GNOME Shell UX Continues Improving For GNOME 40

[aaahaaap]

As someone who launches gnome-terminal upon entering a gnome session, boot-to-picker may or may not be more convenient.

Will reserve judgement until I actually tried it.

Yeah, most of the time you launch some applications after startup, so from that perspective it makes sense. Still, it feels a bit strange to start into what's effectively the application menu instead of just booting to the desktop. I'm not really sure about this change.

[omer666]

I actually like it.

[bash2bash]

Gnome3 desktop UI/UX is by far the worst desktop, in terms of usability. Their Android/MacOS mobile interface is very difficult to use. A desktop without icons is not a real desktop. Sure, its possible to add 5-6 extensions to bring back lost functionality, but why bother when you can use something like Cinnamon, which is modern and usable.

[markus40]

I use and used Gnome since the 1.x days, and is still my daily runner except for my Media PC which starts into Kodi and uses Openbox. The hate was always there. I really don't understand this, if you don't like it do not use it. If you like Gnome 2.x more use Mate. So much choice, but no lets hate 'because Gnome' for some reason.

Promote your desktop of choice instead of hating the competition.

[f0rmat]

I use and used Gnome since the 1.x days, and is still my daily runner except for my Media PC which starts into Kodi and uses Openbox. The hate was always there. I really don't understand this, if you don't like it do not use it. If you like Gnome 2.x more use Mate. So much choice, but no lets hate 'because Gnome' for some reason.

Promote your desktop of choice instead of hating the competition.

EXACTLY. I do not use Gnome because its workflow is not good for me - but that does not mean that I am going to insult it. Constructive criticism, honest discussion, and humor is one thing. Name calling and insults are something different.

[Deetwenty]

The last time I tried Gnome it wasn't the UI/UX experience that was a deal breaker but the awful config utility that is completely useless, and no installing tweakui didn't help much. So did they improve the configurablity of Gnome in any recent release?

[yuhl]

Hey, that is good news. The shell gets some love. And care and work are always appreciated !

I've checked the mockup:
- the boot overview: This is really smart move : it helps the new commers to better apprehend the shell and the experienced users will get an direct access to the application menu. It remembers me the move made with the dynamic desk.
- window picker: As you removed the desk list on the side, the idea to show on the side a small part of the other desk is interesting. This will provide the feeling to new comers that its desk is in between others.
- app folders: this was awaiting by everyone
- search: I love the idea of searching in anything. And I really miss beagle-project.org. It used to be called a resource eater. But their latest version was just working smoothly and the tool was wonderful. I really miss this tool. And I'd love to have a search in anything like this tool.

The impression I get is : that this new version of shell is pushed by the new realease of gtk4. Seems that it was the good time to show off the work done on gtk4.

Last but not least, I'd love to have the (french: sur-amplification) over-amplication of the sound enabled by default, with a warning when first enter with a message such as "Over-amplication is enabled, this can distord the sound."

I hope that the new UX, the new gtk4 and flathub/flatpak a great success.

Thanks for your christmass gift !

A happy gnome user.

[Venemo]

I've been using Gnome 3 since its pre-release when it was still called 2.90, and I like it.

I don't miss icons on my desktop. I also don't miss the task bar and the tray.

Why do you guys hate it so much?

[fedorean]

I have been using Gnome since the past 2 years full time and it has been improving magnitudes every release. I love the keyboard and search based UI. Feels modern and once you get used to it, is very fast. I use it with no extensions. It just gets out of the way, so you can do things instead of spending hours customizing it and the best DE should be like that.

I love the new mockups, it is really concentrating on improving productivity. Stop comparing with established desktops. Hate is unforgivable.

[f0rmat]

I've been using Gnome 3 since its pre-release when it was still called 2.90, and I like it.

I don't miss icons on my desktop. I also don't miss the task bar and the tray.

Why do you guys hate it so much?

I do not hate Gnome, but I will attempt to give you some reasons from not only my standpoint but from others that I have worked with.

In a previous career and in my current job, I have had to work with complicated simulation programs. The systems ran on RedHat and were extensively locked down - customization was not an option. In both jobs, our primary work outside of these systems was Windows (like it or not, it was a fact) and we primarily used Microsoft office. These systems were also locked down. This combination required us to learn two completely different UIs - neither of which gave us the opportunity to change or tweak them very much. Since most of our time was spent on Windows, when we would go back to the RedHat systems to utilize them in support of a customer or, in the case of my first career, utilize them in in actual work, it became a bit jarring dealing with the two vastly different types of workflows. And the locking down did not help, either. A common comment that I heard from the simulation experts was that the RedHat Gnome systems worked exceptionally well when you only had to work continuously with a few programs because they only needed to remember a few shortcuts/hot keys to get the programs they needed use up and running. However (and this is my and their experience only), when there had to be many things going on at the same time, the extra mouse clicks/hot key sequences would slow them down. It was/is convenient for many people to be able to use desktop icons or task bars as shortcuts to quickly access high priority/or current projects/document/applications/whatever. The people who I worked with really liked working with the CLI in Gnome, but other aspects of the UI would frustrate them - primarily because it was so different from what they had to use on their day to day basis.

In my experience (and mine only), people who are forced to use Windows find Gnome jarring and something like KDE or Cinnamon (I think) to be more like they are used to working with. This is really important for most people when they have to work across different platforms. Also, and this is just a personal opinion of me and those other people I worked with, we try to keep our desktops uncluttered, but we generally find that the minimalistic design of Gnome is not helpful to our workflow. It is true that Gnome can be customized, but most people (and I do not mean enthusiasts, power users, or developers/admins) simply want their systems to work a certain way right out of the box and make it easy for them to customize it out of the box without having to install a bunch of extensions and docks.

Like I said before, I do not hate Gnome - it is just not conducive to my workflow. As I mentioned earlier, honest discussion and constructive criticism is good. I gave you an assessment based entirely on my experience - which is quite different from yours. I am glad you like Gnome and it helps you. That is the true beauty of Linux - if you do not like your DE, then change it.