Thread: Convince me to drop my GUI.

I've been using Ubuntu for quite a while now, still on 8.04 O_O

I'm getting pretty good at the command line, I do quite a bit of things there, but still...I need someone to fully convince me to stop using GNOME. I like it, but it's slow. And then again, I do do certain things on it that I need it for.

So my fellow Linux users, convince me to drop GNOME on its ass.

Go.

I wouldn't recommend dropping your GUI completely (cause then you're browsing with links or lynx hehe). However, there are some great replacements for hogs like Gnome.

Look into some minimal WMs, like Fluxbox and Ion.

Both of those are incredibly lightweight (they load in less than a second, and you're good to go). The former is a classical stacking window manager, which is easy to configure to do JUST what you care about. The latter is a nice tile-based one, which is great cause you can use just your keyboard to flip windows MUCH more efficiently than "Alt-tab-tab-tab-tab-tab*inhale*-tab-tab-tab"

Another great utility, which I am sure you're familiar with if you're thinking of dropping Gnome is Screen, which multiplexes your terminals. That is, you open one instance of it, and you can create terminal tabs without needing to rely on x-term or konsole to provide tabbing. An added benefit is that you can detach, ssh in from elsewhere, and re-attach, so you never have to worry about losing, say, those 5 tabs with code open in them, etc. Unless you kill the app somehow of course.

I wouldn't recommend it either. The GUI is there to make things easier, and it's not blocking your terminal, so you have both. Try managing a massive project with thousands of source files in complex directories without the GUI vi just doesn't stack up to Code::Blocks.

But upgrade your OS, seriously.

Originally Posted by Replicon

I wouldn't recommend dropping your GUI completely (cause then you're browsing with links or lynx hehe). However, there are some great replacements for hogs like Gnome.

Look into some minimal WMs, like Fluxbox and Ion.

Both of those are incredibly lightweight (they load in less than a second, and you're good to go). The former is a classical stacking window manager, which is easy to configure to do JUST what you care about. The latter is a nice tile-based one, which is great cause you can use just your keyboard to flip windows MUCH more efficiently than "Alt-tab-tab-tab-tab-tab*inhale*-tab-tab-tab"

Another great utility, which I am sure you're familiar with if you're thinking of dropping Gnome is Screen, which multiplexes your terminals. That is, you open one instance of it, and you can create terminal tabs without needing to rely on x-term or konsole to provide tabbing. An added benefit is that you can detach, ssh in from elsewhere, and re-attach, so you never have to worry about losing, say, those 5 tabs with code open in them, etc. Unless you kill the app somehow of course.

I've messed around with Flux a little bit, but I can never configure it to make it look and feel just how I want

And yeah, screen is pretty cool! I've been checking it out as opposed to using virtual terminals, but whatever's easier I guess....I have a Debian partition setting up right now, and I'm going to try to set it up like I want, you know, minus the GUI. I'm gonna keep the GUI on there at least just in case I want to do more, but I'm keeping the runlevel at 3 (I believe)

Originally Posted by ninja9578

I wouldn't recommend it either. The GUI is there to make things easier, and it's not blocking your terminal, so you have both. Try managing a massive project with thousands of source files in complex directories without the GUI vi just doesn't stack up to Code::Blocks.

But upgrade your OS, seriously.

Well I can see that as far as programming goes, but generally I don't work on massive projects haha, just AIM, browsing, music, some writing, you know, all stuff that I don't need a DM for.

And I can't stand either vi or emacs by the way...too complex. I'm addicted to nano :/

Also, I'm just too damn lazy to upgrade I know it's just like, maybe 3 clicks at most but I don't feel like sitting around

8.04?
Seriously?
Update man.

Your avatar probably describes your face right now. Anyway, what's so new and sexyful in 10.04?

nano? Really? You're the first I've known to say that. Most people find nano too weird.

I'm on 10.10 now, and it's pretty great, and 11.04 looks nice too (I may have a beta of that one).

Losing the GUI isn't really that necessary. For months, I couldn't use the GUI (dual-cards were freaking Ubuntu out), and it wasn't a better experience or anything. Just keep Gnome and use the terminal for everything.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

nano? Really? You're the first I've known to say that. Most people find nano too weird.

Oh I'm in love with nano. It's simple and it gets the job done just how I like it.

Originally Posted by TheKing

I'm on 10.10 now, and it's pretty great, and 11.04 looks nice too (I may have a beta of that one).

Losing the GUI isn't really that necessary. For months, I couldn't use the GUI (dual-cards were freaking Ubuntu out), and it wasn't a better experience or anything. Just keep Gnome and use the terminal for everything.

Well I actually just set up a Debian install and it boots into the CLI automatically, and I have all the apps I need right now, just having some trouble getting mp3blaster to work :/

And I can't get GNOME to get the right resolution. Grr.

I'm considering switching from Vista to Ubuntu myself. Not sure what Gnome is or does, but I'm pretty damn pleased with the Ubuntu demo. Not a helpful post, I'm sorry, but Ubuntu does rock.

Originally Posted by Jeff777

I'm considering switching from Vista to Ubuntu myself. Not sure what Gnome is or does, but I'm pretty damn pleased with the Ubuntu demo. Not a helpful post, I'm sorry, but Ubuntu does rock.

Gnome provides an interface for linux so that you aren't working with just a command line
Not sure what Ubuntu has by default.
And I would definitely recommend getting a linux distribution unless you play windows-only games.

Originally Posted by StrangeDreamsGuy

Gnome provides an interface for linux so that you aren't working with just a command line
Not sure what Ubuntu has by default.
And I would definitely recommend getting a linux distribution unless you play windows-only games.

Ubuntu comes with Gnome by default.
If you want a different desktop environment, you could install Kubuntu which uses KDE, Xubuntu which has XFCE, or Lubuntu which has LXDE.
I believe KDE's (Kubuntu) set up is more like Windows, for easier transitioning.
Both XFCE (Xubuntu) and LXDE (Lubuntu) claim to be fast Desktop Environments that don't use up too many system resources and save power.

Originally Posted by [SomeGuy]

Your avatar probably describes your face right now. Anyway, what's so new and sexyful in 10.04?

Quite frankly, nothing much, lol.
Not to the average computer user like me anyway, so nobody flame me if I didn't mention some awesome new feature that came in 10.04
Although one thing I like that I believe came in 10.04 was the intergration of Rhythmbox with the Sound toggle on the top panel. Clicking the volume button opens a small menu that you can use to open Rhythmbox, and pause and skip songs with.

Originally Posted by Jeff777

I'm considering switching from Vista to Ubuntu myself. Not sure what Gnome is or does, but I'm pretty damn pleased with the Ubuntu demo. Not a helpful post, I'm sorry, but Ubuntu does rock.

You should get rid of that Vista bullshit at least, even if it's just an upgrade to Windows 7.
I have Ubuntu 10.04 on my laptop for surfing the web and for all of my music/videos/pictures/anything-that-isn't-a-game

And I have Windows 7 on my desktop for playing games.
Because I love Steam.

Freeciv FTW