[PCWorld]

Post your comments for GNOME: The traditional Linux desktop is coming back here

[IndianArt]

Thank God the 'Classic' traditional Linux desktop is coming back.

Great news Katherine.

The traditional Linux is very useful when one has many files open of some programs & one can quickly and efficiently navigate these files. That's why in Unity I like Chrome & Adobes tabbed browsing.

I feel the best UI would be 'Classic' taskbar with Unity on auto-hide.

[ChrisWortman]

I do hope Global Menu Bar is removed as well, I hate using it. It is bothersome on multiple monitors. Bring back the old ways, they worked and worked well for years. Being a KDE fan this is joyous news as now we have another de worth using again. Sure third party shells exist, but they are just dirty hacks. Good to hear from the GTK side of life. I will follow this closely. It was a bit annoying to get all these Gnome users coming to KDE complaining all the time.

[YellowApple]

Hallelujah.

Having tried practically every desktop manager / windowing system under the sun, GNOME had been my favorite. Nowadays, my favorites tend to be LXDE and KDE, but the former isn't all that pretty and the latter is a resource hog; I always viewed Xfce and GNOME as a good balance. It's awesome to see that the GNOME team is working to bring a true 'classic' mode; it'll bring me back to GNOME once and for all.

[danrgmc]

Finally!

You guys finally restored my faith. As a long time Linux-head (Ubuntu) I found the Unity desktop-environment a real pain in the fundamental! Gnome 3 isn't much better, imho. I was about to sever my relationship with your blog; largely due your constant stream of Windows 8 informationals. I dual-boot Ubuntu-Windows 7 Professional and will never buy Win 8 after beta testing for several months. When Win 7 reaches end of life I'm going to build a 'Hackintosh' on my extra hard drive. Please don't forget those who share my sentiments......a Win 7 article now and then would be nice.

[CarolMcAnulty]

Hooray!!!

[ranjithn]

I love it, welcome back GNOME 2

[tfosorcim]

" we should not fault people who prefer the old way".

That's exactly what they've been blaming the current Gnome's failure on these past few years.

It's interesting to note that "it STILL ain't MY fault".

And...don't be too quick to bet on smoke and mirrors.

[Lsatenstein]

Over and over I have tried the legacy menu system, Unity, Gnome3, KDE and others. I have a low powered netbook, and KDE's overhead was too substantial for it. KDE was OK on my desktop system.

I also tried cinnamon and found it had very desirable features.
So, on Fedora 17, I remain with Gnome3, but I will not remain with it under the new incarnation that is Fedora 18. Moving things around instead of fixing ergonomic problems is not a solution.
However... cinnamon with Fedora18 is really nice and either I stay with Fedora, or switch to Mint14.

I would really like the following better for Gnome. It does not as yet exist.

With standard Gnome, keep the two lines at the top of the screen, but set application mode as the default, as if it was clicked.
Leave this application view as the default.
Move the search field to the left, to stop all that sliding of the mouse.
Change the button currently identified as Window, make that button into Menu button. When the Menu button is clicked, it returns the classical (alacarte maintained or similar) menu.

[Lsatenstein]

Step2
Look at what Cinnamon has done to the status line.

Another desirable feature is to allow me to put an arbitrary folder onto the favourites bar. I would like a shortcut to download or to my
/home/mylogonid/myproject #myproject is arbitrary
If the myproject disappears, it should also disappear from favourites.

[mattsah]

I for one will not be using classic mode. GNOME3 has changed my life, for the better. The idea somehow that people "get more work" done with the cluttered mess that was GNOME2 or any traditional desktop seems rather ridiculous to me. My work is done by the applications I use, not by my desktop environment / window manager, and the simple fact is that GNOME3 keeps me focused on what I'm working on better than any other desktop I've used.

Lots of people said GNOME3 was only good for people who went on Facebook all day, as if the number of configurability options provided in a GUI by your desktop has anything to do with where you point your browser.

GNOME2 should not be missed. This doesn't mean GNOME3 should not be improved -- there are actual places where GNOME2 was better because it was more mature in terms of integration, but this is not the fault of the changing paradigm as much as it is simply time. Adding "classic mode" is not going to resolve these deeper issues.

[GoldNugget]

I've used Linux for over a decade. I've tried countless distros and Desktops. I know how I like my my system to look, behave and what works best for me. I finally, grudgingly 'upgraded' to Gnome 3 (Fallback) simply because traditional Gnome was no longer being supported.

I cannot understand this obsession with touch screen interfaces on non-touchscreen hardware. They are not the same! Why not admit that different hardware types require different interfaces? Would we replace steering wheels with joy sticks in our cars just because gaming is popular?

This is a big deal to us forlorn Gnome users. Thank you.

[linuxrants7xpg]

I love this as I always like to have more options. I actually really like the current Gnome3 interface, and I'm a fan of Unity as well. Despite that, I still load up KDE or E sometimes. I like having choices, and Linux means that I don't have to stick to just one. We're not talking Windows or OSX here.

[brainout]

QUESTION for y'all. I take it that changing the Linux interface is easy, and it doesn't affect the underlying Linux programs you have? Short of maybe having to add or remove or change a shortcut? This interface issue really matters to me. I'm leaving Windows (gradually) in favor of Linux, and am getting ready for my first test installation. I don't know what desktop interface I'll like, but want to just change desktops like one changes clothes. Can I do this?

I hope the question isn't annoying. If it is, please ignore me. Thank you!

