[How To] Create A Minimal-looking Narwhal Desktop

By , Published August 7, 2011

There’s no denying that a clean, minimal looking desktop is attractive. But how does one make Unity, with its launcher bar stuffed full of icons, ‘clean looking’?

Reader Juan Carlos Arroyo Callejas sent us his guide on getting a “clean looking Natty desktop”, which he dutifully shows off in the image below: -

The Guide

Only attempt to follow Juan’s guide if you are certain you want the look. To revert the changes you will need to work backwards reverting the steps (install instead of remove, true instead of false, etc.)

REMOVE FILES AND PLACES FROM UNITY LAUNCHER

  • sudo gedit /usr/share/unity/places/*.place

ADD THIS LINE BELOW “Shortcut=” IN BOTH TABS:

  • ShowEntry=false

REMOVE WORKSPACES (EXPO) FROM UNITY LAUNCHER

Run gnome-panel via terminal, and in workspaces make them all vertical

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

instead of

[1][2]

[3][4]

Close the terminal, log out log in voilà. As a bug, the WORKSPACE icon disappears.

REMOVE MESSAGING MENU FROM TOP PANEL

  • sudo apt-get remove indicator-messages

REMOVE ME MENU FROM TOP PANEL

  • sudo apt-get remove indicator-me

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  3. Get a minimal clean desktop with Faenza, DockBarX and Elementary milk
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  • Bilal Akhtar

    > Close the terminal, log out log in voilà. As a bug, the WORKSPACE icon disappears.

    Taking advantage of a bug, eh? Should I fix this bug and end the party? :D

    • https://launchpad.net/~woutervddn Wouter Vandenneucker

      people will hate you for it :p But I do agree that one should be able to just put out the icons he doesn’t want (at all times..)

      • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

        I totally agree. There should at least be a checkbox option to add/remove those extra icons that Canonical have put in.

        • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

          Checkbox? Why not the Unity-way? Just drag them off of the panel like normal, pinned icons.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Vladimir-Kooznetsov/1660704458 Vladimir Kooznetsov

            Then how do we get them back? Just in case we miss them.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah! Please fix the bug and make Unity customizable, mate. ;)
      Juan Carlos Arroyo Callejas

  • Anonymous

    i can’t see the point in this. the panel is there already…why just one icon? hiding messaging menu? it minimalistic… it’s an indicator…and usefull, why remove it?
    indicators and icons on the launcher are not a mess. my desktop look as clean..but more useful, just with some icons in the launcher, indicators, and compiz edge assignments… :) no big deal

    • Anonymous

      This is a matter of aesthetics. You don’t have to like it.

      • http://profiles.google.com/klevin92 Kleverson Royther

        Actually, aesthetics is a hing that should be visual appealing, so people should like it. If it is not affordable to people, then there’s a mistake.

        • Anonymous

          actually, aesthetics is a thing that is objectivably imposible to define, and has nothing to do with all people liking it. that’s why you change your linux as you think it’s visually appealing

          • Wayne

            yeah… “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”

          • http://twitter.com/weberc2 Craig Weber

            Disagree. Everyone should configure their system the way I want it. Linux should be less configurable and only about options I like. Ubuntu plz maek how I wannt N no1 els!

          • http://arroyocallejas.tumblr.com Juan Carlos Arroyo Callejas

            hahaha so fool! you made my day

        • Anonymous

          actually, aesthetics is a thing that is objectivably imposible to define, and has nothing to do with all people liking it. that’s why you change your linux as you think it’s visually appealing

    • https://launchpad.net/~rafalcieslak256 rc

      I don’t get why anyone wants to do this.

      • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

        Actually I kinda think that having workspaces is useless since the unity launcher displays the applications in all workspaces…

        I would like to have to option to only display the apps in the current one. Does anyone know if it is possible?

        • http://profiles.google.com/joerlend.schinstad Jo-Erlend Schinstad

          It is not and it’s currently a wont-fix. I agree, but there are lots of other questions to be answered before fixing this. It would be very cool if we would get more context-aware workspaces. But that requires a lot more than displaying tiles only for the current workspace.

