http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/item/10748/ Alt+f2 run dialog is hardcoded into gnome-panel. There is no way to create a menu item for it. There are many independent implementations of it: grun, gmrun, gnome-run-dialog, gnome-panel-tool. It proves that people still need it.

Also lots of people ask for it:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/gentoo/user/167129
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=68031
http://darkness.codefu.org/wordpress/post/152
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=76150
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=506489
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=91454
http://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/32956
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/redhat-fedora-linux-help/66659-run-command-gnome-desktop.html
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=593846
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=88695
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=512290
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=65850

Removing this dialog from the menu was a stab to discoverability, and usability. Users shouldn't be required to know any cryptic spells like alt+f2 or nohup to run a single command which isn't available from the menu, without having to open a terminal window. Most often they don't even know what a terminal is. They just want to run a program by it's binary name.

When Gnome devs removed the run dialog from the menu they should have left a possibility to bring it back at will. But they didn't. They left no choice to users and distro creators.

Also see the Gnome bug: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=455537

[47 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #10748


]]> en-us Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:14:49 +0000 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:12:02 +0000 QAPoll module http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/10748/
Alt-f2 isn't hard to discover. You might need the dialog if you're a power user, power users know how to use google and read the help files, therefore they will quickly discover how to bring up the run application dialog. After that it's really easy to use. You can even put an applet on the panel that starts the dialog when clicked if alt-f2 is too bothersome.

Alt-f2 isn't a cryptic spell for a power user, it's just a simple keyboard shortcut. Granted, it isn't easily discoverable for normal users, but normal users don't need this feature. And even normal users, when in need of running a program by typing its name will know that they can achieve it in the terminal.

It seems that bashing GNOME for simplifing its interface has become fashionable these days. There's always going to be some disgruntled users. You can't make everyone happy. It's free, it's open, change it if you don't like it. GNOME has issues, this is not one of them.]]> Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:49:27 +0000 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:00:13 +0000 Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:04:16 +0000
If there's ever a reason to run something from a "run" application, the reason for this should be fixed instead of trying to improve the duct tape.

If people can't be instructed to use "Terminal" instead of "Run", then I'm sorry for them. A Terminal is available by default in the menu and can do everything a "run" application can do. At the same time, a Terminal is much more useable, you can watch for a command's output for example.

Gnome dev's decision to remove some clutter is very welcome here.]]> Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:54:39 +0000 " gnome-panel-control --run-dialog "

meaby a good idea is create the menu item and put with the "show" option unchecked.
]]> Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:07:44 +0000 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:15:57 +0000 Above "Quit". It should be in the menu by default, either checked or unchecked, but not non-existent altogether.]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:41:21 +0000
I always open documents on KDE by typing things like "~/bills" or "~/Videos".

I know I can create a shortcut and click it, but its just a lot faster to type it, and I don't need to clutter my desktop with lots of links for simple documents.

The matter here is not to about Joe trying to run programs by typing their names. Is about removing a very useful option that some people like to use.

If you don't want to show it to newbie Joe, don't enable it by default, but leave a simple way to enable it back. It's not that hard to do that.

I'm a developer, I know...]]> Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:03:08 +0000
My fix to this 'problem', because personally I am not a big fan of the run dialog because it is limited to X applications, like 'xkill', I set f2 to 'gnome-terminal' and ctrl-f2 to 'gksudo gnome-terminal'. Then it is easy to get apps running by name from one click, plus gives the bonus of 'stdout' and 'stderr' :)

Something else I have always believed... commands that require the keyboard and the mouse together are never convenient. make it easy with the mouse, and if it can not be easily designed with the mouse, put it entirely on the keyboard. Not talking about modifier keys, just stuff like 'click, type some stuff, click, some stuff'. Example, don't you hate user forms where you can't type in your answer and hit enter, but 'submit' or whatever requires a mouse click? It hasn't always been that 'tab, return' would do anything at all.]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:19:55 +0000 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:46:18 +0000
Most Windows applications are ran through other means than "Run" function as well, and yet Windows still kept it. Because you never know when you need it.

With everything else free for the users to decide and/or mess up, why take this one away?]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:46:36 +0000 Most Windows applications are ran through other means than "Run" function as well, and yet Windows still kept it.
[/quote]

Actually, they didn't. They combined the search and run dialogs to create the new search bar in Vista, and that remains in 7.

The problem with a Run function, is that it doesn't get used by a mass majority of the users. In fact, if things like the Linksys router instructions didn't direct users to use the run function for their setup command, it would probably never be used by basic users. The "Run" function is a waste of space. Think about it this way. If you know what you are doing, then using your left hand (assuming you are right handed), which almost never moves from it's spot on the keyboard (okay... maybe to have a drink of tea or coffee), to press ctrl+f2, is easier than moving your right hand to the mouse, clicking system, then clicking run, then moving your right hand back to the keyboard before you can begin to type type. Also, if you know what you are doing, you can just as easily add the run function to a panel. If you want to clutter your own space, then you still can!!!

Ubuntu is supposed to be easy for everyone. Everyone isn't just those power users who think that clicking 18 times before typing ~/home is the most efficient way to get to their home folder. Everyone includes all those people who don't know that the Run function even exists, and wouldn't know how to use it if they did.]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:12:02 +0000