Installing Gnome Do on Ubuntu

Get produvtive with GENOME Do

We’re all swamped with information: emails, documents, pictures and the hundreds of websites we visit every week. There are two ways to deal with the data overload: Get organised and file everything in its right pace. Or you can use GNOME Do, a desktop launcher for Ubuntu in the style of Launchy for Windows and Katapult for KDE, which acts as your humble servant and finds exactly what you’re looking for when you’re looking for it. Sounds too good to be true? GNOME Do is still in the early stages of development but is already showing signs of becoming a desktop essential.

Using GNOME Do is simple enough. Use the meta key (usually the Windows key on most keyboards) and the spacebar to bring the search box to the front, then type in what it is you’re looking for. Looking for a directory? Type in “home” (for example) and GNOME Do will pop up your home directory. Looking for a document? Type in the name and as you’re typing GNOME Do will find documents with a similar name. When you’ve found the one you want hit the enter key and it will launch. The same is true of website URLs.

As you type in your query GNOME Do will pop up the options available to you. There is also a drop-down menu for when there is more than just one possible answer. Click elsewhere on the screen and GNOME Do goes away.

When installed GNOME Do instantly has access to Firefox favourites, applications and configuration tools on the Ubuntu desktop. There are also a good handful of plugins available for doing things such as playing music, accessing instant messaging tools and more.

Ideally Gnome Do is designed for the Gnome desktop environment but there are good reports of it working on KDE and Xubuntu as well.

Installing GNOME Do is very simple in Ubuntu:

First, add the following lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list file

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/rharding/ubuntu gutsy main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/rharding/ubuntu gutsy main

If you’re running Hardy Heron then change gutsy to hardy.

$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install gnome-do

Once that is done you’re ready to go … or Do!

Launch GNOME Do from the Applications -> Accessories menu.

[GNOME Do]

(source from : "http://www.tectonic.co.za" by Alastair Otter)