Ask HN: Is Gnome desktop still Turing complete?

5 pointsLangIsAllWeNeed3y ago2 comments

Sometimes I wonder when I have to download 3 extensions to minimize windows or when it takes multiple seconds to snap windows.---- Has Gnome accidentally rendered the linux kernel turing incomplete?

Has Alan turing written anything on higher level abstractions undermining turing completeness? How can I test if gnome is indeed turing complete? I don't want to be turing incomplete. My code will be less clean if my confidence is a bit lower knowning my computer can't do all computations. How can it be Turing complete if I can't minimize and my default calculator app looks like its from toy r us? Gnome devs if your out there can you make sure the linux kernel is still turing complete when I run Gnome on top? I'm scraping wikipedia for the church turing hypothesis right now but I'm not so good at math.

2 comments

2 comments · 1 top-level

pwg3y ago· 1 in thread

> Sometimes I wonder when I have to download 3 extensions to minimize windows or when it takes multiple seconds to snap windows

FVWM2 here. It comes, out of the box, with the ability to minimize windows (and maximize for that matter), no extensions needed. I also have a few custom "snaps" setup (if I'm interpreting what you mean by "snap" correctly). The snap is instant once activated.

FVWM2 is also nearly infinitely configurable, you can set it up to do just about anything you want. I can raise, and lower, windows using any window border and a mouse click. I can configure how many buttons I want in the title bars, and exactly what each does when activated. They can either do direct actions, or open menus containing further actions. Those actions can also call external programs for even more advanced functions.

LangIsAllWeNeedOP3y ago

Thanks I will actually look how to use that thing up, because I am getting tired of having to download gnome tweaks just to make minimize button visible or to allow use minimize via middle click and also impatience extension to speed up animations.

I was primarily joking, I like gnome kinda and mostly of understand why they sacrifice configuration and flexibility for simplicity, focus and stability.