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Oct. 9, 2009

Lately, there has been some obervers in the Linux community that have been wondering if some Linux distributions might be sort of downplaying the Gnome 3.0 Stealth Preview. Having pushed KDE 4.0 too early on some of its users, those Linux distributions might have made an overkill and in the process could have broken a promise to keep the new Gnome away from some users until it is fully completed and that its been fully tested.

Whatever the reasons are, the inaccessibility of the Stealth Preview could be just what the doctor ordered...

Some of the Gnome shell's potential lies in the fact that it's a basic attempt to redesign Linux computer desktops. Since Linux computer users neither seem unhappy with the current state of the desktop nor in any agreement about how it could improved in any way, this departure is seen by some as risky.

Some users will undoubtedly reject it simply because it's different, but then again, no matter how new, better or useful it might be, much as they did with KDE, the question is, does it all really matter?

At first glance, the Gnome user interface consists of various panes that seem to continually change in size. To some observers, computing has reached the stage where mobile devices are the norm, and they, rather than workstations or laptops seem to be driving modern interface design nowadays.

This new UI design change seems to some as natural and inevitable. Adopting the interfaces that people know seems only logical. It might even have the benefit of giving new Linux users an interface in which they can feel more at ease.

However, you could just as easily see some desktop users feeling that what is appropriate for a mobile device is less or not appropriate at all for a full-size computer, or even a lot less for a workstation that is involved in some rather complex daily chores.

Overall, the Gnome UI consists of two main sections. The first is the user "panel" that is currently attached to the top of the screen and lacking any applications except for basic ones like a time clock and a small system tray that resembles a Windows-like system tray.

If you press the Activities button on the left of the panel, then the second section is activated: the Overlay mode. That function basically consists of a dynamic menu on the left, and a workspace to the right, each with its own icons and windows.

The user menu, workspace and windows for applications can all change size, up to a full-screen mode for a single workspace or application.

And that is what makes it powerful.

On some MIDs (mobile Internet devices), some resizing and replacing of screen views seems logical. The tiny screen is usually less than three inches wide, and needs to be constantly cleared to free up as much of it as possible.

Understanding some of these basic limitations and the convergence of email, videos and wireless applications on to mobile devices notwithstanding, and some of the uses of mobile devices being fairly simple, some users might put up with such mediocre interfaces without too many complaints. But some will, and this is all what matters...

If the Linux desktop is still the place where most activities are more important and take longer to do, then perhaps MIDs are as poor a model for the desktop as the desktop is for mobile devices.

And from here on end we find ourselves in a "catch 22" situation.

For example, the "unofficial consensus" is that the concept of the desktop menu needs some improvement, and no matter which computer you find it on. That is why so many different alternatives are being reviewed with Gnome 3.0.

The Gnome UI offers its own alternative, complete with auto-completion and changes to meet the current context. In general however, its menu reminds some of the old "Krunner" and Gnome Do, both of which still offer a surprising amount of functionality and features at the cost of a rather small footprint.

Let's see where all of this takes us in the next few months. We will keep you posted as always.

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Source: Linux News.

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