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View Full Version : [SOLVED] whats the point of a dock?



barbedsaber
May 12th, 2008, 07:53 AM
I mean, why have a dock instead of putting shorcuts to applications on one of your panels, other than it looking cool. I'm sure there is a reason, or no one would do it, but I want to know what the reason is.

LaRoza
May 12th, 2008, 07:57 AM
I mean, why have a dock instead of putting shorcuts to applications on one of your panels, other than it looking cool. I'm sure there is a reason, or no one would do it, but I want to know what the reason is.

It is just an option that some like. They can have other features and have other effects.

I personally don't like it much.

slavik
May 12th, 2008, 08:36 AM
the dock is pretty much a panel with a window list (task bar) in it. 2 for 1 :)

barbedsaber
May 12th, 2008, 08:42 AM
Ok I got AWN, and its pretty cool, (I have the ram to handle it so why not?) but could someone please tell me how to keep my launchers separate from my open windows. If I can do that, then I am sold.

edit: also, what is the command line command to open up AWN, so that I can put it in my startup programs in ubuntu tweak

rolnics
May 12th, 2008, 09:12 AM
edit: also, what is the command line command to open up AWN, so that I can put it in my startup programs in ubuntu tweak

It's either avant-window-navigator or avantwindow-navigator can't remember which and I can't try either because I'm at work and no where near an Ubuntu machine!

Killa Frog
May 12th, 2008, 09:29 AM
A dock is like a combination of a window list and an application switcher. Instead of listing all the open windows in separate panels, it catalogs them all according to the application under which they have been opened. Clicking a dock icon will bring that application to the front and all associated windows in their own order. The dock also functions as an application launcher, which would be the same as shortcuts in a gnome panel, but having all of this in one convenient bar is what attracts most people (including myself) to this idea and wm's like E17 or OS's like Be (and consequently Haiku in the future) or OSX.

barbedsaber
May 12th, 2008, 09:32 AM
ok, it actually seems pretty cool (goes to show hat happens when you try something new) my only real gripe, is that it is hard to tell what is a launcher, and what is an open window, Is there a way to make the arrow more prominent?

madjr
May 12th, 2008, 09:59 AM
ok, it actually seems pretty cool (goes to show hat happens when you try something new) my only real gripe, is that it is hard to tell what is a launcher, and what is an open window, Is there a way to make the arrow more prominent?

i use a top panel and the window list panel applet. That way you never get confused.

also you can change the arrows to whatever you want.

use the 3D look, icon offset set it higher, make the dock more transparent (in the color menus when picking a color)

also there's a script posted somewhere to make it load a few seconds after compiz-fusion to make it smoother at startup

also, you may want to try the AWN applets (not in ubuntu repos i think, but on the official awn repos)...cool stuff!

barbedsaber
May 12th, 2008, 11:58 AM
Ok, so I have whole heartedly embraced the dock, thank you to those that answered questions, and, well, thanks for letting m talk to myself, umm. yeah.