A new version of the quick-firing Linux keyboard launcher GNOME Do landed last week, bringing with it a "theme" that acts as a whole new desktop interface. Let's check out how it works.

The fastest and most efficient way to navigate your Ubuntu/GNOME desktop is to learn the keyboard shortcuts that are available at your fingertips. With minimum effort, you can run applications, switch between windows or workspaces, take screenshots, and do other essential tasks. So if you want to increase your productivity, you have to know the all-important keys.

The GNOME based graphical launcher and keyboard launcher go their separate ways as the developers cut the source code cord

GNOME Do (Do) is an intelligent launcher tool that makes performing common tasks on your computer simple and efficient. “GNOME Do” not only allows you to search for items in your desktop environment (e.g. applications, contacts, bookmarks, files, music), it also allows you to specify actions to perform on search results (e.g. run, open, email, chat, play).

A video and its making of, about some utilities and tips to improve usability of a Gnu/Linux desktop: tilda, compiz, easystroke, gnome-globalmenu, keyboard layout, gnome-do, and keynav. Do you know all of them?

For those long time fans/users of Gnome-Do, you are now in for a good treat. The latest release of Gnome-Do now includes an interactive dock that you can place on your desktop and access the frequently used applications quickly and easily like any other docks.

Do is an application to find things on your system and quickly perform actions, similar to Quicksilver for OSX and GNOME Launch Box. It works on a variety of different desktop environments, including GNOME and KDE. Basically, all you need to do is to press Super + Space on your keyboard, and the Do dialog will open. Super is the Windows key on a PC, or the Command key on a Mac. Type in the name of an application, and Do will launch it for you.

Gnome Do is quickly becoming one of the coolest "killer apps" of the Linux desktop. Just the ability to launch applications by typing about 3 characters is great, but the plugins and the new Docky dock make Do an absolutely incredibly application. In fact, Gnome Do could probably replace your main GNOME interface. So how long will it be until we see Dobuntu?

Cairo-Dock is an animated application launch bar for the desktop, comparable to the dock in Mac OS X or Rocket Dock (for Windows). It is compatible with Compiz, but it can also run without a composite manager . Cairo-Dock can run under GNOME, KDE and XFCE.