Gnome by default only shows the close button on windows. And the user must right-click the window title bar to access the minimize option. But this can be fixed. The user may use the gsettings option to enable the other buttons.
┗━━━━━━━━━━┓ john@localhost ~/Videos ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━╾ ╍▷ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout "close,minimize,maximize:" |
This works instantly to reinstate the buttons and make Gnome more usable.
The GNOME desktop environment for Linux has been designed to provide a modern, streamlined user interface that emphasizes simplicity, ease of use, and productivity. The lack of traditional minimize and maximize buttons is part of this design philosophy. In GNOME, windows can be minimized by clicking on the application icon in the dock or by pressing the Super key (the key with the Windows logo) and the Down arrow key. To maximize a window, you can click and hold on the title bar and drag it to the top of the screen, or you can press the Super key and the Up arrow key. The idea behind this design is to minimize clutter on the screen and make it easier to manage multiple windows at once. By reducing the number of buttons and controls, GNOME aims to make the interface more intuitive and user-friendly. Additionally, GNOME supports keyboard shortcuts and gestures, which can help to speed up common tasks and workflows. It’s worth noting that while GNOME may be reminiscent of a mobile interface in some ways, it was actually designed for desktop and laptop computers. However, its focus on simplicity and ease of use has made it popular among users who appreciate its clean and modern look.