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What is keyboard-unfriendly about Unity that was not more keyboard-unfriendly about stock Gnome?

Iv 15y ago
The inability to launch an application by typing its name. It was a real show stopper for me. In gnome, press Alt+F2 and you can run a command. In unity, even by calling the menu you can not execute a command, you have to guess the application's registered name, which can be quite different from the executable name.
- fingerprinter 15y ago
  Uhm....ALT+F2 still exists. Try it, try it if you please. Try it try it, and you'll see.
  - Symmetry 15y ago
    Even easier than that, just tap Super and you'll get the default lens, where you can launch applications just by typing its name and hitting enter. There's a tiny delay so I still prefer dmenu, but IMO much easier than having to take your hands off the home row to hit Alt-F2.
    - wmwong 15y ago
      The thing I don't like about Super in Unity is that the feature doesn't learn you're most used applications. I used to use gnome-do and it was awesome for that. For instance, if you want to get to the calculator, I type calc. The first option is LibreOffice Calc. I have to either use the arrow keys or mouse to navigate to the calculator which is the second option. I know that If I type ca or cal, calculator is first, but I tend to type calc and it doesn't learn. I also use VirtualBox. In gnome-do, I can start typing the name of my VM and I can launch it immediately. Using Super in Unity, I need to open VirtualBox first. Then start the VM through VirtualBox.
  - Iv 15y ago
    Yes, I did and the thing it does is allow you to type the title of an application, not the name of its executable file. I don't remember the application I wanted to launch (synaptic maybe) and typing its name didn't work. It was registered with a fancy name like "Package management application"
wmwong 15y ago
One example is Alt+Tab. You used to be able to Alt+Tab between windows inside one virtual desktop. In Unity, that changed. Alt+Tab tabs between applications across all virtual desktops. Alt+` tabs between windows of the same application. This is super annoying when you know what windows are open in which virtual desktop. I used to be able to switch to a virtual desktop and Alt+Tab quickly. Now, I need to cycle through all open applications and I'm screwed if there's more than one window open of that application. Lot's of wait time. Using the mouse isn't much better. I've used Ubuntu since 7.10 and have loved it and recommended it up until Unity. Now I'm seriously thinking of switching. I've been hearing a lot about Linux Mint.
- timClicks 15y ago
  /me just discovered Alt+`. Sweet!

Iv 15y ago

The inability to launch an application by typing its name. It was a real show stopper for me. In gnome, press Alt+F2 and you can run a command. In unity, even by calling the menu you can not execute a command, you have to guess the application's registered name, which can be quite different from the executable name.

fingerprinter 15y ago
Uhm....ALT+F2 still exists. Try it, try it if you please. Try it try it, and you'll see.
- Symmetry 15y ago
  Even easier than that, just tap Super and you'll get the default lens, where you can launch applications just by typing its name and hitting enter. There's a tiny delay so I still prefer dmenu, but IMO much easier than having to take your hands off the home row to hit Alt-F2.
  - wmwong 15y ago
    The thing I don't like about Super in Unity is that the feature doesn't learn you're most used applications. I used to use gnome-do and it was awesome for that. For instance, if you want to get to the calculator, I type calc. The first option is LibreOffice Calc. I have to either use the arrow keys or mouse to navigate to the calculator which is the second option. I know that If I type ca or cal, calculator is first, but I tend to type calc and it doesn't learn. I also use VirtualBox. In gnome-do, I can start typing the name of my VM and I can launch it immediately. Using Super in Unity, I need to open VirtualBox first. Then start the VM through VirtualBox.
- Iv 15y ago
  Yes, I did and the thing it does is allow you to type the title of an application, not the name of its executable file. I don't remember the application I wanted to launch (synaptic maybe) and typing its name didn't work. It was registered with a fancy name like "Package management application"

wmwong 15y ago

One example is Alt+Tab. You used to be able to Alt+Tab between windows inside one virtual desktop. In Unity, that changed. Alt+Tab tabs between applications across all virtual desktops. Alt+` tabs between windows of the same application. This is super annoying when you know what windows are open in which virtual desktop. I used to be able to switch to a virtual desktop and Alt+Tab quickly. Now, I need to cycle through all open applications and I'm screwed if there's more than one window open of that application. Lot's of wait time. Using the mouse isn't much better. I've used Ubuntu since 7.10 and have loved it and recommended it up until Unity. Now I'm seriously thinking of switching. I've been hearing a lot about Linux Mint.

timClicks 15y ago
/me just discovered Alt+`. Sweet!