Re: [gentoo-user] Deficient Gnome Window Frames

[Alan McKinnon]

On 06/09/2013 20:55, gevisz wrote:
> 2013/9/6 gevisz <gevisz@×××××.com <mailto:gevisz@×××××.com>>
>
>
>     2013/9/5 Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@×××××.com
>     <mailto:alan.mckinnon@×××××.com>>
>
>         On 05/09/2013 14:51, gevisz wrote:
>         > Usually, when I open a new window frame in Gnome 2, I have a
>         Close,
>         > Maximize/Restore and Minimize buttons on its upper-right corner.
>         >
>         > Sometimes, however, especially when I open a supplementary
>         window frame
>         > from a running program, its upper (text) bar contains only the
>         Close
>         > button with no possibility to maximize the window frame to the
>         whole
>         > screen, and it is extremely inconvenient.
>         >
>         > I do remember that I had a similar problem in Gnome 2 under
>         Ubuntu but
>         > somehow managed to get to the configuration where almost all
>         my windows
>         > had Maximize/Restore and Minimize buttons. The only exception
>         was the
>         > Firefox sub-window to save a bookmark. :^(
>         >
>         > Just now, I have tries FXCE and found out that it opens all the
>         > sub-windows with the Maximize/Restore, Close and Minimize
>         buttons "out
>         > of the box" and without recompilation of all the programs that
>         do not do
>         > the same in Gnome (except for the Firefox bookmark sub-window,
>         of course).
>         >
>         > However, I am reluctant to migrate to FXCE right now because
>         at the
>         > moment I cannot achieve the same look-and-feel as in my Gnome
>         > (especially, I miss the the all-in-one clock-calendar-weather
>         applet
>         > with the world map showing the daytime at different locations).
>         >
>         > Could anybody advise me how to get the Close, Maximize/Restore and
>         > Minimize buttons in all window frames in Gnome 2.
>
>
>         I think the true answer is
>
>         "You can't. The Gnome devs know better than you what you want"
>
>         I'm happy to be proved wrong though.
>
>         If it bothers you, just migrate to XFCE and deal with the pain.
>         It will
>         last only a short time.
>
>         Alan McKinnon alan.mckinnon@×××××.com
>         <mailto:alan.mckinnon@×××××.com>
>
>
>     Currently, Gnome works better than Xfce for me, because so far
>
>     1)  I found no way to switch keyboard layout from English to any other
>          language (while Gnome and DWM do this after tackling with evdev
>          configs),
>
>     2) Gnome allows more combinations for hot key bindings, for example,
>          I can not assign <Win>+<Shift>+<any letter> to any program launcher
>          in Fxce, while it does work in Gnome,
>
>     3) installing Orange in FXCE involves unmasking some dependent
>         packages, but I like to stick to the stable thread.
>
>     All in all, I do understand why Linus said that Xfce is a step back
>     compared to Gnome 2
>     (but I still have not got why Xfce is a big step forward compared
>     with Gnome 3 :^), as
>     have not tried it so far).
>
>     P.S. I will probably post a separate question, but if somebody can
>             explain how to setup language keyboad layout switch in Fxce,
>             you are welcome. :^)
>
>             I set up toggling the keyboard layout to <rWin> key in
>            /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf as follows:
>
>            Option "XkbOptions"
>     "grp:rwin_toggle,grp_led:scroll,compose:menu,terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp"
>
>            It works for  Gnome and DWM but not for Xfce. :^(
>
>            Moreover, I need the keyboard layout indicator somewhere on
>     the Xfce panel,
>            but could not find any.
>
>
> A short update: after installing xfce4-xkb-plugin, which was not
> included in the xfce4-meta package
> (and I did not noticed it earlier), I finally got a keyboard layout
> indicator. At first, it did not work, that is,
> I could not switch a keyboard layout in no way. However, later, after
> changing some of the plugin's
> settings, it suddenly started to switch the keyboard layout.
> Interestingly, the applet continued to switch
> the keyboard layout even after I have changed all its settings to the
> original ones. Magically, the <rWin>
> key also started to switch the keyboard layout.
>
> So, my first and most important objection against Xfce4 is no more
> valid. The third one is not
> so important. Only the second is a bit annoying but one can live with
> it. :^)
>
> Now, my Xfce4 looks almost like my Gnome2. Its weather applet is even
> more informative. :^)
>
> However, my original question about Deficient Gnome Window Frames is
> still valid.
>
> But not so important any more. :^)


Window decorations are usually done by the window manager, I assume
Gnome2 is no different?

Have you tried running a different window manager that supports what you
want?
What is the Gnome2 wm anyway? Metacity? (it's been so long since I
looked, I've forgotten)


-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan.mckinnon@×××××.com