On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 10:04:10PM +0000, GEOFF BAGLEY wrote: > I have been looking forward to the update of > my favourite operating system Debian from > squeeze to wheezy. > > I thought it would be interesting to update > one of my machines ( an amd64 bit ASUS), > and I have just spent two days trying to use > the new desktop Gnome3. > > I have been SO disappointed that at this > moment I am re-installing squeeze. > > I was sorry to see that the very useful > GNOME web-browser Epiphany has been replaced > by a very stupid and noisy game of that > same name. I had some difficulty getting > rid of it. > > I have poor eye-sight, and make much use of > "CTRL shift +" to magnify that which I need > to see, and "CTRL -" to reverse. This was not possible in many GNOME3 > cases. > > Please why can we not have a choice of the > new-fabgled desktop (for those who like it) > and the old, well tried Gnome desktop for > folks like me ? > > I have been using the "old" version of the > Gnome desktop ever since they wrecked KDE3 > and introduced KDE4. > I think that the KDE exampled was abad one, > but has been repeated. >
This won't help with the magnification you want, but I created a Gnome2 lookalike using Fluxbox (or Openbox, or similar) and fbpanel. Going this route requires more editing config files and less right-clicking than you might be used to. The attached config files go in ~/.config/fbpanel. Launch the panels with these commands: fbpanel --profile gnome_top_panel & fbpanel --profile gnome_bottom_panel & If you're using fluxbox, put those lines in ~/.fluxbox/startup Also, if you're using fluxbox, put these lines in ~/.fluxbox/init: session.screen0.toolbar.visible: false session.screen0.toolbar.tools: prevworkspace, workspacename, nextworkspace, clock, prevwindow, nextwindow, iconbar ### just make sure "systemtray" doesn't appear in this line Make sure you take a look at the gnome_top_panel config file and edit the "space" plugin (currently set to 500) which comes right before the "tray" plugin. The config files are pretty easy to follow, so don't panic if you've never had to edit one before. Hope this helps somebody. -Rob
######################################## ## fbpanel configuration file ## ######################################## # DESCRIPTION # Configuration file consists of mandatory 'Global' block that MUST come first, # and optionally one or more 'Plugin' block. # Lines having '#' as first non-blank char or blank lines are ignored # Keywords are not case-sensitive # Values are case-sensitive # Value of variable is a text from first non-blank char after '=' # till the last non-blank char. '#' is NOT treated as coment in this context # 'Global' block describes global parameters like position, size and # some NETWM settings # Global { # # screen edge # # legal values are: left, right, top, bottom # edge = bottom # # allignment of a panel # # legal values are: left, right, center # allign = left # # length of margin (in pixels) # # legal values are numbers # margin = 0 # # widthtype specifies how panel width is calculated # # legal values are: request, pixel, percent # # request - follow widgets' size requests. can shrink or grow dynamically # # pixel - occupy fixed number of pixels, then 'width' variable holds a number # # percent - be 'width' precent of an edge. # widthType = percent # # numerical value of width (not applicable for 'request' widthtype) # # legal values are numbers # width = 80 # # heighttype specifies how panel height is calculated # # legal values are: pixel # # pixel - ocupy fixed number of pixels, then 'height' variable holds a number # heightType = pixel # # numerical value of height (if applicable) # # legal values are numbers # height = 28 # # Identify panel window type as dock # # legal values are boolean # setDockType = true # # Reserve panel's space so that it will not be covered by maximazied windows # # legal values are boolean # # setPartialStrut = true # # Transparency stuff: # # tintColor is a color to composite on root background given as #RRGGBB or as name # # alpha is transparency of the tint color. # # transparent = true # # tintColor = #FFFFFF # or # # tintColor = white # # alpha = 127 # # Autohide # # autoHide = false # # heightWhenHidden = 2 # } # 'Plugin' block specifies a plugin to load. It has same syntax for both # builtin and external plugins. # First parameter is 'type'. It's mandatory and must come first # Legal values are plugin names. Names of builtin plugins are: # separator - visual separator # wincmd - 'show desktop' button # taskbar - lists all opened windows (tasks) # launchbar - bar with launch button # image - just shows an image # dclock - digital clock # space - just seize space # pager - thumbnailed view of the desktop # tray - tray for XEMBED icons (aka docklets) # expand - specifies if plugin can accomodate extra space or not [optional] # padding - extra padding around plugin [optional] # config {} - block of plugin's private configuration. # This part is plugin dependant # # Plugin { # type = wincmd # config { # image = ~/.fbpanel/images/Desktop2.png # tooltip = Left click to iconify all windows. Middle click to shade them. # } # } Global { edge = bottom allign = center margin = 0 widthtype = percent width = 100 height = 24 transparent = false tintcolor = #555555 alpha = 200 setdocktype = true setpartialstrut = true autohide = false heightWhenHidden = 2 roundcorners = false roundcornersradius = 25 layer = none MaxElemHeight = 32 } Plugin { type = pager config { showwallpaper = true } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } Plugin { type = taskbar expand = true config { ShowIconified = true ShowMapped = true ShowAllDesks = false tooltips = true IconsOnly = false MaxTaskWidth = 150 } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } Plugin { type = wincmd config { icon = gnome-fs-desktop tooltip = Left click to iconify all windows. Middle click to shade them. } }
