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Subject : Re: LUG: Desktop, Panel, Dock, ...

From : Daniel Marcus <danielm.nc@gmail.[redacted]>

Date : Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:30:41 -0500

Parent

I echo most of what Brian said. I use KRunner, often with the addition of FSRunner (which is a very quick file searcher as well). I will often open a file rather than opening the program to open the file, by using the quick browser plasmoid, which sits on my panel. I do have several applications sitting in my menu under favorites as well, so that for the applications I use most often I can get to them conveniently if my hand is on my mouse or tablet instead of the keyboard.

In other words, I generally use the favorites panel in my menu when I am doing graphics work, and I use KRunner when I am doing anything with the keyboard.

I do not use my desktop, except as a place to store some useful plasmoids, nor do I put launchers directly on the panel for the most part. The exception to that is when I have  a second monitor, I have a side-panel that is dedicated to convenient launchers, but that's mostly because my workflow changes when I have a second monitor, and those launchers are, for example, every browser on the computer so I can thoroughly test my website.

Positively,
Daniel S. Marcus
Omni Impact Small Business Services
Phone: (XXX) 926 9624
Business: daniel@omniimpact.[redacted]
Personal: daniel@d-site.[redacted]
Website: http://omniimpact.com


On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 7:14 PM, Brian Cottingham < spiffytech@gmail.[redacted] > wrote:
I launch all applications through KDE4's Alt-F2 dialog. Unlike Gnome's, which only handles executable names in $PATH, KDE's searches application names and does find-as-you-type, and works very well for me. I have not found something comparable for Gnome.

I don't put anything on my desktop- no shortcuts, no files, nothing. I almost never see my desktop, so it's not convenient for me. Instead, I try to sort files as I acquire them, and rely on Alt-F2 for launching applications. Unlike Windows, Linux users almost never encounter a software installer, and thus don't face the choice at install time to put an icon on their desktops.

-Brian



On Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 6:45 PM, Richard Carter < rwcarter@ncsu.[redacted] > wrote:
There are tons of different ways to execute programs on a computer, whether Linux or Windows. Since I run GNOME, I know of only the GNOME-related ones; top and/or bottom panel buttons (and left and right, if you enable them), main menu shortcuts, desktop shortcuts, alt+f2, any of numerous dock programs, keyboard shortcuts... And of course in Windows, you have the taskbar (or quick launch for XP/Vista), desktop shortcuts, pinned and recent start menu shortcuts, start menu > all programs, and various dock programs.

For email, there's Inbox Zero and GTD methodologies about tagging, starring, etc.; I've mostly gotten the hang of them. For todo and calendar items there's GTD and, well, whatever it is I do to keep myself organized, if it has a name. I've got these systems down, I know exactly what to do so that I keep track of my busy schedule and keep on top of important emails (for the most part). I've even figured out my dual boot situation (some of you may remember my email a while back). But time and time again, I can't figure out whether I want a dock, if my desktop should be empty or full, if I should put application shortcuts on my desktop, which shortcuts to put on my panel/taskbar, etc.

When an installer asks you to install a menu shortcut or a desktop shortcut, which checkboxes do you choose? Do you have a dock, or is that redundant to the application menu/start menu? Do you prefer a desktop clean of all icons, or only system shortcuts (i.e. mounted drives), or some application shortcuts, or files that you're working on, or is it just a mess (like mine is)?

Basically, what is your methodology behind application shortcuts? Where do you put them so that the most important ones are easiest to reach? Are you happy with the places you've put your shortcuts, or are you in the same boat as me, feeling as if there's a better way to organize them? (or are you simply going with the defaults?)


Ricket