          • Anonymous

            my dream is to have something like kde activities on ubuntu/unity.

            is like having different sessions but switching and admin them is way easier/faster.

      • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

        Actually I kinda think that having workspaces is useless since the unity launcher displays the applications in all workspaces…

        I would like to have to option to only display the apps in the current one. Does anyone know if it is possible?

      • MSTdzw

        Becose they can.

        • Mark Xu

          Ha, that’s awesome, dude.

        • Anonymous

          Then we also need a how to make a maximalistic/cluttered desktop.

          • Saie Surendra

            LOL! gd one!

      • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

        So you don’t have to haul out the stuff they think you want in there (I always clear it out personally). Not such an easy method as using the desktop itself but it could be added to a script I guess. So +0.5 for you ;)

    • Andrew Corrado

      It looks far better using classic gnome since there are just 2 panels and everything is in them. I like to have a clean and minimal desktop but it’s way more useful on gnome classic where you can actually still keep the usability.

    • Andrew Corrado

      It looks far better using classic gnome since there are just 2 panels and everything is in them. I like to have a clean and minimal desktop but it’s way more useful on gnome classic where you can actually still keep the usability.

      • http://profiles.google.com/joerlend.schinstad Jo-Erlend Schinstad

        huh? You realize that you can run gnome-panel and Unity at the same time, yes? But as far as I’m aware, there are no gnome-panel applets to provide the usability enhancements in Unity. And since it’s deprecated, it probably won’t be.

        • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

          What usability enhancements? :P

          • Anonymous

            Agreed, I still haven’t found one thing to like about Unity. It was terrible, wasteful of screen real estate and literally gave me a headache from eye fatigue. I’m glad that so many people seem to like it, but I personally cannot see the advantages.

          • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

            I’m actually joking a bit. I like the indicators (Except for having System Settings in the session menu) and the OSD notifications. I like the idea of the dash but not the implementation.

          • http://technoangina.tumblr.com Technoangina

            I’m all for making something more useful and I agree is it a good idea, but you’re right it’s the implementation that ruins it. It is also a huge waste of space for people with small monitors. If you could get rid of the bar on the side and have it more panel like it would be far more useful, even if it just showed the active window when you maximized and you alt-tabbed through other open windows or clicked an icon to show other running programs.

          • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

            I’m actually joking a bit. I like the indicators (Except for having System Settings in the session menu) and the OSD notifications. I like the idea of the dash but not the implementation.

        • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

          What usability enhancements? :P

    • Anonymous

      and Oneiric will be even more clean looking.

      so i’ll just wait for next version.

      but it does look pretty good and no one can get confused by it, so yes, cleaner is the way to go with newer versions.

    • Anonymous

      Hi. It’s not just one icon. There is no icons at ll at the launcher. You control your apps via the dash. Chromium is there because is running. I posted this because i modified my linux and i like to use it like this. Obviously you don’t have to use this guide. It is just a mere example of how it is possible to modify linux your way. I know it’s not big deal also. :) Thanks for replying.

      • Julian Rene Rengifo Niño

        La verdad tengo que felicitarte muy buen pos

        • http://arroyocallejas.tumblr.com Juan Carlos Arroyo Callejas

          gracias, pero el post no es mío, es de omg ubuntu, además he llegado a la conclusión de que lo mejor de mi escritorio es el tapiz, ‘Blue Sky’, diseñado por bazdesh para oneiric ocelot submissions.

    • http://twitter.com/weberc2 Craig Weber

      I personally dislike the messaging menu. I have never used it or wanted to use it. Same with the “Me Menu”.  This article is for people who don’t find these things useful, not for people who do.

  • http://twitter.com/LoxDev ⓁⓄⓧ

    Ctrl +Alt +F1 ?

    • Anonymous

      What does a full screen terminal have to do with this?

      (Tip to newbies who happen to try the above: use Ctrl+Alt+F7 to get back to the GUI)

    • Anonymous

      What does a full screen terminal have to do with this?

