Ubuntu

Where the window widgets belong

Asked by edbear

With the advent of 10.4 Lucid Lynx, and its "applesque" top-left-corner window widgets to maximize/minimize/close the window, we heard a lot of fighting about whether they belong on the left or right. And there are some ways to switch them.

BUT - what I really crave is the old Windows-3.1-style widgets, with max/min on the right and close on the left! That was great - ever since MicroEvil put them on the same corner in 9x, I've cursed how often I accidentally close a window, often requiring considerable delay and effort to restore my work view.

Is there (or can there be) any way to do this? It's been a real time-waster for fifteen years now! Remember, re-opening a program can take considerable time, as can adjusting windows and the like. Sure, you can sometimes save iews, but that doesn't work for ad-hoc setups.
ED BEAR
<email address hidden>
(not enough computer to enable screen effects)

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GREG T.
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Best GREG T. (ubuntuer) said : 		#1

on either side . open terminal enter gconf-editor then in the list go to
/apps/metacity/general
button_layout
 double click or right click then you can change from right to left .
 i have mine on the left = minus ,maximize , space, close .
you can go to system- preference- appearance then get more themes online and have a look around .

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edbear (edbear) said : 		#2

Hey, thanks, Greg! That works a treat!

As I intended my submission to be advocacy for the default arrangement I prefer, I hadn't mentioned my own current setup - which is Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron (new machine now in testing to run 8.10 Intrepid Ibyx because I want GIMP, not Maciness or social networking) on AMD Duron 850 with 512MB RAM.

Metacity wanted slightly different syntax from that you mentioned, using [space]: to separate right and left corner locations.

I went with: close,menu :minimize,maximize

Now we'll see if I can live with that despite having to use other people's systems with close on the top right!

Crux, with its purple replaced by coca-cola's website red, is my preferred theme.

Wonderful to have access to such quick, intelligent response. Wish I could contribute more, but I'm limited to evangelizing, installing and supporting locals.

ED BEAR<<(+*+)>>
 (SASK//proved)

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GREG T. (ubuntuer) said : 		#3

take a a look here http://art.gnome.org/themes/metacity
 i use clearlook 2 - squared berries