I've migrated my desktop to GNOME3, and miss a log of functionality. Among the most annoying missing parts for me is a non-dynamic set of virtual desktops and a pager applet to go with it.
I have found that the x11-misc/ipager app to be a useful replacement along with gnome-tweak-tool. The gnome-tweak-tool allows setting non-dynamic desktops, (Shell | Dynamic workspaces -> Off, set the count of desktops you want.) The ipager app can then be emerged and configured. Here is my ipager.conf file: --------------------------- icon.spacing: 5 icon.min_width: 24 icon.max_width: 48 icon.min_height: 24 icon.max_height: 48 icon.maximize_threshold: 0.9 # # IPager window position # ipager.window.x: 1400 ipager.window.y: 860 # should IPager starts in slit? ipager.in_slit: no # # display_sticky_windows: no display_shaded_windows: yes # [ yes | no | mouseOver ] display_window_icon: mouseOver # # Button to switch workspaces # # # [ left | right | middle | any ] # or # set of buttons like: # left, right # middle, right # switch_workspace.button: any # mouse.scroll.up: nextWorkspace mouse.scroll.down: prevWorkspace # # Delta (in pixels) # # when an workspace icon changes its size # IPager compare new values and previous. # If they differ less then 'zoom.recreate_icon_delta' then # IPager continues to use an old icon and just zoom it. # If the sizes differ more 'zoom.recreate_icon_delta's value, # then IPager creates a new icon picture. # it is not very efficient to create icons often. # zoom.recreate_icon_delta: 0 # Defines style of zooming icons. Should an icon spacing be expandig or # an active workspace icon lays over other (cross them)? # # [zoomAndExpand | over] # zoom.type: over display_workspace_number: no workspace_number.color: #FFFF00 ttf_font_path: /usr/share/fonts/TTF ttf_font: Vera/14 # # Background image for IPager window # #ipager.background.image: /path/to/image.png # # Colors (#RRGGBB) # ipager.background.color: #00FFFF ipager.border.color: #000000 workspace.background.color: #0000C0 workspace.border.color: #000000 active_workspace.background.color: #00FF00 active_workspace.border.color: #FFFFFF window.background.color: #A47D73 window.border.color: active_window.background.color: #F09029 active_window.border.color: #FFFFFF selection_color: #FF0001 -------------------------------------------------------- This puts a static pager bar in the bottom-right of my desktop with a cool blue feel. This spot is below where I stash the GKrellM panel. It is not the most convenient configuration file, but it also has not been worked on since Sep 2008. You can also add ipager to the gnome-session-properties set. The program live in /usr/bin/ipager use "-c /home/<user>/<wherever you want>/ipager.conf" with the program.
