Cybalusion

March 23, 2025

Let's take a look at 17 years ago. The world was more optimistic. Most people used Windows Vista, some used Mac OS X Leopard, and others used Debian 4.0 or Ubuntu 7.04. Imagine those colorful, realistic 3D icons. That texture of the Vista taskbar! KDE 3's Kickoff Menu button was smooth as marble. Look at everything then. Everything was very peaceful.

Then came Corporate Memphis.

We forgot about all what we have and started making everything as simple and uninteresting as possible. Look at Windows 11 - looks like it's straight out of a laboratory! macOS Sequoia feels as if it's drawn by a sleeping toddler! It should have been the other way round! We should've made everything more complex and detailed! Admit it. Deadpool's right. With great power comes irresponsibility. The bigger companies get, the greedier they become, the more minimalistic they are. I can't even paste without Copilot popping up!

So, I encourage you. If you have an old PC lying around that's too old for Windows 11, consider installing a Linux distribution. I've run Linux Mint Cinnamon themed as Windows 7 on an old laptop that originally came with Windows 7. So much quicker.

March 24, 2025

GNOME seems... well, boring, after using the default style and layout. I'm already tired of the full-screen application menu. I can't access my favourite applications easily. What do I do? An application called GNOME Extensions comes to the rescue.

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions (Debian)

sudo pacman -S gnome-shell-extensions (Arch)

sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extensions (Fedora)

The extensions that I used above

1. Dash To Panel: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1160/dash-to-panel/

2. Blur My Shell: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3193/blur-my-shell/

3. Search Light: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/5489/search-light/

4. Compiz Wobbly Windows: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3210/compiz-windows-effect/

5. Compiz Magic Lamp Effect: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3740/compiz-alike-magic-lamp-effect/

6. Desktop Cube: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4648/desktop-cube/

7. Burn My Windows: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4679/burn-my-windows/

For each one of them, click 'Install', then 'Open link', then there will be a pop-up window asking if you want to install it. Click 'Install' on the pop-up window.

How to configure them for the look above Set Dash To Panel's position to top and border radius to maximum. I enabled 'show favourite applications' and hid the wi-fi and sound menu. Set Search Light's key combination to Ctrl + Space (because on macOS it's command + space) Set Blur My Shell to 40, and Burn My Windows to 'window break'. Disable the Maximise effect in Compiz Wobbly Windows and make the mass light.

And here you go - a unique GNOME setup.

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