GNOME 2.14 Desktop System Administration Guide

Reducing CPU Usage

This section describes preferences that you can set to reduce CPU usage by the GNOME Desktop.

To Use Theme Options Which Require Less CPU Resources

Some window frame theme options load image files to draw the window frame. Other options use simpler techniques to draw the window frame.

The Crux window frame option loads image files, and can be slow on systems with limited CPU resources. To reduce CPU usage, use one of the following window frame options:

Atlanta
Esco

The following window frame options also use less CPU resources than Crux:

AgingGorilla
Bright
Metabox

	Note
	Metabox does not work well with inverse controls options such as HighContrastInverse. Use Atlanta with inverse controls options.

To change the window frame theme option, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type string \
--set /apps/metacity/general/theme option-name

For example, to use Atlanta, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type string \
--set /apps/metacity/general/theme Atlanta

Alternatively, users can use the Theme preference tool to select the appropriate option.

Tip

You can use the Metacity Theme Viewer to measure the performance of a window frame option, and to preview the option. To start Metacity Theme Viewer, use the following command:

metacity-theme-viewer option-name

For example, to measure the performance of Atlanta and preview Atlanta, run the following command:

metacity-theme-viewer Atlanta

To Reduce CPU Usage by Turning Off Display of Icons in Menus

Some items in menus display an icon beside the item. To turn off this feature, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /desktop/gnome/interface/menus_have_icons false

Alternatively, users can use the Menus & Toolbars preference tool to deselect the Show icons in menus option.

To Reduce CPU Usage by Turning Off the Splash Screen

By default, when users log in to the desktop environment, a splash screen is displayed. Icons are displayed on the splash screen while the user logs in. You can turn off the splash screen to reduce CPU usage during login.

To turn off the splash screen, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen false

Alternatively, users can use the Sessions preference tool to deselect the Show splash screen on login option.

To Reduce CPU Usage by Turning Off Panel Animation

When users show or hide panels, the panels can show or hide in an animated style. To turn off panel animation, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/panel/global/enable_animations false

Alternatively, users can use the Panel preference tool to deselect the Drawer and panel animation option.

Improving File Manager Performance

The Nautilus file manager includes some features that you can modify to improve performance.

To Modify Performance Preferences

The file manager includes performance-related preferences. Each performance preference can take one of three values. The values are described in the following table:

Value	Description
`always`	Performs the action for both local files, and files on other file systems.
`local_only`	Performs the action for local files only. When you set a performance preference to `local_only`, the CPU usage is reduced.
`never`	Never performs the action. When you set a performance preference to never, the CPU usage and the network traffic are reduced.

The following table describes the performance preferences for the file manager. For the fastest performance, set the value of the preferences to never.

Preference	Description
`show_icon_text`	Specifies when to preview the content of text files in the icon that represents the file. To never preview the content of text files, run the following command: `gconftool-2 \ --type string \ --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_icon_text never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit->Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Preview. Select an option for the Show text in icons preference.
`show_directory_item_counts`	Specifies when to show the number of items in folders. To never show the number of items in folders, run the following command: `gconftool-2 \ --type string \ --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_directory_item_counts never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit->Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Preview. Select an option for the Count number of items preference.
`show_image_thumbnails`	Specifies when to show thumbnails of image files. To never show thumbnails, run the following command: `gconftool-2 \ --type string \ --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_image_thumbnails never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit->Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Preview. Select an option for the Show thumbnails preference.
`preview_sound`	Specifies when to preview the content of sound files. To never preview the content of sound files, run the following command: `gconftool-2 \ --type string \ --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/preview_sound never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit->Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Preview. Select an option for the Preview sound files preference.

To Turn Off the Side Pane, Toolbar, and Location Bar

The file manager includes preferences that enable you to turn off the side pane and the toolbar. To improve file manager performance, turn off the side pane and the toolbar.

To turn off the side pane, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_sidebar false

To turn off the toolbar, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_toolbar false

You can also turn off the location bar. Users can use the Ctrl+L keyboard shortcut to display a location bar when required.

To turn off the location bar, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_location_bar false

To Turn Off the Desktop

The file manager contains a preference that enables users to use Nautilus to manage the desktop. You can disable the desktop to improve performance. However, if you disable the desktop, you cannot do the following:

Use the Desktop menu.
Use the file manager to change the pattern or color of the desktop background.
Use the desktop objects, such as Trash. The desktop objects are not displayed on the desktop.

To disable the desktop, run the following command:

gconftool-2 \
--type bool \
--set /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_desktop false

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Introduction to Improving Performance

GNOME 2.14 Desktop System Administration Guide

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Reducing X Window System Network Traffic