Tech:Open Source/Basic Linux/Customize Gnome

From Cyclopath

Contents 1 Customize Gnome 1.1 Turn Off the Bell! 1.2 Don't Lock Me Out 1.3 Let Me Lock Me Out 1.4 Tell Me the Temp 1.5 Disable Background Icons 1.6 Machine Sound 2 Gnome Tips 3 Caveats

[edit] Customize Gnome

[edit] Turn Off the Bell!

The bell is annoying. Sooooo annoying.

"I'm only doing tab completion, why are you yelling at me?!"

• Open Gnome Terminal
  • Edit [Menu] > Profile Preferences
    • General [TAB]
      • [Uncheck] Terminal bell
    • Colors [TAB]
      • [Uncheck] Use colors from system theme
      • Built-in schemes: White on black
    • Scrolling [TAB]
      • Scrollback: 9999 lines
  • Click "Close"

[edit] Don't Lock Me Out

Linux is good with security, but defaulting to a five minute screensaver timeout that requires you to log back in is pretty ridiculous for the home developer.

• Gnome System Menu
  • Preferences > Screensaver
    • [Uncheck] Lock screen when screensaver is active

I also like "Pop art squares" and a 10 minute or more screensaver timeout (you should turn off your monitor if you're not using it... who uses screensavers in this day and age? ;).

[edit] Let Me Lock Me Out

If you're like me, you don't like to repeat repeat yourself.

One tedious task in Gnome is locking your screen (which you should do whenever you leave your desk at work, lest some nasty co-worker stop by and play tricks on you). Fortunately, Gnome already maps a few useful commands for you.

• Ctrl + Alt + L ==> Lock Screen
• Ctrl + Alt + Del ==> Logout
• Alt + F10 / Alt + F5 ==> Maximize / Unmaximize Window
• Alt + F2 ==> Run window

To add your own shortcuts, from the Gnome panel, go to System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts. These are some of the keyboard shortcuts I enjoy.

• F11 ==> Toggle Fullscreen Mode
• Ctrl + Alt + 2 ==> Run a terminal
• Ctrl + Alt + 3 ==> Launch calculator
• Ctrl + Alt + 4 ==> Launch web browser

[edit] Tell Me the Temp

'Cause in Minnesota you never know. And if it snows, I want to go out and play.

• Right-Click the Clock in the Gnome Panel
  • Locations [TAB]
    • Select the first (and only) item in the list
    • Click Edit
      • Type Minneapolis...
  • Click OK
  • The temperate should now show up in the panel

[edit] Disable Background Icons

I like a clean background. I know where my files live...

sudo yum install gconf-editor
gconf-editor

In the tree, go to /apps/nautilus/desktop and de-select all *_visible. File > Quit.

[edit] Machine Sound

First, configure your machine not to beep! Above we told the terminal not to beep, here we tell the machine not to beep.

• From the Gnome panel, go to System > Preferences > Sound
  • System Beep [TAB]
    • [Uncheck] Enable system beep
    • [Check] Visual system beep
    • [Select] Flash window titlebar
  • Sound Effects [TAB]
    • Alert volume: [Check] Mute

[edit] Gnome Tips

• Alt+Left Button in any window moves it! Modify with Shift to snap-to an invisible grid while you drag the window around.

• Shift+PageUp/Down in Gnome Terminal scrolls up and down, as does Shift+Home/End.

• Shift+Insert pastes in Gnome Terminal.

[edit] Caveats

The clock in my Fedora 12 on VirtualBox Vista is always 12 minutes behind the real time [^landonb].