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Contributor jbicha on Gnome

Move the min, max, close buttons back to the right in 10.04   forum
Written by readmanr the 6 Mar 10 at 21:00. Won't implement
In Ubuntu Lucid 10.04 Alpha3 we have a new default theme, however the Minimise, Maximise and Close buttons have been moved from the top right, to the top left.
(see the image at the bottom)

This was a poor choice for the following reasons...

- If clicking at the top menu (File , View, Help etc) the close buttons are VERY Close, accidents can happen.
- There used to be a tiny dot in the top left, which had in its menu, Min, Max, Move, Always on Top, and Close (So why move the Min, Max, Close buttons to the left?
- Migrating Windows and Mac users will be used to having them at the right, which is a huge usability jump)

Changes like this should be an optional choice, while it is possible to manually edit the theme, it should not be the default for an LTS release.

Ubuntu 10.04 Alpha3
src: http://blog.daviey.com/blogroll/anything-but-the-buttons.html

1192
votes
closed
Solution #1: Move the Min, Max, Close buttons back to the Right for the 10.04 Release.
Written by readmanr the 6 Mar 10 at 21:00.
Move the buttons back over to the top right for the final Ubuntu 10.04 release.
-449
votes
closed
Solution #3: Mirror for the left
Written by Akerbos the 6 Mar 10 at 21:38.
I think it is most intuitive if the buttons are ordered the same in relation to the window center ("To close, click the outermost button"), so

Right: min-max-close

relates to

Left: close-max-min
-1049
votes
closed
Solution #4: Why not have them on both sides?
Written by jeffd1830 the 7 Mar 10 at 08:56.
I think having the buttons on both sides would also be a viable option. I understand that this would detract visually from the simplicity, but maybe if the buttons were subdued until the mouse hovers over the bar?

(I feel less than confident about this solution, but thought it needed mentioning.)
647
votes
closed
Solution #5: let's user choose,
Written by Long Lazuli the 7 Mar 10 at 11:34.
In xubuntu, user cas can choose where are the button on the titlebar.
-521
votes
closed
Solution #6: Drag & Drop
Written by la_serpe the 7 Mar 10 at 16:29.
It can be movable so the user could change it intuitively
515
votes
closed
Solution #7: By default have it in right,but include option in theme, customize, to drag&Drop
Written by Vlad_Alfredov the 8 Mar 10 at 11:13.
Well the title pretty much says it...Default is to have it on right, but to include an option in "Change Desktop Background" >> Theme >> Customize, to move the buttons to a user defined position.
-121
votes
closed
Solution #8: make the default alignment theme-dependent
Written by marvo the 10 Mar 10 at 10:28.
There are some themes that look better when the buttons are placed on the left side (like Ambiance, Radiance and Gorilla) and there are some themes that look better with the buttons being on the right side (like Glider, Human, Clearlooks or SphereCrystal).

So i propose to set the default alignment depending on the chosen theme and make it easily switchable.

The current way to change the alignment of the buttons back to the right by typing
gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout "menu:minimize,maximize,close"
is a bit tedious.
-221
votes
closed
Solution #9: Put Close button in the corner
Written by Lex the 10 Mar 10 at 11:04.
Put Close button in the corner - depending on chosen solution will be left or right corner or window.
-386
votes
closed
Solution #11: Put close on right, min/max on left
Written by euxneks the 11 Mar 10 at 01:31.
I think that Minimize and Maximize are more similar to the menu anyway, so put them on the left, and put the close button on the right, this harkens back to the days of old Unix and I think would still allow the theme to stand out.
-157
votes
closed
Solution #13: More Windows-like behaviour
Written by i386dx the 14 Mar 10 at 12:50.
Move the Min, Max and Close-buttons back to the right.

Be able to close a window by double-clicking the window-icon at the left. This is much faster than clicking the icon and selecting 'Close' in the menu.
-143
votes
closed
Solution #14: Keep default left Minimize, Maximise/Resize & Close Buttons
Written by MoebusNet the 15 Mar 10 at 01:04.
Rationale: In VirtualBox without Guest Additions, the right-hand side of the desktop and the lower part of the desktop are not visible until you scroll. Having the above-mentioned buttons on the top-left side of the window by default makes them accessible when (not if) Guest Additions do not work/are unavailable or when scrolling for whatever reason does not work. This is especially true for development versions.

I _am_ in favor of choice, so this should be fairly easy for a user to change (preferably by GUI) to right, left or both.

