnome styles with different Compiz variations(settings, cube vs sphere, etc...) would really be the way to go. There is a distro called Ultimate edition, Ubuntu based, that has these kinds of things figured out, running from a live CD effects are enabled, BUT sadaly the art work reminds me of a 12 year old using paint to make it look cool. However all that can be changed to your liking, themes, backgrounds, etc... I am just wondering if Gnome is trying to go with a more Windows style, Looks that way to me. Just my 2 cents.

[DrHu]

I think overly complicated menu structures that attempt to automate user preferences/choices will always be a bad way to go.

I am using Lxde, but I can say, I do miss the GUI menu edit option, since that version of a Linux desktop requires a .text (*.txt) file edit to setup a desktop item
--not a deal breaker, but somewhat disconcerting, since one tends to forget the exact template, unless doing it fairly constantly, the same goes for working with bash scripts or terminal commands: requires practice and repetition to imprint into the brain..

However it is a simpler menu interface, and that makes it a lighter weight desktop

I thought Ubuntu was heading towards its own unique branding of their desktop schema (look and function) via their Unity desktop, so it might not even be an option on the installation for their distribution
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news ... u-1104.ars

• Shuttleworth described desktop adoption of Unity as the "most significant change ever" for Ubuntu. He also acknowledged that it is a "risky step" and that much work remains to be done to prepare for the transition. The move reflects Ubuntu's growing divergence from the standard upstream GNOME configuration and effort to differentiate itself with a distinctive user experience

[ShyGuy]

I've been watching the promo videos over at the Gnome 3 website http://www.gnome3.org/ It looks like a a lot of the functions are already available with Compiz. I suppose if it's not to my liking, I can try KDE again, I wasn't impressed back with the early 4.# versions of KDE.

[sespela]

I'm quite positive regarding Gnome 3.0
I mean to be able to compete with Windows or OsX, Linux need to have something that's uniqe. Gnome as of now is getting quite Old-skool. Things must move forward, that's just the way it is.

[ShyGuy]

There are things that look good abotu Gnome 3, but I will have to spend time with it to know for sure.

Like the lack of minimize maximize buttons on the menu bar. It looks good and makes sense, but then I realized that dragging windows using a laptop touchpad isn't the most comfortable thing.

[craig10x]

Don't forget...Mint is only going gnome 3 WITHOUT gnome shell and WITHOUT unity...so you won't get burdened with it if you stay with mint
So not need to hop over to KDE XFCE or any other desktop to escape it in Mint (as long as you otherwise like gnome...personally, i do)....

The only thing i didn't like in gnome was the two panels and the menu layout...with Mint that is automatically fixed for me since mint menu and the control center is great and Mint only has the bottom panel which i prefer...

I thought KDE was very nice but gnome is simpler to use i found...The part i liked best was KDE's "metal" look and thanks to Clem's default "mint-x theme" i can have my cake and eat it too

[ShyGuy]

I'm glad about that. Mint has a nice GUI. Only thing I wish is that the Gnome Panel looked and functioned a little better when you docked it on the left or right side of the screen.

[kvv]

@ShyGuy, you would be better off using a dock (like AWN).

[ShyGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion kkv, this AWM is almost perfect. I like how customizable it is.

[AK Dave]

I'm looking forward to Gnome-3. I'll test it first with Natty on my Netbook. At this point, I'm not certain if I agree with Mint's position on Gnome-3. That may be a deal-breaker for me.