What dock do you use?

[DBO]

I am doing some research on user interfaces and general usability of programs. Since I am particular interested in persistant UI, I am looking at the dock programs available for linux. They are more abundant (surprisingly) than those for OS X (there is one) and Windows (there are 3 you can get today). So tell me.

What dock do you use?

What features does it have that you REALLY like?

What features do you wish it had?

What about it bothers the living daylights out of you?

[Vadi]

Avant Window Navigator

Just the fact that it represents windows as icons in a decent manner. Icons also bounce softly to grab my attention (not in the hyperactive bounce-bounce-bounce way).

None really.

When I switch compiz cube edges, the icons for that edge slowly come to together and the dock takes its time to get back into shape. Wish it did that faster!

[andrek]

I used to have cairo-dock due to its customizing possibilities, but it seems to render icons and text in an odd way.

[binbash]

I used to have kiba-dock but i dont use any at the moment, i don't like wasting the space anymore

[Bölvaður]

I also use AWN but I dont find it that useful like really, it is a pretty normal window list to switch between windows, and you can have terminal in it for quick usage... but it's rubbish :P

Docks are old fashion and their advantage should be implemented into Window List like in this thread.


http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=986338&page=3 (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=986338&page=3)

make sure to check out my mockups.

[Skripka]

i don't waste of screen space

Agreed, the mac Dock is one of the biggest wastes of screen space in the history of GUI.

[Vadi]

Keeping in mind that Ubuntu comes with no docks by default and people find out about them by word of mouth, http://popcon.ubuntu.com/ (an opt-in, disabled by default, anonymized statistics thing - enable it in system-administration-software sources-statistics) shows that awn is installed on ~6.57% of ubuntu computers, kibda on ~0.6% (probably because it's unmaintained and a pita to get working), and cairo-dock on ~1.43%. Simdock is ~0.79%.

[damis648]

What dock do you use?
Cairo-Dock. (I use it simply as a launcher without the taskbar though), see screenshot. I don't like icons on my desktop so I use cairo-dock.


What features does it have that you REALLY like?
I like the OS X-like parabolc magnification.


What features do you wish it had?
More plugins?


What about it bothers the living daylights out of you?
I can't customize it to look exactly like I want it.

[cookieofdoom]

I've been using panels more lately. Franky, I'm starting to wonder if they're even all that necessary anymore given features like scale (or Exposé in Mac) where you can just slide your mouse into a corner, or hit a key combo, and have all your windows right there on your screen.

When I use a Dock I usually use AWN. Even though development on it seems to have slowed to a stop, it's still the most stable and functional one I've used. I've been hearing good things about other docks, lately, though. I may try them whenever I feel like using a dock again.

[zmjjmz]

Does dmenu count as a dock?