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View Full Version : [ubuntu] Unity (and even Gnome 3) application switcher difficult with disability



hamstermoon
June 3rd, 2011, 01:11 AM
Hi Everyone,

I was just looking for a place to have a bit of a moan (and get some constructive feedback to my comments) about the placing of the application switcher on the new Unity desktop.

I am a computer user who unfortunately, due to no fault of my own, only have one usefully functioning eye. This is my right one, and I have also had quite extensive surgery on the muscles in both eyes so they are "cosmetically" pleasing and so that to the casual observer can't actually spot I have a problem. Kudos to the NHS in the UK for all the work they have done on me!

What I have been left with, however, is a preference for things either on the right of my screen or at the top or bottom. I can't use wide screens at all (too much switching back and forth for the poor one eye and puliing on muscle scar tissues) and was happy to see I could put a mac-like dock at the bottom of my screen. I happily use Docky!

Now my geek friend Kevin tells me with Unity I could still have docky, but I would have the problem of the application switcher still on the left cluttering up (and confusing) my nice clean desktop. Along with the eye problem I got landed with dyslexia and dyspraxia so I try and keep things as uncluttered and uncomplicated as possible.

If I can't move the launcher (I read something quoted from Mark Shuttleworth on Wikipedia about it needing to minimise to that point on the screen) can I get rid of it all together? Then I could happily carry on with Docky as before.

I am thinking of shifting back to Lucid to give me a couple of more years grace on my laptop until minds are made up about Unity. I might even have to switch over to Kbuntu or Xbuntu if they make my life easier. I am just not wanting to give up on Linux just because I have problems with the screen!

ManualSparrow
June 3rd, 2011, 01:26 AM
With 11.04 (Unity or Gnome3) you should be able to select a Gnome2 session at login, if you would prefer. Just go to the session menu when the login screen appears (center of the bottom panel) and select Ubuntu Classic. Or, you could install Xubuntu-desktop in Synaptic and use that instead - XFCE is very customizable as far as how you want to arrange your panels or docks. Hope this helps.

EDIT: Installing Compiz (plus compiz fusion and the settings editor for it, called ccsm) with Xubuntu might let you make a "right/bottom" oriented desktop with a lot useful effects, such as an 'expose'-style edge binding for displaying open windows.

hamstermoon
June 3rd, 2011, 02:20 AM
Thank you, I shall take all these into consideration.