Missing Gnome..

**supernater** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by wheeze

12.04 with MATE works really well. You can install LinuxMint 13 MATE, or build up from a 12.04 mini.iso install.

I remembered reading that since MATE was based on the old Gnome 2 codebase that it would not work with some newer applications. Is this true?

**irv** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by supernater

I remembered reading that since MATE was based on the old Gnome 2 codebase that it would not work with some newer applications. Is this true?

There are some applications that are designed to run with Unity, I would think those are the only one that won't run with Mint because it uses a different desktop. Anything that runs with Ubuntu 12.04 will run on Mint 12.04 because it is based on Ubuntu with a different Desktop.

**wheeze** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by supernater

I remembered reading that since MATE was based on the old Gnome 2 codebase that it would not work with some newer applications. Is this true?

I haven't found anything yet that won't run under MATE. Of course I don't run every app out there.

**cariboo** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by netgooroo

Thanks guys for all the replies. I understand we have many choices to choose from and, I am thankful for that. Not only in going to another version of Ubuntu but, also a different flavor of Linux.

yes, I do like the "old school" way that things work with Gnome and, no, I probably will never get used to Unity. I think it sux. That's my opinion which, I have the right to have.

As I stated, I have downloaded Debian live CD and, I am thinking about installing it. For the time being though, I am still using 12.04 with Gnome installed on it.

Thanks again guys for all the feedback.

netgooroo

If you have the resources, you can install Debian in virtual box right now, without having to think about it.

**Skara Brae** · September 25th, 2012

Originally Posted by grahammechanical

Have you seen Mark Shuttleworth's latest blog?

http://www.markshuttleworth.com/

Note what he said in reply to this statement,

I can’t believe you just changed Ubuntu. I liked it the way it was.

Looks like those six months are nearly up again

Yes, it is that time again, folks. You would think that we had to buy Ubuntu.

I would like to ask Mr. Shuttleworth if a change is always better. If Unity/Ubuntu is "better" (note my quotation marks) than Gnome 2/Ubuntu.

As many other people, my answer is "No", of course.

**NormanFLinux** · September 26th, 2012

I'm running Pantheon and so far am not missing GNOME/Unity.

It would have been a nice default for Ubuntu. Who needs Compiz and accelerated graphics? An OS should just work!

**cariboo** · September 26th, 2012

Originally Posted by Skara Brae

I would like to ask Mr. Shuttleworth if a change is always better. If Unity/Ubuntu is "better" (note my quotation marks) than Gnome 2/Ubuntu.

As many other people, my answer is "No", of course.

It isn't Ubuntu or Mark Shuttleworth's fault, that the Gnome developers decided to go with a new version, and because Ubuntu is based on Gnome, it has to use the current version, not one that isn't supported any more.

It's time to get over it, there are enough other DE's out there, that it shouldn't be to hard to find another one that suites you, whether it's Cinnamon, Mate, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, or any of the others that are available.

**Mikeb85** · September 26th, 2012

For old Gnome style with more customizability XFCE is the ticket, for customizability and a slightly different look KDE is awesome (which is what I'm using now, although I also like Unity and Gnome 3).

The Gnome devs moved past the old paradigm, no point hanging on to the past. XFCE, KDE, Unity and Gnome Shell are the future.

**supernater** · September 26th, 2012

@ irv and wheeze

Ah, I see. I went back to try to find the post where I read that and I found it here...

Originally Posted by HDave

Yes, but in 6 months, nobody will because you can't fork a platform...it doesn't work.

Apps will evolve and be unable to run on Gnome2 apis then Mate will have to become a Gnome3/Gnome2 combo. How many committers does MATE have? If it less than 150, it'll never make it. Mint will drop Mate by this time next year and it'll end up being Ubuntu without Unity. Meantime Unity will continue to improve.

If you don't like Unity (and I don't) then go back to 10.04 or try KDE or Xubuntu. I'm on Xubuntu and loving it right now, but am continually trying Unity and expect it will improve with time. Mint is nonsense.

Most of what he says will probably turn out to be wrong since he's predicting that no one will have heard of MATE in 6 months and that Linux mint will drop MATE in a few months. However, the part where he mentions MATE developers having to port Gnome3 APIs is the part I'm concerned about. This must mean that Linux apps will run on MATE but that Gnome3 apps won't, right?