######################################## ## fbpanel configuration file ## ######################################## # DESCRIPTION # Configuration file consists of mandatory 'Global' block that MUST come first, # and optionally one or more 'Plugin' block. # Lines having '#' as first non-blank char or blank lines are ignored # Keywords are not case-sensitive # Values are case-sensitive # Value of variable is a text from first non-blank char after '=' # till the last non-blank char. '#' is NOT treated as coment in this context # 'Global' block describes global parameters like position, size and # some NETWM settings # Global { # # screen edge # # legal values are: left, right, top, bottom # edge = bottom # # allignment of a panel # # legal values are: left, right, center # allign = left # # length of margin (in pixels) # # legal values are numbers # margin = 0 # # widthtype specifies how panel width is calculated # # legal values are: request, pixel, percent # # request - follow widgets' size requests. can shrink or grow dynamically # # pixel - occupy fixed number of pixels, then 'width' variable holds a number # # percent - be 'width' precent of an edge. # widthType = percent # # numerical value of width (not applicable for 'request' widthtype) # # legal values are numbers # width = 80 # # heighttype specifies how panel height is calculated # # legal values are: pixel # # pixel - ocupy fixed number of pixels, then 'height' variable holds a number # heightType = pixel # # numerical value of height (if applicable) # # legal values are numbers # height = 28 # # Identify panel window type as dock # # legal values are boolean # setDockType = true # # Reserve panel's space so that it will not be covered by maximazied windows # # legal values are boolean # # setPartialStrut = true # # Transparency stuff: # # tintColor is a color to composite on root background given as #RRGGBB or as name # # alpha is transparency of the tint color. # # transparent = true # # tintColor = #FFFFFF # or # # tintColor = white # # alpha = 127 # # Autohide # # autoHide = false # # heightWhenHidden = 2 # } # 'Plugin' block specifies a plugin to load. It has same syntax for both # builtin and external plugins. # First parameter is 'type'. It's mandatory and must come first # Legal values are plugin names. Names of builtin plugins are: # separator - visual separator # wincmd - 'show desktop' button # taskbar - lists all opened windows (tasks) # launchbar - bar with launch button # image - just shows an image # dclock - digital clock # space - just seize space # pager - thumbnailed view of the desktop # tray - tray for XEMBED icons (aka docklets) # expand - specifies if plugin can accomodate extra space or not [optional] # padding - extra padding around plugin [optional] # config {} - block of plugin's private configuration. # This part is plugin dependant # # Plugin { # type = wincmd # config { # image = ~/.fbpanel/images/Desktop2.png # tooltip = Left click to iconify all windows. Middle click to shade them. # } # } Global { edge = top allign = center margin = 0 widthtype = percent width = 100 height = 24 transparent = false tintcolor = #555555 alpha = 200 setdocktype = true setpartialstrut = true autohide = false heightWhenHidden = 2 roundcorners = false roundcornersradius = 25 layer = none MaxElemHeight = 32 } Plugin { type = menu config { IconSize = 22 #icon = start-here # Use a nice Debian logo for the menu list ;-) image = /usr/share/pixmaps/debian-logo.png systemmenu { } separator { } menu { name = Computer icon = computer item { name = Terminal icon = terminal action = x-terminal-emulator } item { name = Lock Display icon = gnome-lockscreen action = slock } separator { } item { name = Reboot icon = gnome-session-reboot action = sudo reboot } item { name = Shutdown icon = gnome-session-halt action = sudo shutdown -h now } item { name = logout icon = gnome-session-logout action = /usr/lib/fbpanel/fbpanel/xlogout } } } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } # Put your launchers / shortcuts here: Plugin { type = launchbar config { button { icon = file-manager tooltip = File Manager action = nautilus --browser --no-desktop #action = pcmanfm } button { icon = rhythmbox tooltip = Rhythmbox Music Player action = rhythmbox } button { icon = icedove tooltip = Icedove Email action = icedove } button { icon = web-browser tooltip = Web Browser action = x-www-browser } } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 15 } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } # Edit this space according to your monitor size / resolution: Plugin { type = space config { size = 500 } } Plugin { type = tray } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } Plugin { type = launchbar config { button { name = logout icon = gnome-session-logout action = /usr/lib/fbpanel/fbpanel/xlogout } } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } Plugin { type = tclock config { color = black HoursView = 12 ClockFmt = %l:%M %P %a. %b %e, %Y ShowTooltip = false TooltipFmt = %A %x #Action = orage #Action = osmo ShowCalendar = true ShowTooltip = true } } Plugin { type = space config { size = 10 } } Plugin { type = launchbar config { button { name = Reboot icon = gnome-session-reboot action = sudo reboot } button { name = Shutdown icon = gnome-session-halt action = sudo shutdown -h now } } } # 'icons' plugin lets you customize window icons. # these changes apply to entire desktop Plugin { type = icons config { DefaultIcon = /usr/share/fbpanel/images/default.xpm application { icon = gnome-terminal ClassName = XTerm } application { icon = gnome-terminal ClassName = mlterm } application { icon = gnome-terminal ClassName = URxvt } application { icon = gnome-emacs ClassName = Emacs } application { icon = mozilla-firefox ClassName = Firefox-bin } application { icon = mozilla-firefox ClassName = Firefox } } }