      (Tip to newbies who happen to try the above: use Ctrl+Alt+F7 to get back to the GUI)

    • Anonymous

      What does a full screen terminal have to do with this?

      (Tip to newbies who happen to try the above: use Ctrl+Alt+F7 to get back to the GUI)

      • http://immanuelsmith.com Emmanuel Smith

        He’s just a terrible person. When I was new I spent hours trying to change it because I had no idea how to get back.

        • http://twitter.com/Inoe_Nugroho Asmoro Budi Nugroho

          Indeed.

        • http://twitter.com/rouge_sheep Andy Burne

          When I first did this I think I just panicked and did a hard reboot =/

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=60712502 SunBear Coe

            hard reboot? sudo shutdown now -r 

          • http://twitter.com/weberc2 Craig Weber

            You missed the “when he was new” part.

      • http://immanuelsmith.com Emmanuel Smith

        He’s just a terrible person. When I was new I spent hours trying to change it because I had no idea how to get back.

      • http://twitter.com/LoxDev ⓁⓄⓧ

        “minimal looking” made easy

        • http://twitter.com/jokerdino Barneedhar

          That full black screen was creepy. I had to reboot to attain a state of peace. :/

          • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

            CTRL+ALT+F7 would’ve brought you back without rebooting ;)

          • http://dylanmtaylor.com aliendude5300

            Sometimes it’s F8…

          • Adam Gignac

            The CTRL is irrelevant, for some odd reason. You can get back just by pressing ALT+F7 (or F8, as the case may be), but you can’s switch terminals without the CTRL.

          • Adam Gignac

            The CTRL is irrelevant, for some odd reason. You can get back just by pressing ALT+F7 (or F8, as the case may be), but you can’s switch terminals without the CTRL.

        • http://twitter.com/jokerdino Barneedhar

          That full black screen was creepy. I had to reboot to attain a state of peace. :/

      • http://technoangina.tumblr.com Technoangina

        Hey neat 2 new commands today! I have never had a need to switch between the two screens. 

  • http://twitter.com/rouge_sheep Andy Burne

    You can remove places/workspaces/trash from Unity 2d by editing /usr/share/unity-2d/launcher/launcher.qml and just commenting out a couple lines. Is there nothing like this for regular Unity?

    • Anonymous

      Can’t you just apt-get remove the unity-places and applications?

  • Anonymous

    Great! I can finally remove “Applications” and “Files & Folders”, which I’ve never used.

    • MSTdzw

      Aplications is OK, just right click on that and some like normal appmenu.
      Sorry for my english :)

      • Anonymous

        but applications is on the dash too, so double shurtcuts

    • MSTdzw

      Aplications is OK, just right click on that and some like normal appmenu.
      Sorry for my english :)

  • http://axatrikx.com/ Axatrikx

    it doesnt feel right to make something happen coz of a bug..
    but the others are useful

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/C6S22ANL35LHAH27EX43XFQKTQ Klau3

    I love how the workspace are arranged in natty, why should I change it back ? Now it is possible to reach two workspaces with shortcuts instead of only one (before natty) by default.

  • Brian Bentsen

    Easier way to diasble workspaces icon: http://askubuntu.com/questions/41730/is-there-a-way-to-disable-the-workspace-switcher-in-unity-launcher

    • http://twitter.com/rouge_sheep Andy Burne

      Doesn’t that disable workspaces instead of just removing the icon?

      • Brian Bentsen

        Nope, it disables horizontal workspaces but you still have vertical. As a side-effect, the icon disappears from the launcher.

  • http://www.facebook.com/geiroffenberg Geir Offenberg

    a better way is to not use unity

  • http://www.facebook.com/binoya.mathews Binoya Mathews

    Just use GNOME3!!!!!!

    • http://twitter.com/me4oslav Georgi Karavasilev

      Fisrt you wanted to say … ahem shout “Just use GNOME-SHELL!!!!!!” (Oneiric already uses Gnome3) and second aren’t you a bit tired of this GS vs Unity thing?

