Linux multiple desktops...

[Mini-Me]

Hiya.

I'm trying to get my head around the multiple desktop idea in Linux.

In the versions I've tried so far, clicking on the different desktop buttons in the taskbar, does not seem to do anything at all.

Can someone explain what the idea is behind the multiple desktops in Linux?

What do these buttons allow you to do?

Thanks!



MM.

[pave_spectre]

Once they are properly configured you can have different applications on each desktop, as an organisational measure.

I have 4 desktops. On 1 I run web browser and download tools. On 2 I have my home directory and a text editor open. On 3 I have a Konsole with 3 tabs, and a window for my downloads directory. On 4 is where I have multimedia stuff, including xmms for MP3s and Xine or mplayer for watching movies.

This means I rarely have more than two windows open per desktop.

To change the desktop options you should be able to right-click on the desktop and select configure (I think).

[Mini-Me]

That's quite clever!


Can you have your icons for different programs on these seperate desktops, or are they all essentially on one main background - you just open them in different desktops, accessed by the desktop buttons in the taskbar?

Either way, this is really quite clever.

I will experiment with this concept, now that I have a clearer picture of what it does, when I get Mandrake installed(should be tonight...)


MM.

[Paleo Pete]

I keep mine set similar to what pave_spectre described, Galeon web browser and ksim system monitor on desktop 1, Konqueror browser and kget (download manager) on 2, whatever I happen to need at the moment on 3 and a couple of small games usually on 4. the desktop icons in the taskbar (panel it's called in Linux) show an icon in the appropriate location for each application. Right click the desktop view area for a few options.

To open them if minimized just use the buttons in the panel same as Windows, I normally leave most onscreen. Right click the panel button and you get the option to move any application to the current window among other things. I also like to allow the panel to autohide, ditto for the Windows taskbar, it gives me a bit more desktop real estate. It's in the desktop configuration, poke around and you'll find it.

Another really cool feature with Mandrake 10 is transparency...you can make the panel invisible except for application buttons, icons, clock etc. It basically matches it to the desktop color. But it looks way cool...too bad it's not available in Mandrake 9, the version I'm using on my home machine.