How many Virtual Desktops are favored

[dietrichw]

I am currently using 4 virtual desktops with my SuSE system. However all my friends are using 6 on their systems. And so this got me curious on just what the norm was. So just how many multiple desktops are people using on their Linux machines?

[roamingnomad]

On this topic, I share the opinion of ESR.


If "you find using virtual desktops tends to leave you disoriented and wondering why everybody thought this was a neat feature." you might want to use his big blue steel desktop.

So I only have one virtual desktop.

[drummerboy195]

I have found that even doing the most multitasking I can handle, Ive never used more than three. One for internet, one for OpenOffice, and one for the GIMP, while working on a project fro school last year.

[MartinB]

I'm using Fluxbox and have 4 virtual desktops, titled "Admin", "Work & Internet", "Entertainment" and "Contact".

"Admin" is for command shells, file management stuff.
"Work and Internet" is for web browsing, OpenOffice and The GIMP.
"Entertainment" is for media players and games.
"Contact" is for LICQ, GAIM and X-Chat.

Also, mouse wheeling in Fluxbox to change desktops rules.

[Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379]

4 for me... I just use the next desktop once I fill one up with windows.

[juicelooser]

I use 6 -
1 is for the web browser or if i'm using openoffice
2 is for communication (email, im)
3 is for coding
4 and 5 are for overflow
6 is for 'background' apps (xmms, folding at home, etc)

[Stween]

8, personally. Not that I've ever filled all 8, but better too much than too little; I've had 7 occupied at one particular moment.

Generally I have one for a web browser/irc client, one for a couple of consoles, xmms/cd player, and the rest are for work. So many consoles, and many emacs sessions.

[serz]

Only one

[hammer123]

well I just read that someone had 8 so I just added 5 to the 4 I had before.

[bwkaz]

1

Virtual desktops are for wimps! twm forever!

[DerekKraan]

I use two. One for everything, and the other for the GIMP(or when I don't want anyone to see what I'm doing. )

[nothingbutlinux]

ONE?? Did I hear a couple peopel say ONE?? Goodness, there's a rather famous company out in Washington that creates an operating system with one desktop! I use more than one just on priciple! Actually, I use 8 ... why limit yourself?

[knute]

I have never seen the need for more than one desktop unless I was using more than one monitor.

I guess that way you can organize things so that they come up in very specific places every time. Doesn't that get boring after a while?

Personally, I can't wait till someone invents a holographic type monitor where you can have your files and programs all over the place!

And desktop really means on the top of your desk, instead of on a modified TV.

hehehehe....

[terribleRobbo]

I am currently dying the slow death at the moment while using Windows (one desktop with this install).

I can't live without virtual desktops... I multi-task rather heavily, so I usually have it organised in the following fashion:

1 - IRC + browser for IRC links, or if I'm doing coding, three consoles.

2 - Exclusively for brower.

3 - Admin, so 6 consoles, one for modem, one for miscellaneous admin-ing (eg. controlling MASQ), one for mplayer, one for the mixer, two for general use.

4 - Spillage, but usually a reference page in a browser if I'm coding (Ctrl-Alt-Left from desktop 1 will wrap me around to four... a useful 'wrinkle' I've found).


I jump around pretty regularily, and I'd go insane if I had to alt-tab through everything. And since the *box wms minimize-to-menu, it can stay neat if I need it to be. :P

</ramble>

[cybertron]

I use four. The first is where I generally put whatever I'm currently working on, the second is for helper stuff (like looking up stuff on the net while coding) or sometimes e-mail, the third I rarely use, although I have a terminal open in it most of the time, and the fourth is for background stuff, primarily my gui for MPlayer. Only once do I remember having actually filled up all four, while I was working on a project and taking screenshots with the Gimp while playing music. That's pretty rare, but I really miss having at least two or three virtual desktops when I'm booted to Windows. Definitely a personal preference though.