    • Anonymous

      But that’s almost as crap as unity!
      (Linus Torvalds recently said he would like Gnome forked, he hates Gnome3 so much hes on xfce now).

      • http://profiles.google.com/joerlend.schinstad Jo-Erlend Schinstad

        And he is a usability expert, or..? Why does it matter how Linus Torvalds feel about a shell? :)

        • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

          He’s not a usability expert but he’s still right! Seriously, GNOME Shell and Unity both have severe usability issues despite having many great ideas.

          • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

            That is what YOU think. But I and many others think different about Unity (and GS). I use E17, but I’ve tried Unity and it’s pretty good actually.

          • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

            I know it is what *I* think but I still assert that it is a FACT that there is serious usability issues with both. For example – the hidden menu in Unity and needing to press Alt to shutdown in GNOME Shell.

          • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3BEMYXZR3QTBZF676TUAEKATHM syncdram

            Do NOT speak for others! speak for yourself. Keep your view YOUR view. I think unity is crap. I think Gnome shell is crap.  Now see i didn’t speak for anyone else but me. Your gonna reply back yet again with “others”  or “users” or “community”  Unity and Gnome Shell are riding on Apples coat strings. Using the same approach as Apple and one does not have to be all that smart to see this.  I am glad YOU like unity. I see YOU like to be confined in a cage. I like to be free. 

          • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

            That is what YOU think. But I and many others think different about Unity (and GS). I use E17, but I’ve tried Unity and it’s pretty good actually.

        • Anonymous

          After seeing Gnome 3 and Unity, I don’t think usability experts exist in the Linux world.

          • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

            There are other desktops than Gnome…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=531580499 Richard Oliver

    not gonna lie… unity is a MASSIVE error from ubuntu, they should ditch it and switch to GNOME3, it’s MUCH nicer! :D

    • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/C6S22ANL35LHAH27EX43XFQKTQ Klau3

      Already done. Ubuntu Oneiric uses GNOME 3.

      But I guess, you aren’t happy now ;)

    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      They’re using GNOME3… U MAD? ;)

    • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

      Ditch Gnome and switch to LXDE.MUCH nicer! :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=531580499 Richard Oliver

    not gonna lie… unity is a MASSIVE error from ubuntu, they should ditch it and switch to GNOME3, it’s MUCH nicer! :D

  • http://twitter.com/chris_winter_ Chris Winter

    does these tips work for unity 2D?… I’m currently putting ubuntu onto my brothers computer and it doesn’t work well with compiz but works great with unity 2D.

    I don’t want him having them three extra icons that you can’t remove (with a simple right click) as it will just confuse him (as everything he needs is already “stuck” to the launcher)

  • http://twitter.com/chris_winter_ Chris Winter

    does these tips work for unity 2D?… I’m currently putting ubuntu onto my brothers computer and it doesn’t work well with compiz but works great with unity 2D.

    I don’t want him having them three extra icons that you can’t remove (with a simple right click) as it will just confuse him (as everything he needs is already “stuck” to the launcher)

  • Chad Germann

    sudo apt-get install twm,  than select twm as your window manager at login.  Does not get more minimalistic than that.

    oh yeah and as far as being scared of the virtual terminals Get off my lawn

  • Dimitar Dimitrov

    Here is my minimal-looking narwhal desktop:

    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      What font is used there?

    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      What font is used there?

      • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

        Looks like Droid Sans to me.

      • Dimitar Dimitrov

        The font is Ubuntu of course.

    • Anonymous

      linus would agree :p

    • http://dylanmtaylor.com aliendude5300

      I wish Ubuntu would just go back to GNOME Classic. It’s so much more usable. In Oneiric, they’re planning on dropping it completely.

      • Anonymous

        But like many things, it’s down to personal preference.
        I don’t think Gnome 3/shell is that great but I though classic gnome was horrible.
        The 2 panel setup was a dreadful waste of space and I could never understand why they hung on to that horrible menu, long after other OS had moved to search-able menus.
        It was usable, yes.  But I hated doing so eventually.

