this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2023
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Hi everyone,

I'd like to have my apps as tiles within a full-screen view (ideally called via pressing the Windows button on the keyboard) in Linux, pretty much the Windows Metro look as seen above. I have all the icon files and just need to link them to the apps themselves. Might you know of a way to do that?

Thanks for your help! Temperche

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[–] Diplomjodler@feddit.de 101 points 1 year ago (1 children)

BRB, gotta wash out my eyes with bleach now.

[–] DaGeek247@kbin.social 53 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Meh, i hate the design too, but i can absolutely support someone looking into making their linux install more personal.

[–] flashgnash@lemm.ee 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It sucks when forced on you by Microsoft but when the suffering is entirely self inflicted it's way more fun

[–] DaGeek247@kbin.social 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Heck, that's practically the unofficial linux motto.

[–] flashgnash@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

I am somewhat convinced some part of my brain is just an agent of chaos and wants to see me suffer because the moment I get something working nicely I suddenly get the urge to change everything

[–] Diplomjodler@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago

Sure. Whatever. But Windows 8 is really the last theme I'd ever choose.

[–] p5f20w18k@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It looks pretty good but its usability is shit

[–] HouseWolf@lemm.ee 66 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I haven't tested it myself personally but this menu for KDE seems to be what you're looking for?

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 1 year ago

Wow! Thanks. I absolutely love this style, but I know I am in a great minority in that, so I didn't even think anyone had done this.

[–] kuneho@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

oh wow, looks pretty nice

[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 57 points 1 year ago (3 children)

There will always be someone requesting the weirdest Windows features.

[–] brax@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Right? I'm thinking "who the frig would willingly choose this of all options‽" 🤣

[–] Drito@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I like that for Windows phones. I still have one. Screen space is saved. You choose the app you want on the main screen from a clean list instead of an icon profusion. Nowadays all phones interfaces are the same and less good than the Windows Phone interface.

Its cool on phones, but I admit, I don't need that on PC.

[–] Jean_Lurk_Picard@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

This is the UI of my nightmares

[–] LiveLM@lemmy.zip 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

KDE has some app launchers that look just like this, but last time I tried them, they were a little buggy🫠
But yeah, I think that would be your best bet. A good Win 8 style launcher for KDE and Kwin rules to make all apps launch fullscreen automatically.

Here's some launchers that might fit the bill:
https://store.kde.org/p/1584342/
https://store.kde.org/p/1897990/
https://store.kde.org/p/1364064/
https://store.kde.org/p/1677095/
https://store.kde.org/p/1973454/

This one is the most similar, however it did not work for me:
https://store.kde.org/p/1932321

[–] Dr_Willis@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 year ago

It's going to depend on what desktop environment you are using, the default Gnome launcher has a huge full screen launcher setup.

there may be gnome extensions for another look.

Gnome is not the same look, but similar in its oversized UI.

I hate it.:)

I tend to use some other quick launchers. or a simple nested applications menu.

[–] x2XS2L0U@feddit.de 11 points 1 year ago

I use rofi (on my machine with dmenu theme) and after some digging I found this: https://github.com/Dartegnian/rofi-metro You may use this on any distro as there are very few dependencies to run this simple launcher :)

[–] Guenther_Amanita@feddit.de 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I don't have a particular DE in my mind that offers this feature out of the box, but if one offers that, then it's KDE. Search for it in their application starter menu section, there's one for sure!

Question is: why do you want that?
It's wrong to judge one for their taste, that's sure. To be fair, I even liked the W8 menu when it came out.

The problem with it is, that it creates a "dive in"-effect, similar to when you enter a room and then forget what you wanted in the first place.

I personally would recommend you Vanilla Gnome. It has a similar, simplistic design language and the overview creates the opposite effect. Instead of the "enter a new room", the activity overview disconnects you from your current task and makes task switching easier while not forgetting what you originally wanted.

Are there any other reasons for why you chose the menu?

[–] mvirts@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

I'm coming from a place of complete ignorance on this, but I'm guessing this would be a straightforward gnome extension. The app menu is almost this already

[–] histic@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago

depending on how much your willing to learn eww(elowars wacky widgets) would be a very good option

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 year ago

Gnome overview maybe?

[–] Presi300@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

There is a KDE Plasma widget that adds a metroUI style tiled launch screen to the desktop... Though I don't remember it's name atm

[–] H2207@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

You could hack something together with KDE widgets (plasmoids I think?), creating an array of app launchers on your desktop.

It'd be a completly manual way of doing it though, so up to you if you think it's worth it.

[–] WhoDestroysTheGond@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

I'm with you; I like the Metro style. If you have an Android phone, the Square Home launcher is a great implementation.

[–] Secret300@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

KDE has the option