Fedora 17 - Customize Gnome

After installation, there’s a number of things I like to tweak for a comfortable working environment, as well as modify what software is installed. Please note that this is Gnome specific.

Tweak User Interface with gnome-tweak-tool

gnome-tweak-tool can be used to modify several settings. Before we can use it, we have to install it.

As root,

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yum install gnome-tweak-tool

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Open gnome-tweak-tool, found in Activities -> Applications -> Advanced Settings, and let’s start changing things!

Desktop

• Turn Have file manager handle the desktop on
• This turns the desktop back on, including Computer, Trash, and other such icons

Files

• Turn Always show location entry, instead of the pathbar on
• In the Nautilus file manager, this allows you to type in the path to display, instead of clicking.

Shell

• Turn Show date in clock on
• This displays the date on the top of the screen, along with the clock
• Change Arrangement of buttons on the titlebar to All
• This brings back the maximize and minimize buttons. 

Theme

• Turn Menus Have Icons on
• This shows icons next to menu items. I prefer them.
• Turn Buttons Have Icons on
• This shows icons next to buttons. These two options make the user interface slightly more efficient, in my humble opinion.

Windows

• Chage Action on title bar middle click to Toggle shade
• When the title bar of a window is middle clicked, it will shade the window. Shading will remove the contents from view, leaving just the menu bar. Similar to rolling up a window shade to see outside.