        • http://technoangina.tumblr.com Technoangina

          I agree that 2 panels was too much and not necessary, but unity takes up far for screen real estate.  

      • Anonymous

        the problem with classic gnome is that it was way too customizable (yes, thats actually a problem for new users).

        people would lose/remove essential applets and even panels without realizing it, making the desktop unusable….

        It was something i saw very often with customers / friends…

        unity doesnt only cuts on those type of problems, but also adds a good search.

        yes its still buggy and needs some more features, but gladly thats coming in upcoming versions.

        • http://twitter.com/weberc2 Craig Weber

          Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer much that couldn’t have been accomplished by other existing softwares, such as docky and Gnome Do. Both of which are much more customizable, less-buggy, and better-implemented than Unity.

          Different for the sake of different is bad design and a waste of time/energy.

        • Anonymous

          A single “Restore default layout” button would solve this “problem”.

          That’s a pretty bad excuse for removing options to customise your desktop experience. Aren’t we here because we don’t like how Apple and Microsoft dictate our ways in desktop computing? Are we just willing to exchange them both for, let’s say, Shuttleworth’s whim? I don’t think so.

      • Anonymous

        the problem with classic gnome is that it was way too customizable (yes, thats actually a problem for new users).

        people would lose/remove essential applets and even panels without realizing it, making the desktop unusable….

        It was something i saw very often with customers / friends…

        unity doesnt only cuts on those type of problems, but also adds a good search.

        yes its still buggy and needs some more features, but gladly thats coming in upcoming versions.

    • Anonymous

      wow!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000401245700 Martin Doležal
    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      I should have asked in here earlier, but I spent an hour looking for that! Thanks man.

    • http://www.facebook.com/logicsunrise Logic Sunrise

      Martin, you absolutly rockkkkkks !! wanted to ask for, my Imac 27 will love it ! thousan of thanks.

  • https://launchpad.net/~dfoxpro Amaeth

    And… how to remove the trash can from the unity?

  • ike ahloe

    i don’t think removing these things aesthetically makes anything look cleaner. I think unity looks fine. i wish the functionality of dash/launcher was tweaked a bit. but aesthetically, the difference in this image is not very noticeable… who wants a huge wasted launcher bar…. just have it autohide, there’s nothing clean about big wasted bar space, a clean launcher looks like a full launcher without too many overflowing icons, useless bulk area is what is unclean to me.

    • Anonymous

      i did it that way because it happened often tha i was running hundreds of apps and those launchers invaded space of other apps. and it is autohide active.

  • ike ahloe

    i don’t think removing these things aesthetically makes anything look cleaner. I think unity looks fine. i wish the functionality of dash/launcher was tweaked a bit. but aesthetically, the difference in this image is not very noticeable… who wants a huge wasted launcher bar…. just have it autohide, there’s nothing clean about big wasted bar space, a clean launcher looks like a full launcher without too many overflowing icons, useless bulk area is what is unclean to me.

  • Ziv Leyes

    This is my minimalistic desktop work space:

  • http://twitter.com/DisntrstdObsrvr Irfan

    I would appreciate some information on how to remove every thing from the desktop, launcher and the top horizontal bar (I have just started using Ubuntu, so I am not aware of the Ubuntu specific names; it’s called task bar in Windows). I am interested in a clean look, something resembling my current Vista desktop whose screenshot I am attaching with this message. It’s blank, as you will be able to see, and that’s the look I am interested in. A post with information on how to achieve this would be highly appreciated.

    • https://launchpad.net/~david4dev david4dev

      I wonder if you are actually being serious ;) Anyway you can use openbox. Just install the `openbox` package then log out and choose openbox from the drop down menu in the bottom right hand side of the login screen.

    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      I’m surprised you went through the trouble of attaching a black square.

