Re: Gnome3 -- liking it more each day.

[William Case <billlinux rogers com>]

On Fri, 2011-08-19 at 15:21 -0400, William Case wrote:
> On Fri, 2011-08-19 at 21:00 +0200, Trond Husø wrote:
> > On Fri, 2011-08-19 at 13:24 -0400, William Case wrote:
> > > On Tue, 2011-08-16 at 13:56 -0400, William Case wrote:
> > > > I have temporarily had to turn the desktop icons on.  Prefer the clean
> > > > look, but don't like opening several secondary applications or what used
> > > > to be applets on the desktop at the same time.
> > > > 
> > > > Can I have a favourites bar/file but different containing different
> > > > applications associated with each work space.  
> > > 
> > > After using Gnome3 for about a week I really, really want a toolbox.  I
> > > toolbox is an expansion of the idea presented above.
> > > 
> > > Here is how I see a toolbox working.  If I get approval or suggestions
> > > for the idea I will file it with full details as a request for
> > > enhancement.
> > > 
> > > Toolbox:
> > > A toolbox is no more than a file or container into which I could put
> > > programs and applets which used to go on my panel.  The problem with the
> > > panel was that I had to put all my 'tools' on the panel even though I
> > > only used a few of them at a time depending on the project I was working
> > > on.  I kept my projects separated on desktops or workspaces or
> > > viewports.
> > > 
> > > Going from desktop to overview to open one tool after another as I need
> > > it is a bit of a PIA.  Putting all of my tools ahead of time is a messy
> > > PIA.
> > > 
> > > In overview:
> > > a) I would be able to open a file with a toolbox icon and drag and drop
> > > those 'tool' programs or applets that I use regularly for one type of
> > > job or project. I could then close it with only the icon view of the
> > > toolbox file showing.
> > > b) The toolbox file icon would automatically be stored in the
> > > applications (menu) view.
> > > c) From the Applications view, if I wished, I could drag and drop the
> > > file into the favourites bar/view, or replace the favourites bar
> > > entirely with my toolbox file.
> > > d) I could if I wished drag the toolbox file onto a desktop from either
> > > the favourites bar or from the Applications view.
> > > 
> > > On the desktop:
> > > 1) when I opened a desktop containing a toolbox along with the major
> > > application I was about to use, the toolbox icon would appear on the
> > > desktop, not opened but as an icon.
> > > 2) when I needed an application from the toolbox I could click on it or
> > > Alt+Tab to it and it would open displaying all my tools. 
> > > 3) within the toolbox file I could select an application or applet which
> > > I could then click on or ALT-Tab to and run that tool application.
> > > 4) on closing the tool application it would be returned to the toolbox.
> > > 5) the toolbox when opened would be movable and reshape-able with the
> > > usual handles.
> > > 
> > > With the above described 'toolbox' I could get all the extraneous icons
> > > that I now have off of my desktop.  I could have only those tools which
> > > I use most often for each kind of job or project handy. And I could have
> > > the equivalent of a clean and simple panel that I could place anywhere
> > > in in any shape I wished.
> > > 
> > > I think most of the elements of what I am asking for are already
> > > available in Gnome3.
> > > 
> > Couldn't a toolbox be like a dock? tooldock?
> 
> Very much.  But I see a couple of extra advantages. I could create a
> toolbox ahead of time and keep it in my applications menu. I could place
> it and reshape on my it desktop as I wanted.  I could make the toolbox
> icon appear on my desktop as small and as unobtrusive as I wanted.  And
> I could have several toolboxes with different content for different
> jobs, projects or uses.
> 
> > 
> > trond (not using gnome3, but I'd like to move to it even using Ubuntu
> > distro)
> > 
> 
P.S.  I really like the design and feel of Gnome3.  I don't want to
solve my usage problems by going back to a half-assed version of Gnome
2.  

The Gnome3 developers have put much greater emphasis on using desktops.
I like that.  The only drawback I keep running into is, for example, I
am working in Writer, I am used to using the Dictionary, Thesaurus and
calculator applets.  My main browser is Firefox kept on a different
desktop, but I am used to using epiphany for a quick web lookup.  I have
a couple of other writing tools.  Altogether maybe 7
applets/applications that I use fairly regularly when I am writing
something.  My panel used to have over 20, because I wanted access to
them when I was doing something else, say graphics.  In graphics I
mainly used Inkscape, but I wanted the Gimp launcher handy as well agave
and a few other graphics applets and applications.  Here too I would
want epiphany to search for images.

I don't think what I am suggesting is much different from the way most
people work however they choose to divide up their desktop usage.


-- 
Regards Bill
Fedora 15, Gnome 3.0.2
Evo.3.0.2, Emacs 23.2.1