Ubuntu, Unity and so on

[Testingte]

I, myself have been switching from several interfaces in Ubuntu 11.10.

For a time I used Unity2d with compiz --replace as a start-up command.

For a time I used GNOME shell with several modifications from webupd8.org.

If you are looking for a classic GNOME style interface on Ubuntu 11.10; I recommend Gnome Classic (Gnome 3's fallback)

Can do pretty much the exact same things. (Alt + right-click on the panels to customize)

I, personally, am now using the MATE interface. Which is a fork of GNOME 2. It has all the old customization I used, and I'm pretty happy with it.

I would recommend it, however, it has it's bugs seeing as it's a fork made by a single Arch user, and is still fairly new.

Enabling Compiz will cause it to take up resources, and it made a few other things stop working for me. (If done incorrectly, Software center no longer loads, and Synaptic Package Manager won't open up the repository menu)

If you are still willing to risk it though, instructions are here: http://ubuntuguide.net/ubuntu-11-10-...inux-mint-mate

Again I recommend Gnome 3's fallback.

[DaveyG]

Thanks for the tip off, but for now I'll stick with xfce. I'll be sure to check out "MATE" when it becomes more stable, and some bugs are flattened

[Trapper]

Thanks for the tip off, but for now I'll stick with xfce. I'll be sure to check out "MATE" when it becomes more stable, and some bugs are flattened

I'm using MATE on Linux Mint 12. It took me a little bit to fix things up to my liking but unlike Unity and Gnome 3 I at least had the ability to set it up to my liking and to what I consider genuine usability for myself. I am not speaking for others.

Actually MATE does okay for being as new as it is. Granted, it's a work in progress but I definitely have found it to be a usable work in progress. I am much more satisfied using it than using Unity or Gnome 3, which are also works in progress.

I don't even consider Unity to be a desktop. I see it more as a portable device interface that's being arm twisted on to Ubuntu desktop users. I view it as totally unnecessary and awkward for a true desktop scenario.

I see Gnome 3 as as a watered down version of Gnome 2. Less configurable than 2 and obviously designed to be controlling and for computer illiterates. Very Windows-like.

Sadly, the linux world appears to be going the way of the world in general. Looks, gadgets, bells & whistles, robotism, etc. are becoming more important than true functionality. Heaven forbid if we actually are required to use our own brain for something.

Control is a wonderful thing ... but only if you have your own.

[EricDP]

But what makes you think that 11.10 isn't an easy-to-use Linux desktop?

I find the new interface more difficult to use for a desktop computer with a large screen (and many many windows open), but easier for a small screen (like a netbook) with only a couple things running.

One example for my desktop: I keep four firefox windows open at all times. Each has a collection of tabs to a certain set of websites: One has all my amazon EC2 tabs and server management interfaces. One has my kids' games. One has my personal tabs. And the fourth has my wife's tabs. In the old interface, they always landed in the same order at the bottom of the screen and everybody knew how to click on the one they wanted, instantly brining up the browser they wanted. Now they have to go to the left side of the screen, click on the firefox icon, and look at each of the four mini browser images to figure out which one they want. At best, it would be an extra click. But it's worse: they aren't always in the same order (they are ordered based on last use). My kids can't even figure out which browser now and I always have to help them find it. And I can't quickly move between my personal one an my server one without several clicks and squinting to see which tabs are in which instance. Having a complete list of running apps at the bottom of the screen is a great interface.

For my netbook, I only ever have two browser windows, and these can easily be toggled between with alt+tab. For this machine, I prefer the new interface because it lets me use the entire screen.

So different uses require different interfaces. My complaint is I can't figure out how to (easily) get back to the old interface on my desktop.

[EricDP]

I see it more as a portable device interface that's being arm twisted on to Ubuntu desktop users. I view it as totally unnecessary and awkward for a true desktop scenario.

Fully agree: it's beautiful on a 10" netbook, but terrible on a 24" monitor. Awkward is the right word.

[philinux]

Fully agree: it's beautiful on a 10" netbook, but terrible on a 24" monitor. Awkward is the right word.

I thought the same but now got it running on my 22" desktop and have changed my mind.

[SevenThunders]

I don't mind Unity so much, but it really doesn't bring that much to the table. One of it's biggest issues for me is the clunky switch desktop that requires several mouse clicks with a right left mouseclick and so forth. Gnome 3 is actually a little bit better inasmuch as a simple tap on the windows key enables their panel menu, plus a nice interface for switching to other desktops.

Unfortunately gnome3 and vanilla unity do not allow the use of compiz, which is too bad since it has some nice features and some nice eye candy. However there is a way to get unity to play with things like the desktop cube.
http://reformedmusings.wordpress.com...tty-and-unity/

In the process of this I discovered cairo-dock. It's way more friendly than unity. Moreover unity's dash menu is not very useful. I'm too old and brain damaged to remember the names of my programs, especially since they change with every new update of linux. So having a categorized menu is critical. You can get there with dash, but it's very confusing and requires 2-3 mouse clicks just to get started.

Dash also doesn't search for files that you've never used before, so you have to use something else for that. I've been playing around with synapse for that, but even there it lacks a grep like functionality.

Another thing about cairo-dock is that it has a really nice desktop switcher. I'm thinking really about just dropping unity altogether and using cairo dock with compiz in I guess it's gnome 2. (What does Unity run on?)


My biggest gripe is how useless almost all the file browsers are in linux. Nautilus is pathetic. I want a 2 pane orthodox file manager. Konquerer is the best on linux, but that requires a bunch of kde stuff. So now I'm stuck with a combination of gnome-commander, which lacks decent file filters, and emelfm which lacks the ability to associate file extensions with applications.

As a final note I looked briefly at Mint's offering and was not that impressed. They made some mod.s to gnome 3. But cairo-dock would be more useful then mint menu IMHO.

[Testingte]

I find the new interface more difficult to use for a desktop computer with a large screen (and many many windows open), but easier for a small screen (like a netbook) with only a couple things running.


So different uses require different interfaces. My complaint is I can't figure out how to (easily) get back to the old interface on my desktop.

I can help you out mate. In fact I wish to make some videos to help people out in customizing Ubuntu 11.10 (easily as possible) to their needs. Though showing some more advanced things as well.

Going over every session available without breaking any of our system of course ;P

If you would be so kind, please post in a comment anything you want me to go over here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD3McQ5bRyc

If all you want is a bottom panel though, you can install Tint2 and use that.

[EricDP]

I can help you out mate. In fact I wish to make some videos to help people out in customizing Ubuntu 11.10 (easily as possible) to their needs. Though showing some more advanced things as well.

I applaud the effort, but isn't requiring a full suite of video tutorials just to do some basic configuration counter to the point of ubuntu?

[Testingte]

I applaud the effort, but isn't requiring a full suite of video tutorials just to do some basic configuration counter to the point of ubuntu?

Aye you may have a point there.. however there are basic things that should come by default that many don't know about.

The reason for making more than one video is because I personally think it wise on making a video for each interface available so people don't have to scroll through a long video searching for the interface they want.

I also wish to show some really neat apps that truly help out in the experience. For example: Unity + Gnome PIE = keyboard shortcut heaven.

And while MATE is very easy to customize, I wish to point out some bugs and workarounds for those as well.