  • http://twitter.com/dbrenha daniel brenha

    cool thing you missed was the lack of gradient on the panel 

    sudo mv /usr/share/themes/Ambiance/gtk-2.0/apps/img/panel.png /usr/share/themes/Ambiance/gtk-2.0/apps/img/panel.png.old

    to restore:

    sudo mv /usr/share/themes/Ambiance/gtk-2.0/apps/img/panel.png.old /usr/share/themes/Ambiance/gtk-2.0/apps/img/panel.png

    • Anonymous

      hi, i just don’t like it. but thanks

  • Anonymous

    Leaving all that empty space in the menubar/panel?
    I want to see more of it being used for something useful instead of more dead space.
    But that’s just me…

    • Anonymous

      when you run 1000 apps at the same time and all your launchers invade their space and you don’t know what is running and what is not is what made me do that. works fine for me. and anyway you have those buttons on the dash.

  • http://twitter.com/mattmartin4 Matt Martin

    here’s my minimal desktop!

    • http://twitter.com/samhorne Samuel Horne

      Oooh I like that… which DE is it? ;)

      • http://twitter.com/MotionShot Heimen Stoffels

        Winbuntu.

        • Anonymous

          ubundows

    • christoph411

      I don’t like the way that windows works, but I must admit that it can look pretty damn good! 

      • http://twitter.com/mattmartin4 Matt Martin

        Totally… I only use windows on my home desktop as it does everything at home e.g. steam but i got unity on work  pc.

    • http://profiles.google.com/omgitsadammm Adam Martinez

      Funny thing is, this can probably easily be replicated with KDE 4 :P

      • Anonymous

        Nope it can’t. First of all, ‘Show then application is not running’ is still quite buggy, it crashes, launchers disappear when working with multiple workspaces. I know there is Smooth Tasks plasmoid but I hate when launchers of running apps move to the end – no consistency.

    • Anonymous

      WHERES THE HATE BUTTON >:(

      • http://twitter.com/mattmartin4 Matt Martin

        stop the hating.. i love ubuntu / unity but its doesn’t mean its the be all and end all – embrace it all :)

  • Anonymous

    Another extremely mediocre post from OMG Ubuntu

  • Anonymous

    Another extremely mediocre post from OMG Ubuntu

  • Glaasje

    This is my (not so) minimalistic desktop!
    http://ubuntuone.com/p/18vZ/

    • Anonymous

      ahem, why is there a red windows launcher icon with THREE WINDOWS?!?!?! >:(

      • Glaasje

        Haha!
        I was installing gta4. ;)
        (dont blame me that i like that game!) ^^

        Note: thats my only windows thing on my laptop :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

    I just ROFL’ed… out of all the Minimal desktop you guys have published this is the most, uhmm how do i say it, ehmm yeah i can’t describe it with words just with a *FACEPALM*.

    You can’t just remove all but one of the icons and one indicator and call it Minimal wth!, lazy bums try harder your previous choices were far better.

  • http://www.20b.org/rickroll.html Laurențiu Roman

    That minimal-looking screenshot is nice, also the minimal looking chrome, except for the clusterf*** that is the webpage loaded inside :D

    I’m sorry if i come off as being a jerk, but i just wanted to point out the contrast. :)

  • http://www.20b.org/rickroll.html Laurențiu Roman

    That minimal-looking screenshot is nice, also the minimal looking chrome, except for the clusterf*** that is the webpage loaded inside :D

    I’m sorry if i come off as being a jerk, but i just wanted to point out the contrast. :)

  • Chad Germann

    here you go a minimalistic seskot that will put hair on your chest.
    twm the only window manager you need
    http://xwinman.org/screenshots/twm-system.gif

    • http://twitter.com/toxicbits toxicbits

      Cool wallpaper :)

      • Chad Germann

        that is the complete lack of a wallpaper  at one time that “tweed pattern” was what appeared on the screen when X was first called.

  • Anonymous

    I…. I don’t get it.

