Who uses pure GNOME (no extensions)

I really like gnome and how it looks. However every time I try it I find myself in need of more functionality and so I install a bunch of extensions. For example I can’t live without a dock and some sort of system tray that shows which apps are running in background.

Sometimes the extensions have small UI inconsistencies or use more memory than usual. That’s why I totally ditched gnome and switch to KDE.

Also I tend to think it’s been designed for people who are more comfortable using a keyboard. I’m mostly a mouse person.

Do any of you run pure gnome with no extensions? How do you cope with the lack of a dock and system tray?

selokichtli, (edited )

I do. I miss the system tray, to be honest. My way to deal with it is to just push applications I need running all the time to the last workspace and leave this alone. Sometimes I close them unintendedly, oh well…

BaalInvoker,

The only extention I use is system tray, cause I rely on apps that use it. But everything else is Gnome-way and I love it

makingStuffForFun,
@makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml avatar

Dash to dock. I just have to. I put it on the left Ubuntu style and I’m happy

snowfalldreamland,

The system tray is the one thing i need to see that/if email/steam/chat is running and if there’s new messages. Otherwise gnome works great for me

tekeous,

To answer your question about lack of dock and system tray, I use the top left hot corner to snap windows in Activities often, and I launch mostly from the built in Applications menu. Don’t use the dock much. As for system tray, it’s a fairly minimal work computer so I boot it every day, run slack, browser, etc. and I know there’s nothing really on the background. Don’t need an icon for slack, it’s always on my screen. In my GNOME-based work environment it’s either running and I can see it or it’s closed.

AlijahTheMediocre,

The Windows style systray is redundant, I dont understand how you guys think you need it. Android style systray (system notifications) would be far better.

mfat,

I have many apps that still display tray icons and offer useful functions in the right-click menu.

AlijahTheMediocre,

I’ve always found that the right click menu is the same for taskbar, systray, and app drawer. Main reason I say its redundant, at least with an Android like system the apps can display information and options in the notifications.

lauha,

What do you mean a lack of dock? Gnome indeed has a dock by default where has you need an extension on kde to have a dock.

bingbong,

I don’t think I installed any extensions to get a dock on kde, unless debian came with the extension preinstalled

lauha,

Are you talking about a panel or a dock?

bingbong,

It was a panel that mimics a dock. I can’t remember if it was the existing task bar with modified settings or another panel that can be chosen. However, it’s so customizable that I got it to mimic the macOS dock almost perfectly without downloading anything else IIRC.

mfat,

The dock is hidden by default, only visible in the overview mode.

gerryflap,
@gerryflap@feddit.nl avatar

I use mostly pure GNOME on my PC. The missing system tray is very annoying, though I really don’t care about the missing dock or desktop icons. I start programs by searching for them, not by clicking on a desktop icon or in a dock. That’s my preferred method. And the alt+tab menu of GNOME is nice enough to find anything when I need it, together with having workspaces to organize everything.

I tried KDE, but it just felt more messy to me. For instance, I tried to move the bottom bar to the side of my screen, accidentally moved something on the bar itself, and then everything looked off and I couldn’t figure out how to get it back. It all felt a bit janky and unrefined. On some systems I also use i3, but that’s only for productivity. For daily use I prefer GNOME, where everything just seems to work.

Gutless2615,

Pure psychopaths and masochists.

joojmachine,

The only extensions I use are for things that will likely get added as native in the future: Light Style for the light shell theme and Caffeine (gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/-/…/2507)

nik282000, (edited )
@nik282000@lemmy.ca avatar

I used GNOME with no extensions for about 5 years. Recently I started using a window tiling extension but that’s only for for convenience, I wouldn’t say it’s fixing anything that is broken.

vox,
@vox@sopuli.xyz avatar

i onky use minor stuff, like a tray and rounded corners on legacy applications.

Secret300,

I use dash to dock but I keep it hidden and make it the same size. It’s just nice to be able to go down to click open apps sometimes. I still rarely use it but it’s nice to have

deadcatbounce,
@deadcatbounce@reddthat.com avatar

I don’t but i note increasing difficulty in upgrading/keeping prior extensions to the new version of gnome.

For example, “recent files” extensions for the top bar used to number in the threes I think. With the last gnome version there was only one which wasn’t the most useful of the lot. I use it because it makes it easier beginning again the following day, rather than the extra step of opening the file mangler. I’ll probably go with the majority and drop it once I upgrade to Fedora 39.

Looks like gnome is becoming more useful to people in basic guise, incorporating many of the extension functions within the main GUI, and so the once popular extensions are becoming unmaintained.

bitwolf,

Pretty.much pure gnome. The only thing I use is the auto night mode extension to make it go dark at sunset.

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