A visual introduction to your desktop, the top bar, and the activities overview.
Shaun McCance
shaunm@gnome.org
Michael Hill
mdhillca@gmail.com
David Aguilera
david.aguilera.moncusi@gmail.com 2011

# Introduction to GNOME

GNOME 3 features a completely reimagined user interface designed to stay out of your way, minimize distractions, and help you get things done. When you first log in, you will see an empty desktop and the top bar.

GNOME shell top bar

GNOME shell top bar

The top bar provides access to your windows and applications, your calendar and appointments, and system properties like sound, networking, and power. Under your name in the top bar, you can set your availability, change your profile or settings, log out or switch users, or turn off your computer.

# Activities overview

Activities button

Activities button

To access your windows and applications, click the Activities button, or just move your mouse pointer to the top-left hot corner. You can also press the Super key on your keyboard. You can see your windows and applications in the overview. You can also just start typing to search your applications, files, and folders.

To access your windows and applications, click the Applications menu at the top left of the screen and select the Activities Overview item. You can also press the Super key to see your windows and applications in the Activities overview. Just start typing to search your applications, files, and folders.

The dash

On the left of the overview, you will find the dash. The dash shows you your favorite and running applications. Click any icon in the dash to open that application; if the application is already running, it will be highlighted. Clicking its icon will bring up the most recently used window. You can also drag the icon to the overview, or onto any workspace on the right.

Right-clicking the icon displays a menu that allows you to pick any window in a running application, or to open a new window. You can also click the icon while holding down Ctrl to open a new window.

When you enter the overview, you will initially be in the windows overview. This shows you live thumbnails of all the windows on the current workspace. Click any window to focus that window and exit the overview. You can also use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in on any window thumbnail.

Click the grid button at the bottom of the dash to display the applications overview. This shows you all the applications installed on your computer. Click any application to run it, or drag an application to the overview or onto a workspace thumbnail. You can also drag an application onto the dash to make it a favorite. Your favorite applications stay in the dash even when they're not running, so you can access them quickly.

Learn more about starting applications.

Learn more about windows and workspaces.

# Clock, calendar & appointments

Clock, calendar, and appointments

Clock, calendar, and appointments

Click the clock on the top bar to see the current date, a month-by-month calendar, and a list of your upcoming appointments. You can also access the date and time settings and open your full Evolution calendar directly from the menu.

Learn more about the calendar and appointments.

# You and your computer

User menu

User menu

Click your name in the top-right corner to manage your profile and your computer.

You can quickly set your availability directly from the menu. This will set your status for your contacts to see in instant messaging applications such as Empathy.

shaunm

These are separate now. Write another blurb about "Notifications". I'm also dropping shell-session-status UNTIL the docs for this get cleared up. It was orphaned and incorrect.

The menu also allows you to edit your personal information and change the system settings.

When you leave your computer, you can lock your screen to prevent other people from using it. You can quickly switch users without logging out completely to give somebody else access to the computer. Or you can suspend or power off the computer from the menu.

Learn more about switching users, logging out, and turning off your computer.

# Lock Screen

Lock Screen

When you lock your screen, or it locks automatically, the lock screen is displayed. In addition to protecting your desktop while you're away from your computer, the lock screen displays the date, time, and your name as the logged-in user. It also shows information about your battery and network status, and allows you to control media playback.

Learn more about the lock screen.

# Message Tray

Message tray

The message tray can be brought into view by pushing your mouse pointer against the bottom of the screen or by pressing Super M. This is where your notifications are stored until you are ready to view them.

Learn more about notifications and the message tray.

# Window List

GNOME features a different approach to switching windows than a permanently visible window list found in other desktop environments. This lets you focus on the task at hand without distractions.

Learn more about switching windows.

Window List

The window list at the bottom of the screen provides access to all your open windows and applications and lets you quickly minimize and restore them.

At the right-hand side of the window list, GNOME displays a short identifier for the current worskpace, such as 1 for the first (top) workspace. In addition, the identifier also displays the total number of available workspaces. To switch to a different workspace, you can click the identifier and select the workspace you want to use from the menu.

If an application or a system component wants to get your attention, it will display a blue icon at the right-hand side of the window list. Clicking the blue icon shows the message tray.