[linuxrants7xpg]

brainout, on 24 November 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

QUESTION for y'all. I take it that changing the Linux interface is easy, and it doesn't affect the underlying Linux programs you have? Short of maybe having to add or remove or change a shortcut? This interface issue really matters to me. I'm leaving Windows (gradually) in favor of Linux, and am getting ready for my first test installation. I don't know what desktop interface I'll like, but want to just change desktops like one changes clothes. Can I do this?

I hope the question isn't annoying. If it is, please ignore me. Thank you!

Well, it kind of depends on which version of Linux you're using. I'm an Ubuntu guy myself, and with Ubuntu it's really easy to change your interface (DE is what they're called). Ubuntu handles all the dependancies for you through the Software Center, so it's really a matter of installing the DE you want to use, and then logging out. This is what you'll see at your login screen:

My link

If you were to add a DE, you'd see the name of the new DE in the list along with the others. You just click the one you want and login as normal. All your apps will still be there. It's really a matter of setting things up to your personal preferences at this point. Also, keep in mind that changes to one DE's settings don't affect the settings of another DE, with some exceptions allowed for Gnome Classic and Gnome.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

Quote

QUESTION for y'all. I take it that changing the Linux interface is easy, and it doesn't affect the underlying Linux programs you have? Short of maybe having to add or remove or change a shortcut? This interface issue really matters to me. I'm leaving Windows (gradually) in favor of Linux, and am getting ready for my first test installation. I don't know what desktop interface I'll like, but want to just change desktops like one changes clothes. Can I do this? I hope the question isn't annoying. If it is, please ignore me. Thank you!

Switiching from one Desktop Enivironment to another is easy in Linux,however one of the problems you'll likley face is double entries in you menu. For example if you defaut DE is LXDE and your add KDE DE to your system in your menu you'll have as text editor,Leafpad (LXDE) and Kate (KDE). The same will apply to ALL your applications. Thus you also have double entires for applications that both DE's use like Gimp,firefox,etc. My adivice is use virtualbox to test distros then decide which DE and distro you want and only install that. The double entries in the menu make the DE look disjointed and unorganized in my opinion.

[TuxKenobi]

I don't see the point of discussing which one is better UI.

I started on Ubuntu 8.04LTS with the classic GNOME, was great.
Mooved to UNITY on 12.04LTS, took a little to get used to it,
about a week or two, very easy to learn, use UNITY now,
love it, very similar to Mac OSX.

If you have an old PC, netbook, or something low on resources,
then go with one of the light UIs. Something more powerfull
then go with UNITY 2D or GNOME 2D. Have a good graphic chip,
go with the full UNITY or GNOME3, KDE if you prefer.

But if UNITY, or GNOME3, are not flexible enough to you,
just add the Cairo Dock, or similar.

The beauty of LINUX is just that, pick any GUI you like and
fits your hardware.

Remeber you can install, from software center in UBUNTU,
ALL the GUIs discussed abobe, and choose at any moment during login the one you want.

Don't really get what's the point in discussing which one is better.
They all are, just depends on your taste.

Cheers.

LINUX rocks :-)

[brainout]

TheDynamicHamza21, on 24 November 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

Quote

QUESTION for y'all. I take it that changing the Linux interface is easy, and it doesn't affect the underlying Linux programs you have? Short of maybe having to add or remove or change a shortcut? This interface issue really matters to me. I'm leaving Windows (gradually) in favor of Linux, and am getting ready for my first test installation. I don't know what desktop interface I'll like, but want to just change desktops like one changes clothes. Can I do this? I hope the question isn't annoying. If it is, please ignore me. Thank you!

Switiching from one Desktop Enivironment to another is easy in Linux,however one of the problems you'll likley face is double entries in you menu. For example if you defaut DE is LXDE and your add KDE DE to your system in your menu you'll have as text editor,Leafpad (LXDE) and Kate (KDE). The same will apply to ALL your applications. Thus you also have double entires for applications that both DE's use like Gimp,firefox,etc. My adivice is use virtualbox to test distros then decide which DE and distro you want and only install that. The double entries in the menu make the DE look disjointed and unorganized in my opinion.

Thank you. Couldn't I just uninstall the duplicate if I didn't want them?

[brainout]

linuxrants7xpg, on 24 November 2012 - 01:56 PM, said:

brainout, on 24 November 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

QUESTION for y'all. I take it that changing the Linux interface is easy, and it doesn't affect the underlying Linux programs you have? Short of maybe having to add or remove or change a shortcut? This interface issue really matters to me. I'm leaving Windows (gradually) in favor of Linux, and am getting ready for my first test installation. I don't know what desktop interface I'll like, but want to just change desktops like one changes clothes. Can I do this?

I hope the question isn't annoying. If it is, please ignore me. Thank you!

Well, it kind of depends on which version of Linux you're using. I'm an Ubuntu guy myself, and with Ubuntu it's really easy to change your interface (DE is what they're called). Ubuntu handles all the dependancies for you through the Software Center, so it's really a matter of installing the DE you want to use, and then logging out. This is what you'll see at your login screen:

My link

If you were to add a DE, you'd see the name of the new DE in the list along with the others. You just click the one you want and login as normal. All your apps will still be there. It's really a matter of setting things up to your personal preferences at this point. Also, keep in mind that changes to one DE's settings don't affect the settings of another DE, with some exceptions allowed for Gnome Classic and Gnome.

Thank you, that's very helpful!

[orionds]

This is great to hear. With Ubuntu 12.10 I have been using LXDE (Lubuntu) and MATE in Linux Mint 14. There are some things that I miss from Gnome on Ubuntu, so it will be great to have this choice.

Even with newer quad-core PCs, I still prefer a lighter interface as I prefer the extra speed and resources which makes running applications a snap.