Battle of the Docks, Cairo Dock Vs Avant Window Navigator.
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Hardy,
How To,
Technology,
Ubuntu
Ever since I have been using Linux it became default to install a dock for my desktop. I generally replace my window list that is usually in the gnome panel, with a dock. In order for the dock to have its clean finish you do need to have composite enabled (Compiz), There are many how-to's online that will guide you through a Compiz installation.
For a long time I have been using Avant Window Navigator or AWN and was very impressed with its clean look and all around feel. Just recently I gave Cairo Dock a try. The abandoned GNOME-Dock project which is similar to AWN but has its own unique feel. Here are screenshots of both of them running on my system with basic themes.
Avant Window Navigator
Cairo Dock
Both look pretty much the same "out of the box". However, I will go over the pros and cons for the overall functions of both docks.
Avant Window Navigator
Pros:
-Great default theme
-You can easily download new themes from http://gnome-look.org
-Preferences window has easy navigation.
-Tons of applets come in the extra-applets package
-I like the 3D turn effect available
-Very clean look
-It is a part of the Google Code project so it is very easy to get information.
-Only used about 3.5mb of RAM
Cons:
-Difficult at times to right click the bottom left corner for the preferences window to open up.
Cairo Dock
Pros:
-Comes with 11 themes by default.
-preferences with has very advanced features to tweak the dock in every way possible
-Preferences window also has an "easy mode" for simple navigation.
-Comes with a very nice looking clock widget that has themes at gnome-look
-nice right click menu that has a great interface with lots of options.
Cons
-If it has additional themes, i didn't find any.
-Used more ram than AWN.
-Website for Cairo Dock is not as organized as the google project website for AWN.
-Overall look was not as nice.
-Comes with a very nice looking clock widget that has themes at gnome-look
-nice right click menu that has a great interface with lots of options.
Cons
-If it has additional themes, i didn't find any.
-Used more ram than AWN.
-Website for Cairo Dock is not as organized as the google project website for AWN.
-Overall look was not as nice.
After using both programs, i still like using Avant Window Navigator rather than Cairo Dock. Avant's applets are much better, and the custom themes from gnome-look are great. Cairo dock still seems a bit plain, like the Gnome Dock did. Each has a few things that the other doesn't, but overall AWN is the winner in my mind.
Installation
Avant is available in the Universe repository so just fire up Synaptic and search for avant. Make sure you download the applets as well.
EDIT: As noted by a developer in a comment to this post. The Awn developers have a Personal Package Archive (PPA). Check out that link for installation instructions too. Thanks for the information moonbeam. More information available at their wiki
Cairo Dock has a .deb package available Here, version 1.6.0.1 was the latest verion! Download the plug-ins .deb also.
EDIT: Thanks for the comment. Cairo's official website is HERE
More information on Cairo Here
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June 20, 2008 10:17 PM
As a awn developer I would like to thank you for your kind review. I'd also like to mention that we have a PPA repository for Ubuntu that is frequently updated with the newest builds from trunk. Information can be found at our wiki
Once again thank you for you support.
June 20, 2008 10:23 PM
Nice article, but Awn's main page has moved over to Launchpad, at https://launchpad.net/awn
There is also a wiki set up at http://wiki.awn-project.org/
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