Why Did They Take My GNOME Buttons Away?

Why Did They Take My GNOME Buttons Away?

by Susan Linton - Mar. 01, 2011Comments (10)

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With the latest GNOME 3 development snapshots came a lot of disappointment. Several blogged and dozens commented about the missing minimize and maximize buttons. Folks had grown used to using those buttons and wondered how to cope without. Mostly they just wondered why were they removed? Where did the buttons go?

To answer this, Allan Day, GNOME Marketing Contractor, has offered his explanation. For him, there are a number of factors for the removals. First he says that the minimize button is no longer of any use in GNOME 3 as there is no dock or window list. Where would a window minimize to? GNOME wants to focus on the new rather than trying to make the old work in some logical manner. Overall, he thinks this makes for a more streamlined experience.

Since GNOME 3 features the "snapping" of windows by its placement and given that double-clicking the title bar also maximizes windows, the maximize button is no longer needed or desired. It clutters up the works. However, his assertion that dragging and snapping is more "satisfying" and "enjoyable" could be argued against, but he's probably not alone in that amongst GNOME developers and managers.

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http://ostatic.com/blog/why-did-they-take-my-gnome-buttons-away

Well, this sounds like bad news to me. I'm running Fedora 14 and with Gnome Desktop version 2.32.0.2. Gnome has been my favorite Desktop for over 6 years now. And I say... If it Ain't Broke... Don't Fix it!;) It's very hard to Teach an Old Dog, New Tricks and I will have a very hard time remembering how to Minimize my Applications. I didn't even know that you could do this by Double Clicking on the Title Bar until I read this Article. Now that I think about it. I do believe I have done this, by accident in the past and wondered what the heck happened and was very aggravated by this odd behavior. I do use the Multi Desktop feature and depend on it heavily in my Daily Computing. I have 6 Desktops Set up in all of my Fedora Machines and still end up filling up some Desktops to the Point that I still need to Minimize some Apps from time to time. For instance, when I click on a file from within Krusader and it opens in which ever App it is associated with. It just easier to work with that App in the same Desktop that it opened up in. I don't have to think about this, since Minimizing App Window is second nature to me ever since the Days or Window 3.1. As for, "dragging and snapping is more "satisfying" and "enjoyable". Of course that is Highly Subjective. For, me it is actually Annoying, having to go through all of that motion just to do a simple task like Minimizing a window. Dragging, Aiming and Dropping... Verses on simple click to Minimize and App. No contest for me (one click it is). Ever hear of Corporal Tunnel??? When I first read the Article I thought it was talking about the little Buttons on the Gnome Panel. That you can use to Minimize the Panel to be able to see the whole or at least more of an Application Window that is Unruly and Wont Show all of it's Self in my 17 inch CRT Monitor at 1024x768. I can't go any smaller than that or I wont be able to Read Anything on the Screen. And that's with Glasses... Please, Please! Don't take those Buttons Away from Me! That would Force me to Chang to to KDE or XFCE or LXDE and then what would I do, Without Both my Top and Bottom Panels!? I might have to figure out how to set that up in Another Desktop!:( What a Pain that is... I've done it in other Distros that come with Gnome and only one Panel at the Bottom on their Live CD - DVD's and I have to Re-Learn How Every time:O And as for Having my App Windows Wiggle, Spin in a Box, Jiggle or being able to Throw them here or there or on to another Desktop - Work Space. This has very little Appeal to me, other than the initial 5 minute Entertainment Factor when you first see these Effects. After that, it is all just an annoyance and for me, actually causes Severe Stress to my Eyes. And I think this could cause those with Seizures to have them. I know I'm really talking about Compiz features for the most part here. But that sounds like the direction Gnome is going with their Desktop Redesigns. Assuming (and you know what assuming does right? It makes an Ass out of Me and You;) So, Assuming, that everyone will be using Compiz or something of that Sort on their Desktops or just that "dragging and snapping is more "satisfying" and "enjoyable". Well, You didn't ask me or very many of the other Millions of Gnome Users out here, Did Ya??? And by the way Compiz causes all kinds of problems, with Crashing and Flash (I HATE FLASH!) in Fedora 14 and is not worth the trouble and the slowing down of an averagely powered computer for the few Bells and Whistles it offers, to me. So, what I'm saying is... have fun with your Bells and Whistles, Guys. But, please... just leave the Great Features in Gnome Intact and give us the choice of keeping the ones we have Depended on for all of these years....

Don