Just my opinion.
-44
votes
closed
Solution #16: Leave the buttons on the right until 10.10
Written by neblogas the 16 Mar 10 at 15:58.
Because Mark said that in 10.10 the windows will have something new in the right side, but now, there is no need to change the buttons, and this is LTS release! in 10.10 when you will finish the new mysteriuos window features on the right then you can put the buttons on the left. As I said, there is no need now to change. Its an LTS release and the people and companies won't change until the next LTS, so there won't be for them new mysteriuos windows features on the right!
246
votes
closed
Solution #17: Place a checkbox in the Appearance menu: Left / Right
Written by TrueSongMedia the 16 Mar 10 at 17:16.
Yes the button location can be changed via Terminal, but for the average user...the Terminal can be a bit scary. I think it would be appropriate to place a simple option in the Appearance Preferences window.

Something like this:
http://launchpadlibrarian.net/40647960/window_controls_position_gui.png
-117
votes
closed
Solution #18: Top Horizontial Bar moved the the Left or Right as Vertical Bar
Written by ichido the 17 Mar 10 at 17:53.
Move the Top Bar to the Right Side-Vertical Bar and the Bottom Bar would be on the Left Side Vertical.
This would allow for more Vertical Space.
The user would be able to Swap the Left Bar with the Right Bar and also the Size/Thickness of the Bars.
Applications could maintain the Top Bar or a Side or a Bottom bar for their Window.
-94
votes
closed
Solution #19: Replace the menubar with an icon
Written by Wiplash4 the 19 Mar 10 at 12:17.
Hello
I would like to add one idea: Replace the menubar (File, Edit, View, etc.), which can be found in every window, with an icon and put that icon into the titlebar. It worked out for my terminal.
Regards
-88
votes
closed
Solution #23: Merge Statusbar into titlebar
Written by Wiplash4 the 19 Mar 10 at 16:40.
I figured out that the status bar is only filled up to 1 / 4. Why not put those messages displayed in the status bar in the title bar?
-85
votes
closed
Solution #24: Modify all applications consistently
Written by a_pirard the 20 Mar 10 at 03:14.
Modify all applications to be consistent with Lucid : move all close buttons to the left, for example, OpenOffice document close, Firefox tab close, File Explorer side pane close, etc... etc...

-134
votes
closed
Solution #26: Instead of corner, make it POSSIBLE to place buttons in the MIDDLE.
Written by luojie-dune the 20 Mar 10 at 21:01.
Instead of corner, make it POSSIBLE to place buttons in the MIDDLE.

I knew there is no such a solution according to "ewmh".

But, I guess most people have their cursor in the middle of a window for most of the time they using it.
35
votes
closed
Solution #27: For longer term, how about a window manager merge?
Written by LukeM33P the 25 Mar 10 at 01:13.
Compiz managers and decorators are already effective at options. Placing the Metacity and Kwin options in Emerald Decorator manager, which would be preinstalled, along with CCSM (or a custom replacement) would be the solution, with CCSM/replacement simplified to look like (in functionality and basic organization) the KDE settings manager, but using default schemes and such, of course.

For KDE users, alongside the CCSM/replacement, the interface would be integrated into the System Settings, just like the traditional settings.

The reason I propose this is because options, while not easy to find and configure (and why I propose the reorg) are very powerful. Setting up Metacity and KWin to show up as options and adding the appropriate settings, if necessary, seems to make sense (to me) as a long-term solution. The operating system needs to seem as encompassing as KDE or even more so, and combining these options so that the system is even more universal would be a step towards this.

An addition to the application of managing the system title bar like the KDE or GNOME dashboards would be similarly useful, and may be all of this potential solution that should be used. Default should stay in line with last-gen human theme, even if the colors and buttons look different.
51
votes
closed
Solution #28: adopt the XFCE placement approach in Gnome appearence prefs
Written by 2cute4u the 25 Mar 10 at 03:37.
XFCE has for many years had a very easy convient way to configure the placment of titlebar buttons. See.http://www.xfce.org/documentation/4.2/manuals/xfwm4#wm-settings
It would not be too difficult to add somethng like this to gnome; that way everyone can be happy.
-93
votes
closed
Solution #29: Have the buttons on both sides AND hide them.
Written by MisterLinOx the 26 Mar 10 at 21:52.
Have the min, max, close buttons on both sides of the title bar, but hide them. The only time they should show is on mouseover of the bar, but depending on which side you mouseover decides which side the buttons show.

