LXDE is an acceptable substitute for Gnome 2

[Alexander Volovics]

On Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 04:24:02PM +0930, Tim wrote:

> On Sun, 2011-09-18 at 18:06 +0200, Alexander Volovics wrote:

> > Ad point 1: who cares about mice, use the keyboard.
 
> There are various things that one does with a computer that are just
> about all graphical (e.g. working with photos).  Granted that there are
> better than mice drawing tools, but it's the default tool that many
> have, or maybe the only tool that they have.  Hopping between mouse and
> keyboard, thanks to poor GUI design, IS BAD!

Dear Tim Ignored_mailbox,

There are almost as many kinds of computer users as there are computers.
One size will not fit all. People put computers to so many different
kinds of uses that it is unlikely that there will ever be an interface
that satisfies everybody or maybe even a majority of users.
Peoples needs, work habits and mechanical skills are vastly different!

And who knows what a 'computer' will be in a couple of years.
With 'downsizing' to portable (-> tablet) and 'upsizing' to large
touchscreens (-> large tablets = all-in-one pc's) the dominant
interface will probably be a "poke, swipe and handwave" one.
(Mouse not even needed, let alone a keyboard. The few people that
can still write might use a virtual keyboard like eekboard to
poke a few letters (or they might just use 'dictation'))
So Unity and Gnome3 could have had a head start {^!^}

> >  Using keyboard shortcuts I navigate easily and fast
> >  between apps, even on different workspaces.

> Despite using all manner of computers for over thirty years, I do not
> remember many short cuts, certainly only a few of them.  And many of
> them are so bizarre that you're highly unlikely to remember them.  It
> gets worse when programmers change them between releases.

In my +/- 52 years of using computers I have gone from analog
desktop calculating machines to the X1 ("home" made Dutch computer)
to IBM, DEC, Univac "Big Iron" to "Small Iron" VAX and PDP to
desktop and laptop PC's.
>From punch cards, paper tape, teletype machines, primitive VT100/VTXXX
terminals to sophisticated modern monitors.
>From the clunky, odious OS's of IBM Big Iron to VAX/VMS to
OS/2 to Linux (FVWM, Blackbox/Openbox/Fluxbox, Enlightenment, KDE1, KDE2,
Gnome1, Gnome2, Gnome3, sometimes using 2 or more at the same time).

Just stop and think about the amount of change and adapting
computer users of my generation have had to deal with (and be
productive at the same time).
So I sometimes get just a teensy weensy bit tired when somebody
'whines' that Gnome3 disrupted their wonderful Gnome2 work habits.

I can get by with mostly keyboard use because I have very sober needs.
1) Mail = 'terminal + Mutt' (no mouse use possible)
2) LaTeX editor = 'Gummi' (or 'LyX' but it does not play well with
   'Xy-pic'). Mouse not very useful in this context. And I used to use
   'terminal+Vim+LaTeX' but 'Vim+LaTeX' has become too much of a strain
   on my memory.
3) Editor = 'Vim' for "housekeeping" tasks and 'Gedit' for say letter
   writing.
4) Files = 'terminal + Bash shell commands'
5) Math app = 'terminal + R' mostly (Gui useless for heavy interactive
   work)
6) PDF/PS reader = 'Evince'
7) Browser = only when needed 'Firefox'
8) Music = 'Rhythmbox' but only to listen to 2 radio stations 
   (RTBF-Vivacité-Liège & RTBF-La Première for nostalgic reasons
   and to keep up my French).

I open everything with 'Ctrl-Alt-letter' and close everything with
'Alt-F4'. To navigate the Gnome3 desktop/workspaces/windows I use the
default keyboard shortcuts (and occasionally the mouse).
I do not start up and close down with 'arranged desktops and workspaces'.
 
> Bah, it is one of the crappest user interfaces ever designed, and causes
> even more repetitive strain injuries than bad keyboarding.  About the
> only things going for it are its simplicity and intuitiveness.

Actually I would be an ideal candidate user for 'Scrotwm' but
I prefer the sleek sophistication of Gnome3.
What made me like it at first sight was the sparse, clean desktop.
Everything hidden from sight, but yet relatively easily accessible.
No icons on the desktop, no icons on the topbar, marvelous!

[Though given the stupid 16:9 format of recent (laptop) screens a
 'sidebar' instead of 'topbar' might be preferable.
 Now why does nobody protest this 'crappy hardware interface' or are you 
 all only game players and video watchers]

Alexander