Multi-head mode, or independent workspaces per monitor

[fnune]

I'm aware that independent workspaces per monitor is something that would need to be implemented in Gnome shell: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/mutter/-/issues/37

However, I believe it's a feature that absolutely fits Pop shell's goal of bringing i3-like functionality to Gnome. For this reason, I've decided to post it here, too, to see whether Pop OS maintainers can do anything about this in Pop shell without needing upstream changes, and in the worst of cases, to document the answer to this question for Pop shell specifically.

For completion, here's a description of my feature request:

Multi-head mode

Gnome shell can be configured in two different workspace/display interaction modes:

1. Workspaces span multiple displays. This makes it so that multiple displays will show the same workspace always.
2. Workspaces on primary display only. Additional displays can show windows but they don't belong to the workspace system.

I would like to have a third option:

3. Multi-head mode: displays/monitors can have their own workspaces, and they're independent of each other. I can have workspaces 1 and 3 on display 2, and workspaces 2, 4 on display 1. This is the way i3 (and most, if not all, tiling window managers) works.

I think this would be a wonderful addition to the changes Pop shell brings to Gnome. To reiterate: I'm aware that this probably needs Gnome shell involvement (as per the issue linked above), but the feature fits Pop shell so well that I think it's worth documenting an answer.

Thank you for your amazing work!

[jasonriedy]

I'm about to ditch the Gnome environment and go back to rolling my own all for this.

My primary use case: The small screen (Lemur Pro 10 in my case) bounces between email, system stuff, random browsing, etc. My nicer larger screen has multiple Emacs workspaces mixed in with some shells. My ancient larger screen has documentation. Most workspaces are in stacked mode (one window on top, often Emacs with its own subdivisions), others are tiled depending on what I want to see at the moment.

So when I futz with email, etc. I look down. Most of my time is spent on writing and development in the middle. I bring relevant documentation / web pages up on the right and glance over as necessary. And the middle screen tends to bounce between different Emacs uses (e.g. code, visualization, remote hosts) in different workspaces.

[mgamigo]

I absolutely support this addition. For me and my workflow is the most irritating thing of dealing with Gnome and thought several times on changing WM. Sadly only minimal WM to my knowledge support this feature and require an amount of configuration I don't want to explore right now.

[jasonriedy]

I have to admit that I left Pop!OS and went back to my Debian roots. There are many great things, but trying to be a distribution as well as a HW vendor doesn't strike me as wise. But I cannot convince people within my own sphere.

[bjornkpu]

This would be a amazing addition. I tryed out Pop!OS for a while but switched back to Regolith due to this issue alone. Now I'm back here and want this feature so bad.

[the-shank]

This would be so useful for multi monitor setups (which are increasingly more common)...

[ettoredn]

I'm trying to migrate from macOS to Pop!_OS.. and I stuck onto this huge limitation.

[prasadlakmal]

Installed Pop OS yesterday and missing this feature so badly. Would like see this implemented in a future release.

[avihaybar]

I'm trying to migrate from macOS to Pop!_OS.. and I stuck onto this huge limitation.

+1 from me!

[rckgomz]

Installed Pop OS yesterday and missing this feature so badly. Would like see this implemented in a future release.

+1

[leviport]

This is planned for COSMIC DE, no need to keep bumping this thread.

[jasonriedy]

So close the issue with that comment.

[kewur]

COSMIC DE

is there an issue we can track for this? or is this the ticket?

[leviport]

You'll hear about it once it's out. I suppose you could subscribe to the System76 mailing list if you really want to make sure you don't miss it.

[rewhile]

COSMIC DE supported this pop-os/cosmic-epoch#53 🥳

[thiagoms83]

I'm anxiously waiting for it!

[leviport]

Since this exists in COSMIC DE already, I'm going to close this issue as "not planned", meaning that we're not planning on implementing it in GNOME-based pop-shell.