GNOME Shell To Ship New App For Managing Extensions

[uid313]

I don't care so much for this new extensions tool, as I could already manage extensions using the GNOME Tweaks tool, but maybe this also allows me to update the extensions without using the web browser.

I think gedit has gotten worse in version 3.26 because they removed the open file popover (because it was buggy, and too much code), and replaced it with a recebt dropdown menu (which is not searchable, scrollable, filterable).

Other than that GNONE 3.36 looks promising. They got a new wallpaper that adjusts during morning, evening and night (dark).

The default Adwaita theme in GNOME is nice, but I can also recommend Arc theme. I can also recommend the extensions Dash-to-panel together with Arc Menu.

[Mez']

I use GNOME Shell without extensions and find it more useful than KDE and Windows.

I don’t use any extensions but like it anyway.

I really don't know how the both of you manage without extensions. I need 14 extensions to get a workflow suited to my needs and that can offer the same features as Unity did.
Just that clock in the middle that is bothering the hell out of me, it gets in the way when you want to unmaximize a window by dragging and dropping the title bar (which is reached much faster than the control button due to its width) or it cuts the window title. This might be because I use Unite, but not my fault if Gnome wastes too much vertical space design-wise.

Anyway, this extensions manager app is long overdue. It doesn't make much sense to need a third party app (Gnome Tweaks) to make up for Gnome weaknesses.
Also, having to install extensions via a browser add-on (most are not in package managers) seems to be very confusing for users (especially beginners) and is definitely not the natural place you would go look for them.
I believe it should always have been centralized within Gnome settings for consistency instead of going all over the place for such basic things related to your desktop. It's related to Gnome, it should be managed by Gnome. That's where logic brings you.

[skeevy420]

skeevy420 It’s almost impossible to be worse than Discover. This is just a very GNOMEy extension management tool.

Yeah, Discover is the worst part about using Kinoite/the Silverblue KDE edition. It's better than what it used to be, but it still isn't very intuitive and the way the search bar works is very annoying.

For me, this is a very promising feature and addition. Using a web browser to install components for my desktop never seemed right.

[Danielsan]

I didn't understand at all what is the need of this "extension" since there is already Gnome Tweaks that, at least, is not in javascript...

I use a ton of extensions to make Gnome usable for my needs and still it doesn't work properly, plus the extensions are tossed without even an organization in the website, and 3 out of 4 are buggy or outdated.

Really Gnome for me is a nightmare...

[Leeo97one]

Highly unlikely as GNOME desktop w/o extensions is almost useless.

I really don't know how the both of you manage without extensions.

Just understand that not everyone has the same workflow.

[Mez']

Just understand that not everyone has the same workflow.

I am well aware of that and the first advocate of having many options to satisfy everyone's workflow.

But as said by danielsan, bare Gnome is such a nightmare for some people that it's hard to imagine how others can manage as is. I get that users like different DEs. And I welcome it, choice is good. And I get that each would need different extensions to suit their workflow best.
But without extension, it's so basic. It's like a car with just the engine. It will not lead you anywhere as such. Extensions are your frame, axles, tires, body, windows, reservoir and steering wheel.

[Danielsan]

Once you could organize Gnome 2 as you wish and need, like XFCE, and now by default is tailored to be used mainly on keyboard and this had deliberately left out all the ones that prefer or are more comfortable with mouse + keyboard. And the extensions, since the moment aren't from the Gnome team, and without a lead, have an high grade of intolerance each others, and this should never happen on a Desktop Environment; plus, without a real reason, we have a further runtime on the system, javascript, just for the sake of the efficiency, as a matter of fact Gnome 3 guys are the ones who designed to run everything on a single thread.

But just to close, all the innovation that Gnome brought were already available with very few customization on Gnome 2 as well as today on XFCE, setup the latter for a keyboard only use is pretty trivial. Customization is one the coolest and appealing things of Linux and Gnome 3 was able to kill even this.

[veeableful]

I am well aware of that and the first advocate of having many options to satisfy everyone's workflow.

