Desktop customization

Here are some desktop customizations to make using the desktop on an everyday basis more enjoyable. While the Linux and Unix Users Group at Virginia Tech does not endorse Windows, encountering the operating system is inevitable, so instructions on making the Windows desktop behave more like a *nix desktop are also included.

Terminal Here

While graphical file browsers offer luxuries such as file previews, they cannot match the power of the commandline. Below are some ways to speedily access the command line in the directory you are currently navigating.

Gnome

The Nautilus open terminal plugin is a very handy plugin to the Gnome file manager, Nautilus. With it, you can right-click in any folder and choose to open a terminal in that directory. To install it, follow the steps below"

$ sudo apt-get install nautilus-open-terminal

KDE

In KDE4, select Tools->Open Terminal or press shift+f4.

Windows XP

In Windows XP, you can install the Open Command Window Here PowerToy.

Sloppy Focus

Sloppy focus or focus follows mouse is a desktop navigation paradigm that originated on Unix systems. It has the advantage of needing less clicking, and, when clicking is set to not raise the active window, can allow input to windows that are not on top.

KDE

For KDE4, In System Settings, choose the Window Behavior dialog. Under the Focus tab, set the Policy to be Focus Follows Mouse and uncheck the Click raises active window box. To raise a window, use alt+tab or click on the titlebar.

Windows XP

Download the Tweak UI PowerToy and modify your mouse settings with it.

Virtual Desktops

Virtual desktops allows one to fill up a screen with open windows, move to a blank screen to work on other tasks, then come back to the windows exactly how you left them.

Windows XP

Again, there is a PowerToy for this.