For example, cursor closer to the left side? Mouse over the top-left and the buttons will appear. Vice-versa for the right side.
-63
votes
closed
Solution #30: choice where in the Instalation
Written by emucosmos the 27 Mar 10 at 03:11.
make apear a messagebox in the begining of the instalation asking where do we want to have those buttons, coz personally I love the new mac style, but considering the ubuntu objectives, it's a good option to let the users choice.
-44
votes
closed
Solution #34: Let user chose on the First Run, after installation.
Written by darkham the 29 Mar 10 at 08:23.
Let user chose on the First Run, after installation.
-57
votes
closed
Solution #35: Press [middle-mouse-button] whilst the cursor is over the window border
Written by tomjb24 the 3 Apr 10 at 09:25.
Hover over the window border, click the middle mouse button, scroll to choose (close, minimise, maximise)
-59
votes
closed
Solution #36: Create Another Ubuntu. Call it "UbuntuRewind"
Written by rrnwexec the 3 Apr 10 at 20:26.
Create a version of Ubuntu for those who like the (standard) Ubuntu desktop's "look and feel" just the way it is. Solicit Mark's (SABDFL) endorsement.

Enjoy how growingly quaint it feels as time passes by!
-38
votes
closed
Solution #37: Make Mac Styled menu bar
Written by jase21 the 4 Apr 10 at 11:54.
Make Mac styled menu bar which is available in KDE. The current active windows menu appears on the bar. So no accidental closing of windows.

Or move the window control buttons to the right.
-12
votes
closed
Solution #38: Allow the option to be changed in installation slideshow and in minimal install
Written by Jon Monreal the 17 Apr 10 at 23:49.
Please note that this is not an idea for the imminent release of 10.04, but would be better included in the next update ISO.

Experienced users already know how to change the buttons back to the original location, so server installations shouldn't be so much of a problem.

For absolute beginner users, the first slide in the installation slideshow could be one explaining the benefits of having the buttons on the left side and asking the user to choose what they could like to do.

In the minimal install, it would also be easy to add a simple option (most users using the minimal install are probably fairly experienced).

This would solve the real issue here: beginners possibly not using Ubuntu at all because it changes something.
-6
votes
closed
Solution #39: found an easy fix
Written by land_grab the 5 May 10 at 23:23.
I found this extremely easy fix how to move the min, max, and close buttons back to the right side.


http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/13535/move-window-buttons-back-to-the-right-in-u buntu-10.04/

Even I was able to follow these directions and make it happen!
-4
votes
closed
Solution #40: To the right by default, but an option to move them to the left.
Written by turbolad the 5 Jul 10 at 15:42.
As per title. Buttons to the right by default, with an option to move to the left.

Don't forget to keep the little circle, which when clicked on, has options such as "Always On Top", "Move to Workspace Right" etc. These options should never be removed and I think the 3 buttons should be on the right by default, as most newbies are familiar with that setup.
-11
votes
closed
Solution #41: Put min, max, close buttons in a completely new position
Written by baretobareto the 3 Aug 10 at 20:31.


Fisrt of all, sorry for my English.

Why we really needs buttons to the right? Well theres no real difference between having your buttons on the left or on the right, its just a matter of have the enough time to get used to one position or another.
But what about if we have these button in a complete new position.
What about having min, max, close buttons on the right BUT in the lower side of the windows instead of the upper side.

If you think about it, when you open a document or a web-page, you need to scroll down to really knows if that document is what you are looking for. When a document is too long, you need to use the scroll down arrow. So your mouse-arrow will be closer to the lower right of the window instead of the upper side of the window.
If you want to look to a minimize window that you think it would be not useful anymore, you need to un-minimize this window. If the buttons are in the lower right of the window it will be needed much less movement of your hand to close it after un-minimize because the close button will be closer to the task bar.

As you see there are some reason to have buttons in the lower side of the window BUT I know there are others to have this buttons on others positions.

So, why not to put this buttons in a completely new position.
This could be a ubuntu-only-feature just like the recycle bin in the task bar is a ubuntu-only-feature.

See the 118 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 29 Mar 12 at 20:59) >>

Add Gnome 3 traditional layout in Ubuntu 11.10  
Written by rq.raiyan the 15 Apr 11 at 10:30. Implemented
Since there is no alternative to Unity or Gnome 3 that is very similar to Ubuntu Classic someone should make a traditional layout of Gnome 3(like Linux Mint is doing) and add it to Ubuntu or they should make something new which is similar to the classic desktop.
96
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#1): Add Gnome 3 traditional layout in Ubuntu 11.10
Written by rq.raiyan the 15 Apr 11 at 10:30.
Even tough Ubuntu 11.04 will have classic desktop (not by default tough) Ubuntu 11.10 will not have it. However Ubuntu should put a traditional layout of Gnome 3 in Ubuntu 11.10 (so, no Gnome shell). Linux Mint has decided to put this traditional layout of Gnome 3 by default in their later releases but since Unity is default in Ubuntu I am asking to include the option to switch to Gnome 3 traditional layout by logging out and selecting from the menu. Also if anyone wants to they can also keep using unity or install Gnome shell.
-1
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#2): Promote XFCE as the successor to the gnome-panel experience.
Written by joerlend the 15 May 11 at 14:50.
People seem to like the Gnome-panel experience (Ubuntu Classic), but gnome-panel haven't seemed to be developed at all the last few years, so that's a bad choice. Xfce is quite capable of delivering a very similar experience, and is very suited to take over as the "conservative gnome desktop". There is some work that needs to be done in order to use all gnome-panel applets without any problems, but that should be possible.

