[foresto]

> Super, type 2 or 3 letters of the program I want, enter. Works really well for me.

I don't use GNOME and can't speak for softirq, but what you're describing sounds to me like a command line interface. I can imagine two problems with it:

- Ergonomics. People who usually keep a hand on the mouse would have to move to the keyboard whenever they launch an app, and then move back again. Not a showstopper, but definitely a time waster. (And perhaps just as annoying to some people as it is to me when no keyboard shortcuts are available for common actions.)

- Discoverability. If someone knows what they want to do but doesn't know (or forgot) the names of the apps that can do it, they're left to type in guesses until they find something that works out. Also, if they just want to browse the apps that came preinstalled on their system, an application launcher provides, while a command line interface does not.

[colanderman]

Super does the exact same thing as clicking (or just mousing quickly to) "Activities" in the upper-left, which is one of the few UI elements visible on the desktop.

Docked apps also show up in this view, along with a button to show all apps. (Similar workflow as Start -> Program Files.) Keyboard is unnecessary.

It's somehow faster than every hardcore keyboard-based WM I've used (I was a longtime wmi/wmii/i3 user... all of which needed two keystrokes to open the app launcher, e.g. Super+P) and also every mouse-based WM I've used, and also works fantastically from my touchscreen when I'm feeling particularly lazy.

[yoyohello13]

For Mouse ergonomics, there is hot corner which is great. You can open activities overview by flicking the mouse into the top left corner. Then click the app you want. I do that when I'm primarily using the mouse. I find it faster than the start menu on windows. If you really want a persistent bar at the bottom, then almost every distro includes that extension by default.

As far as discoverability, they have Gnome Tour now which opens on first launch that explains all this stuff interactively.

[johnchristopher]

> > Super, type 2 or 3 letters of the program I want, enter. Works really well for me.

> I don't use GNOME and can't speak for softirq, but what you're describing sounds to me like a command line interface. I can imagine two problems with it:

Don't imagine. Get in the lab, see how people are using it and how you are actually using it.

It's not a command-line. I run awesome and <super> r is a command line, as in "if i don't type the exact name of the application it won't work, if i don't type the exact first letters then tab won't work". Try out gnome and see how it doesn't behave the same.

[foresto]

> Don't imagine. Get in the lab, see how people are using it and how you are actually using it.

My point was simply that the actions described by the person to whom I replied fail to satisfy some common use cases, and do not refute the original complaint. It doesn't take a research project to see that. I wasn't commenting on whether there might be some other way to satisfy them.

In any case, I have tried GNOME recently, and found that it doesn't suit me. Opinionated UI isn't always bad, but this one is full of opinions that I find counterproductive.

[johnchristopher]

> > Don't imagine. Get in the lab, see how people are using it and how you are actually using it.

> My point was simply that the actions described by the person to whom I replied fail to satisfy some common use cases, and do not refute the original complaint. It doesn't take a research project to see that. I wasn't commenting on whether there might be some other way to satisfy them.

No, your points are simply not grounded in real usage:

> - Discoverability. If someone knows what they want to do but doesn't know (or forgot) the names of the apps that can do it, they're left to type in guesses until they find something that works out.

Absolutely not. The default gnome launcher is still browsable with the mouse. You only have to scroll, which is way easier than clicking back and forth in kicker or tree based default menu where you have to guess which category the app you are looking for falls in. With Gnome, all the icons/apps are laid out.

They are not left to type in guesses.

Guesses ? "Jeez, I wonder which word I should type in to start libreoffice of firefox, let me try Internet navigator and word muncher". What weird imaginary use case is that.

> Also, if they just want to browse the apps that came preinstalled on their system, an application launcher provides, while a command line interface does not.

Also... what ? Op wrote "Super, type 2 or 3 letters of the program I want, enter. Works really well for me."

"Program I want". Why are you bringing up discoverability as a counter-argument when it's not what OP is doing ? It's like complaining a terminal is problematic to start an app because there isn't a list of icons to select. This is just moving the goal post from "starting an app" to discoverability.

> I wasn't commenting on whether there might be some other way to satisfy them.

> In any case, I have tried GNOME recently, and found that it doesn't suit me. Opinionated UI isn't always bad, but this one is full of opinions that I find counterproductive.

Okay, I see, this is just pissing on gnome for the sake of pissing on it then.

[foresto]

> Okay, I see,

You don't, but I'm done with your rudeness. Goodbye.