Being a PowerUser

[pooppoop]

I am new to Linux and in particular to Ubuntu however i am really
feeling at home with Windows.

I do love Linux and Ubuntu much more than Windows, but i have a
feeling of a damaged usability in Ubuntu.

What i mean is that in windows, every window, every application and every
window has the same keyboard shortcuts.
It is also easier to use Windows without a mouse than Ubuntu with either Gnome or Xfce.

Could you imagine working on your box without the mouse(cable disconnected).
I can on Windows but not on Linux window managers.

[Vivaldi Gloria]

I am new to Linux and in particular to Ubuntu however i am really
feeling at home with Windows.

It takes months to get used to a new OS.


What i mean is that in windows, every window, every application and every window has the same keyboard shortcuts.

May be in your dreams. ;)


It is also easier to use Windows without a mouse than Ubuntu with either Gnome or Xfce.

Can you give an example?


Could you imagine working on your box without the mouse(cable disconnected).

I have a computer with ubuntu minimal on it. It doesn't even have any gui on it. So ubuntu works well without any mouse or gui.

But, I repeat again, it takes time to get used to a new OS. Keep using it and read about it and you'll become more comfortable with it.

[pmlxuser]

well you have the option of command prompt $ you can almost do anything with it. "has standard commands even".

But one problem you have is your perception "You want UBUNTU to be like WINDOWS" i think if you keep in mind ubuntu is not windows then you would understand that usability is a very complex concept and thus what is considered usable in windows might no apply in Linux (ubuntu in this case)

[DJ_Peng]

Actually part of what I think he's saying is that the keyboard shortcuts aren't standardized. I know many of them are, but I found switching from Thunderbird to Evolution I'm having to completely relearn shortcuts or reach for my mouse. I suspect this issue surfaces in a lot more GNU/Linux apps as well, and I wish more apps had a way to change the keyboard shortcuts so I could set them to something I'm more comfortable with.

Of course some of this is simply resolved by spending time with the apps and getting used to how GNU/Linux does things rather than how Windows does things. It's not perfect, but I'd rather use a more secure operating system than go back to Windows again. Earlier this year I had to use a Windows box on a project and I felt even more disabled than I am, simply because I had gotten used to Ubuntu.

[pooppoop]

I want all of you to do an experiment.
Disconnect your mouse from your box right now.

Now try to do all your regular tasks such as reading mails,
surfing websites and listening to music.
Hard isn't it?

You get the feeling that it would be easier to use a desktop with the keyboard disconnect rather the mouse.

The place where i work has a tradition for new employees.
They let them use windows for a whole month without a mouse.

I don't think this is possible with gnome desktop for example, how would you access a tray icon and double click it, or right click it without a mouse?

What's the use for all of this? It makes you get things done much faster.
For example, if i were to open Firefox under windows and after a while i decided i wanted it maximized i would [Alt+Space X ].
(Before you jump saying this is done in gnome by pressing the F(n) key, i just wanted to give you an example of a faster way to work by using the keys rather the mouse).

[bingoUV]

I want all of you to do an experiment.
Disconnect your mouse from your box right now.

Now try to do all your regular tasks such as reading mails,
surfing websites and listening to music.
Hard isn't it?

You get the feeling that it would be easier to use a desktop with the keyboard disconnect rather the mouse.

The place where i work has a tradition for new employees.
They let them use windows for a whole month without a mouse.

I don't think this is possible with gnome desktop for example, how would you access a tray icon and double click it, or right click it without a mouse?

What's the use for all of this? It makes you get things done much faster.
For example, if i were to open Firefox under windows and after a while i decided i wanted it maximized i would [Alt+Space X ].
(Before you jump saying this is done in gnome by pressing the F(n) key, i just wanted to give you an example of a faster way to work by using the keys rather the mouse).

Disconnect: Done.

Read email:


pine

enter password. Done.

Surfing websites:


elinks ubuntuforums.org

Done.

Listening to music:


cd /all/my/millions/of/exabytes/of/music
ogg123 *.ogg

Done.

I get the feeling that I am dead without the keyboard, but I wasted 10$ for my mouse.

You are going the wrong way about it. Why would you "right click" without a mouse? right click is a mouse concept. You need to think in your keyboard if you are to live without mouse. This exactly how NOT to be a power user.

In fact, for maximizing a window in Gnome environment, the exact keys will need to be pressed as you mentioned. Just try now.

EDIT: that will be [Alt+Space X ]

[Vivaldi Gloria]

I want all of you to do an experiment.
Disconnect your mouse from your box right now.

Now try to do all your regular tasks such as reading mails,
surfing websites and listening to music.
Hard isn't it?

Not really. I actually use MOC (music on console) to listen music. I use the email program to send emails:

http://www.linux.com/feature/136877

I have two computers and one doesn't even have a gui!


I don't think this is possible with gnome desktop for example, how would you access a tray icon and double click it, or right click it without a mouse?

There are a few ways of starting apps in gnome.
a) Assign shortcut keys
b) Alt+F2 and type app.
c) Third one is the best one: Gnome-Do

Gnome-Do is much more than a launcher. You can do everything with it with a few key presses. Start apps, google, read mail, search for documents etc. etc. and etc.

If you really want to be the master of the mouseless gnome then you are looking for Gnome-Do. People are religious about it for a good reason. Look into it.

[Sorivenul]

I use ratpoison quite a bit. Kill your mouse/rat. All of the Tab sequences (Alt+Tab, Shift+Tab, Tab) work pretty much like any other OS in a normal environment like Gnome/KDE/Xfce. As has been stated though, it takes time to get used to any OS. I remember moving from DOS to Win3.1 was a mindnumbing experience. What's a mouse? Just my two cents. I hope you perservere with Ubuntu/Linux. Good luck!

[pooppoop]

Disconnect: Done.

Read email:


pine

enter password. Done.

Surfing websites:


elinks ubuntuforums.org

Done.

Listening to music:


cd /all/my/millions/of/exabytes/of/music
ogg123 *.ogg

Done.

I get the feeling that I am dead without the keyboard, but I wasted 10$ for my mouse.

You are going the wrong way about it. Why would you "right click" without a mouse? right click is a mouse concept. You need to think in your keyboard if you are to live without mouse. This exactly how NOT to be a power user.

In fact, for maximizing a window in Gnome environment, the exact keys will need to be pressed as you mentioned. Just try now.

EDIT: that will be [Alt+Space X ]

The idea was using gui without a mouse, not cli without a mouse.

i have a vision where all gui softare could be controlled completely mouseless. either through cli(when the gui already running)
or through powerful shortcuts, Amarok does it with DCOP for example

[Anzan]

Fluxbox lets you easily set keybindings (edit a flat file) so you can be mouseless as much as you want to be.