Provide appindicators, a menubar (like the one in gnome-panel) and possibly the option to use global-menu and Xfce will be a worthy successor to Ubuntu Classic.

See the 14 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 16 Jul 11 at 10:23) >>

GNOME 3 will destroy ubuntu  
Written by yaknowwat the 9 Jul 09 at 04:25. New
I'm not bagging on the Idea's being drawn into GNOME 3, but the issue I see is that the code base surrounding GNOME 3 is just horribly scattering everywhere.

This is a huge problem as it throws an overall complexity into the code base and makes programming as a whole harder than before.


Look at KDE3 the code just wasn't unified enough even though the base was being maintained in C++/Qt so it was completely redefined for KDE4 for a Unified design. Now with KDE4 for the most part what you have is people coding to C++/Qt4/KDE4 and at worst PyQt4. The reason for this is KDE4's heavy movement toward clean design. All this code unification and organization is the reason KDE4 is developing so rapidly.

Now on GNOME 's side theres the C/GTK+ as what should be the main code base. Except everything working its way to GNOME3 is scattering left and right Mono, Python, C++/GTKmm, Javascript? ( for one of the main components no less? ) and other scattered bits. All I can say is that is a mess wasn't the whole point of Ubuntu 8.10/9.04 to speed things up now GNOME3 is going to bring a dump truck on a year of desktop experience progress even with the features and ideas being brought in the slowness that comes about from this is a horrible sacrifice considering how unnecessary it is. The reason this si so unnecessary is because from the C/GTK+/GObject crowd we now have better coding languages of Vala/Genie providing C#/Python like coding that becomes clean C/GTK+ code.

On a glad note fortunately Xfce developers remain to a clean base for C/GTK+ .

165
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Actively Prevent the pitfalls in GNOME3 "Keep the code unified"
Written by yaknowwat the 9 Jul 09 at 04:25.
Actively prevent and get the GNOME 3 code base unified and organized to its C/GTK+ origins. No tad of Mono here, some Python there, lets throw heavy non-stop Just-In-Time compiling into the mix while were at it.

The Concepts are great for GNOME 3 just the coding idea's are horrible.
-92
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Tail up GNOME3's madness with Xfce code base IMMEDIATELY
Written by yaknowwat the 9 Jul 09 at 04:28.
Follow up the bad code of GNOME by bringing Xfce's code base and using it to clean up GNOME's design where applicable.

This will not work as well obviously though as the first Idea.
-82
votes
up equal down
Solution #3: Use Parrot Virtual Machine
Written by androdebian the 13 Jul 09 at 08:20.
Parrot support a lot of languages to programming, and we can compiling the programs and make CIL code. Making a IDE and RAD we can provide a unified and good platform for develop in GNOME. We can increase the productivity and approach a unified platform for new Linux programmers (new commercial games, software...)

http://www.parrot.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrot_virtual_machine
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Parrot_Virtual_Machine
78
votes
up equal down
Solution #4: Let the developers and project manager make their choose
Written by OpenNingia the 13 Jul 09 at 10:46.
If GNOME3's developers and project managers did this architectural choice, they had their own reasons.

We should not interfere in their work, just have faith!
7
votes
up equal down
Solution #5: Vala for everything in the GNOME "core"
Written by xoen the 5 Nov 09 at 23:36.
What I find "strange" in Ubuntu/GNOME is the use of C (object-oriented coding style is not enought) and a pletora of different languages, python and C# in primis.

Just use one high level programming language for the core code so that there is a reference for the GNOME platform, Vala (http://live.gnome.org/Vala) seems to be the future in GNOME land :
I It's a modern language
II The syntax is similar to C#
III It's fast, the code is translated in C and then compiled

To have a reference language is IMHO a great step forward :
A New developers doesn't have to choose
B The documentation for a library can be written just one time
C More documentation
D Developer tools focused on features not on languages support
E High level language means less stress -> more fun -> more developers -> more software -> more market share for GNU/Linux

And sure there are also other pros I miss now.

See the 7 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 14 Jul 09 at 08:13) >>