Nice App
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| azerthoth Dec 31, 2006 8:14 PM EDT |
Had to check it out after reading the article. Grabbed the wifes laptop and suddenly I dont feel like I'm working inside a coffin. I'm sure many of you know what I mean, one desktop is just so constricting. I always feel cramped when I switch over, this helps that problem alot. Making Windoze work more like a real operating system, how nice is that *grin* |
| dcparris Dec 31, 2006 8:28 PM EDT |
At first, I had difficulty grasping what I was going to do with virtual desktops. It just didn't make much sense. Once some folks helped me understand the idea a little better, I started using them. I now use the standard 4, and one person I explained it to uses something like 10. When I go to work, where they still use legacy OSes, I find myself trapped in my one little desktop - very frustrating. They are instituting policies now that forbid adding your own software and so on. So it looks like I'm doing well just to keep my current installation of OOo. Anyway, now if you can just lose the crashes and security loopholes in Windows, you'll be even closer to a real OS. :-) |
| azerthoth Dec 31, 2006 8:36 PM EDT |
I love playing with new toys, just found out that you can hotkey the desktops too, so it works like my fluxbox config alt+1, alt+2, alt+3, to swicth desktops. I really need to figure out how to sneak this onto my computer at work. |
| SFN Jan 02, 2007 4:36 AM EDT |
Quoting:At first, I had difficulty grasping what I was going to do with virtual desktops. It just didn't make much sense. Once some folks helped me understand the idea a little better, I started using them. I'd like to hear what was explained to you. I've never had it explained to me in a way that made me want to use them. First thing I do is turn them off whenever they exist by default. |
| dek Jan 02, 2007 6:14 AM EDT |
@SFN. I use them to keep my desktop organized and uncluttered. If I'm doing misc. work, I keep that on one desktop. Email and casual web browsing on another desktop. If I'm programming that's on another desktop. Basically, I use them in this way so I don't have my desktop full of windows and have to cycle through them with the keyboard shortcut. I don't need more than three though. Don K. |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 6:44 AM EDT |
Soo... If I can't keep one desktop organized, the solution is use 3 more??? Sorry, that dog won't hunt. |
| SFN Jan 02, 2007 7:16 AM EDT |
I was thinking the same thing. |
| dek Jan 02, 2007 7:42 AM EDT |
Come on guys! It's a way to keep related things on the same desktop. Don't give me that "if I can't keep one desktop organized ... . " BS. Talk about dogs not hunting . . . . That one takes the cake! You guys are free to go ahead and clulter up one desktop and I'll keep my stuff separate and organized, ok? ;-) |
| azerthoth Jan 02, 2007 7:45 AM EDT |
Well, no one ever said you have to use them. Typically I have one desktop for internet stuff, xchat, firefox, pan, ect. Then another for whatever writting project I have going on at the time, which usually means another instance of firefox as well for research and a third that usually has a terminal open on it and a transcode project going. Then depending on what I want up on the screen it's alt+1 for net stuff, alt+2 for writting/research, alt+3 or 4 for other various projects that tend to take long periods of time. I actually take multiple desktops one step further, with fluxbox you can tab all your apps together too, just like your used to with firefox tabs. |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 8:07 AM EDT |
> That one takes the cake! Truth hurts huh ;-) |
| bigg Jan 02, 2007 8:16 AM EDT |
> with fluxbox you can tab all your apps together too, just like your used to with firefox tabs. Now that sounds interesting, dare I say innovative, and I bet they don't even have a patent on the technology. |
| Abe Jan 02, 2007 9:48 AM EDT |
Quoting:Sorry, that dog won't hunt.That is what they used to say about FF tabs, now most can't live without thems. When doing development at home and have many different apps open at the same time, it becomes very inefficient cumbersome to find & access interfaces. In a corporate environment, virtual desktops are very essential for having many apps open all together. When you are using it in a manufacturing environment, monitoring multiple processes on multiple screens, virtual desktops are highly effective and easy to work with. I remember when I worked at UM on a NASA project (Shuttle Tethered System STS-75 & Tethered Satellite System TSS-1R), Unix was selected for the desktops to monitor the deployment and functioning of the satellite mainly because of virtual desktops. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-75 If you don't see their benefits or can't make use of them, that doesn't mean others can't. On the contrary, I would say you might be missing something. |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 9:53 AM EDT |
> I would say you might be missing something. Certainly others may work differently than I do. That's their right. As for me, I've already been there, done that. It's of no value to me, so, no loss. |
| dek Jan 02, 2007 10:22 AM EDT |
>> Certainly others may work differently than I do. That's their right. Finally, a dog that hunts!! ;-) |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 10:35 AM EDT |
> Finally, a dog that hunts!! ;-) I've observed that breed becoming confused from chasing too many critters. Eventually they end up just chasing their tails. Maybe it's just the way they were trained? ;-) |
| dcparris Jan 02, 2007 10:42 AM EDT |
I agree. I will definitely encourage people to use FOSS. I'll even wage into the Great Distro Wars. But I'll leave you to figure out whether virtual desktops fit the way you work. Like some of the others here, I usually separate my tasks: Desktop1: Firefox and Evolution (or Kontact, when I'm using KDE) Desktop2: OpenOffice.org/Scribus/Gimp/GnuCash/whatever Desktop3: Beep and/or other multimedia stuff Desktop4: File browser, console, etc. When I'm in a CLI mood, I just use EMACS as my desktop environment. It comes complete with a calendar, mail/news reader, jabber client and all the other tools a person could use. |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 11:35 AM EDT |
It's ok Don, I'm just jazzing dek. I could really care less what they (or you :) ) use on 'your' desktops. |
| dcparris Jan 02, 2007 12:43 PM EDT |
:-) |
| dek Jan 02, 2007 2:21 PM EDT |
@jimf >> Truth hurts huh ;-) Only if it's ultimate Truth and only if it cuts. In this case, it ain't and it won't! >> I've observed that breed becoming confused from chasing too many critters. Better too many than 0! At least they're hunting . . . . Which is more than I can say for some old dogs! ;-) >> I'm just jazzing dek. Yawn . . . What else is new? :-D |
| jimf Jan 02, 2007 3:28 PM EDT |
> At least they're hunting . . . . Which is more than I can say for some old dogs! If chasing one's tail can be called hunting... At least old dogs go straight for the prize using proven techniques. Leaves them plenty of time for a nap afterword :D |
| techiem2 Jan 03, 2007 3:16 PM EDT |
haha.
Since DC posted his, here's my layout:
Fluxbox using winders key + number to access desktops (gotta put that key to good use) 1. Gaim/Skype/Ekiga 2. Audacious or some such 3. Abiword/Gnucash/other productivity stuffs 4. Usually TOME :) 5. Firefox 6. Eterm running screen with 6 terms 7. Xchat 8. Thunderbird Yes, it's overkill, but I like it! |
| azerthoth Jan 03, 2007 4:00 PM EDT |
heh my winders key is mapped to c :fbrun (pops a run window up in fluxbox) t : terminal (aterm -tr -trsb -sh 80 -fade 75) f : firefox d :ToggleDecor (turns window borders on and off. very cool as it makes your apps appear embeded in the desktop) |
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