But as said by danielsan, bare Gnome is such a nightmare for some people that it's hard to imagine how others can manage as is. I get that users like different DEs. And I welcome it, choice is good. And I get that each would need different extensions to suit their workflow best.
But without extension, it's so basic. It's like a car with just the engine. It will not lead you anywhere as such. Extensions are your frame, axles, tires, body, windows, reservoir and steering wheel.

That's really interesting. I use both vanilla GNOME and KDE without any extension or personalization and I don't miss anything when using either of them. Most of the things that I use are in the applications themselves rather than the DE. I would like to know what could make extensions so important in your workflow?

[Mez']

That's really interesting. I use both vanilla GNOME and KDE without any extension or personalization and I don't miss anything when using either of them. Most of the things that I use are in the applications themselves rather than the DE. I would like to know what could make extensions so important in your workflow?

If you really want it, here it comes...
I will refer to it whenever someone asks me, so it's worth the effort.

Unity workflow

- Dash to Dock I actually deactivated the shell itself, I have no use for it. I don't want a hot corner, or a clickable logo in a corner as a first step. It's tedious to reach, while dash to dock is already right there with less mouse movement involved, and visible at all times (except when dodged). I also know which apps are open and how many instances. I don't want to use the keyboard either for frequent stuff. I can scroll on the app icon to switch windows (Nautilus and Firefox are good use cases), and click to minimize. This is much closer to the Unity behaviour that is the best fitted to my workflow.
And the less frequent apps I start via Ulauncher or in rare cases via the "Show applications" of the dock.
- User Themes Otherwise no customization, no Arc Dark/er+Papirus icons. Should give Yaru a chance though. On vanilla Gnome Adwaita is an absolute no go for me (looks like 1995)
- Unite It looks better to me if you don't get 2 adjacent similar bars doing basically the same thing. And on a laptop, the vertical space won is precious.
- Frippery move clock Due to Unite extension, when in the middle the clock gets in the way (really annoying) to drag and drop windows to reduce their size. Also window titles can be cut because of it.
- Panel OSD Gnome Notifications were popping up over stuff I use, and it got in my way. I had to change where they appear. This could be configured in Unity.
- Mpris indicator button I don't need to change window focus to know which song is playing or back/forward/stop/start it. Much more convenient for me than in my notifications!

All these were part of Unity

Must haves

- GS Connect My phone and tablet are next to the couch, the keyboard+mouse are further in front of it. I use KDE Connect to control SMPlayer, it's very convenient. Also, to see whatsapp messages and or transfer files from the main computer (HTPC). Hell, sometimes when I'm super lazy it even allows me to use my phone as a keyboard.
- Suspend button I suspend 2 computers several times a day (current uptime 38 days). So it's just faster. And on a laptop it doesn't work with the shutdown/reboot long press (for suspend to appear) on the touchpad. So it's much much more convenient as I never use physical button clicks.
- Sound input and output device chooser I use an AVR and Pulseaudio used to have issues with it, I can change and test the sound input faster
- Keep Awake! Gnome is really buggy. You can deactivate the lock screen in dconf as much as you want, after 20 minutes idle, it'll lock the screen anyhow. Bothering the hell out of me. This extension prevents it from happening. Or I use Caffeine extension for the same purpose.

Nice to have

- Openweather Instead of a widget you can't see when a Window is over.
- Onboard Indicator Same as GS Connect, sometimes the keyboard is too much of a stretch to reach from the couch (i.e. if the cat is on my lap) but I can use the mouse for quick stuff.
- Top Icon Plus No more tray = Some indicators are not visible anymore
- Ubuntu appindicators Roughly the same as Top Icon Plus
- Syspeek CPU load is visible, unlike with System Monitor (that needs to be launched)

[Danielsan]

Those are mine:

1. Dash to Panel is way more superior than Dash to Dock; You can enable separate behaviors for each monitors and I have a second monitor connected to the laptop.
2. Shell Tile; this super cool extension can tile all your windows just holding ctrl, it is such cool and useful!
3. Arc Menu; this is the menu.
4. System Monitor; I found it pretty innovative and original rather than the usual progressive bars.
5. Multi monitors add-on; last but not least the multi monitors support that makes working everything on both monitors properly.

I would like to use more but the interaction among them often is awful...