  • http://profiles.google.com/omgitsadammm Adam Martinez

    Not sure why you guys don’t see the point of it. I did everything except removing the me-menu & messaging indicators, and I LOVE it. Without the workspace and applications icon, it really looks much cleaner.  :D

    • Anonymous

      Well removing the applications/places and workspace launchers makes a lot of sense since they seem pretty much useless and makes more room for “real” launchers.

      Nothing wrong with removing indicators if you never use them but I do and I like to see my panel space being used for something.

    • Anonymous

      well I removed them because I don’t really chat, and I use gmail instead of evolution. I don’t have a facebook. but i think the best part of it was the wallpaper by bazdesh (on flickr)

  • Anonymous

    While making your desktop minimal certainly looks cool, I cant really see the point. Sure it looks cool but that also cuts down on functionality. As far as simplicity is concerned, it does add to the simplicity but that essentially is poinless because its your desktop. Your desktop means that you are the person using every day and you know how it works. It can be the most complicated and cluttered thing in the world but since you are the person using every day, you know how it works. The only incentive I see in having a simple desktop is for screenshot contests.

    I run a blog. Come join me and lets talk tech:
    http://www.tekkidd.com/

    • http://arroyocallejas.tumblr.com Juan Carlos Arroyo Callejas

      but you have those shortcuts on the dash, a 1 keystrock also. i use it everyday since i upgraded to unity and it works well and fast FOR ME. thanks for replying :)

    • Anonymous

      But that also goes for minimal desktops, if YOU know what you need to do and how to do it then I suppose your not losing functionality.
      That being said, I hate the overly minimal look myself and really don’t see the point in those people who have minimal for the sake of being minimal and DO struggle to use their desktop for everything.

      Someone I know runs his desktop (KDE) completely blank, just wallpaper with no panels, docks or taskbars.
      He uses krunner and a screen edge to bring up present windows to switch between windows and that’s it.
      It works brilliantly… for him.  I can’t do it, I like big icons and menus and stuff.

  • http://profiles.google.com/jonathan.almeida942 Jonathan Almeida

    I’ll be honest…

    I.Don’t.Get.It

    So basically, to make a minimal desktop you remove all the launchers in the sidebar? That’s the only difference between my desktop and the one in the screenshot. I don’t quite understand why it’s necessary to arrange the workspaces in a linear format.

    • Feisty Fawn

      This tip could be helpful to me, as sometimes I don’t want other people know that I have other wrokspaces.

  • George Garrett

    So I tried this out and now the Ubuntu Software Center won’t install any programs; keeps giving me errors.  Wonderful

  • Anonymous

    This does bring up the question again though:
    We does unity have the applications and planes lenses when the logo dash does it all anyway?

  • Saie Surendra

    One thing that people new to ubuntu keep complaining about is that, usually when you minimise software, you can find it at the bottom in the taskbar (windows) and on a mac, you have a nicer dock with the same use…. but what happens when you minimise in unity?

    I often get people to add docky or a taskbar panel.
    It would be nice if unity displayed minimised apps :S..
    I also think it would be necesary (like for example with firefox where you minimise many windows).. when you right click the app.. it shows the names and little preview of the windows it has.. and you just pick)

  • Anonymous

    easier method:
    sudo apt-get install xfce4

    • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

      or:
      sudo apt-get install lxde
      People post on here like Gnome is the ONLY DE….
      Funny

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000403970573 Esteban Acosta

    I don’t know, I think I would rather leave Unity as is. The problem is that it looks worse to have an empty panel than to have it filled with launchers. It looks so much more useful that way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/gingerboy92 Syukri Lajin

    I think Unity is one of the cleanest UI i have ever seen. the only thing that appears all the time is the top panel, which is needed for indicator n time stuff. Gnome shell UI is good too, but it displays too much info on the windows selection stuff. that is just my personal opinion.

  • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

    My half minimal desktop currently:
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8850924/Images/Desktop.png

  • http://twitter.com/AndyGait Andy Gait

    Here’s my perfect desktop. Good ol’ Gnome 2 on Ubuntu 10.4.3 LTS
    http://tinyurl.com/45x9zkl

 
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