Change "Applications" click behavior?

[a.curious.guy]

I really should be posting this in the new users area but being that it is specific to Gnome 3 I thought Desktop Environments might be more accurate.

I have recently installed Ubuntu 17.04 with the Gnome 3 desktop. There is something that I would like to change. There is an "Applications" button/shortcut/something in the top left. When you click it (or hit the Windows key) it launches a side menu. On that side menu there is a button/icon with 9 dots. If you click that you get the list of Recent Applications (with the option of viewing All Applications).

Is there a way to have the clicking of the top-left "Applications" (word, not the 9 buttons) launch the list of Recent Applications (or All Applications). Basically I want to have the main Applications button not show the left-side dock.

Is this possible? Is it easily explained to a linux/gnome user? Thank you to anyone that can help.

ACG

[Frogs Hair]

Hello and Welcome


There are extensions that can change behavior in the gnome shell available in the repository. I would start with the standard package and after logging out and back in you can view them in the gnome tweak tool . You can replace the activities button with a standard menu. Dash to dock is a useful extension as well.



sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions


https://extensions.gnome.org

[again?]

Adding to Frogs Hair's post, there is an extension that will open the overlay in application view.
You can use Super+s for window spread.
Start Overlay in Application View (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1198/start-overlay-in-application-view/)

This is a list of some of the extensions I use.
Dash to Dock (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/307/dash-to-dock/)
CustomCorner (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1037/customcorner/)
Pixel Saver (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/723/pixel-saver/)
TopIcons Plus (https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1031/topicons/)

Desktop with permanent dock and a "Show Applications" launcher at the top.