GNOME Shell is the dog's bollocks!

[rich52x]

Has anyone used the new GNOME Shell yet, I installed it today and I think it's really really good; aesthetically pleasing, and easy to use. What do you think of it? Post your opinions below! :D

EDIT:It's either GNOME shell or GNOME 3, I'm hearing different things :P

[mathgeek2000]

Has anyone used the new GNOME Shell yet, I installed it today and I think it's really really good;

How do you mean? The Gnome GUI 2.30.2 that comes with Ubuntu, itself? or the 'Gnome Terminal' command line, with edit, cut, paste, and other features?

I've been using Ubuntu, which comes with Gnome for some time, and like it. -- some of my older Laptops have a lighter GUI, (like LXDE) but if the PC can handle it, I prefer Gnome.
-- Haven't used KDE is a long while.

[howefield]

What do you think of it? Post your opinions below! :D


If you want a debate, Testimonials and Experiences isn't the forum for it, moved to the Cafe.

[Lucradia]

Has anyone used the new GNOME Shell yet, I installed it today and I think it's really really good; aesthetically pleasing, and easy to use. What do you think of it? Post your opinions below! :D

EDIT:It's either GNOME shell or GNOME 3, I'm hearing different things :P

Gnome Shell wasn't used in 10.10, I don't know why you have this thread tagged with 10.10; it will also not be in 11.04, Unity will.

[Merk42]

Gnome Shell wasn't used in 10.10, I don't know why you have this thread tagged with 10.10; it will also not be in 11.04, Unity will.
It will be available in 11.04, just not used by default

And actually you can build it in 10.10
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1603874

[czr114]

I can only hope GNOME 2 doesn't go EOL until, say, 2050.

[Sand & Mercury]

Uh... doesn't "dog's bollocks" imply that it sucks?

[CharlesA]

Uh... doesn't "dog's bollocks" imply that it sucks?
Means it's awesomesauce in this context (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/dog%27s%20bollocks.html) apparently.

[Sand & Mercury]

Whaaat... man, kids these days, they speak a language of their own.

[weasel fierce]

Its still a bit buggy but I really like it.

[cariboo]

Whaaat... man, kids these days, they speak a language of their own.

The term seems to have originated in the late 1940's. There must be some pretty old kids around here. :)

[Spice Weasel]

My dinner is the dog's bollocks!

It doesn't sound too awesome in that context, does it? ;)

[cascade9]

GNOME shell is the dog bollocks? The 1st thing I thought was 'its ugly, stands out and is removed by responsible owners'


Whaaat... man, kids these days, they speak a language of their own.

Groovy, I can you can dig what youre laying on here. :P

[mendhak]

The reference to a canine's testicles in this context may owe its origin to the observation that many of us will have made over time regarding said animal's habitual licking of said region with the associated reasoning that perhaps they possess a particularly pleasing taste, making them "great".

A more polite phrase used to the same effect is a reference to an articulatio genus of the common apoidea, knowing full well that members of this family do not, in fact, possess such a ligamental hinge, but if they did, would be equated to the same magnanimity of the aforementioned canine's testicles. This phrase is commonly used as "the bee's knees."

[mkendall]

Groovy, I can you can dig what youre laying on here. :P

I'm hep to that jive, man.

[DeadSuperHero]

For the sake of getting back to an actual discussion...


I built Gnome-Shell last night after reading about the new Overview Relayout landing in the main branch. I've done it before, jhbuild isn't really all that hard to figure out. So here are my personal opinions after using it for a few hours.

-It's still a bit glitchy. Certain actions cause mutter to crash and restart itself.

-That being said, the window animations (Especially the modal dialog popup) all look really nice.

-The dock-manager thing in the "Activities" view looks really nice. I wish we could have it pinned to the main screen, for easy up-front visual multitasking.

-The art is really coming along nicely. I absolutely love the new window decorations, but at the same time I'm kind of sad that the GTK3 theme won't be ready for some time yet. Also, where are all the GTK3 apps at? Will they just kind of happen along by the time the release date comes along?

-Still not totally sure about the gigantic menu bubbles on everything. Functionally they're quite nice, but they're just so...big and in the way. This would actually feel better on a touchscreen in my opinion.

-Response is a bit delayed (just slightly) when I try dragging or resizing a window. It's smooth...but delayed by about half a second or so.

-Notifications look awesome. I'm totally looking forward to the context-sensitive notifications, like the chat notifications where you can quickly write something to a friend in the bubble itself.

-On another note with notifications, I wish they were a little more...interactive, I suppose? With the Gwibber daemon running in the background, it would be nice to access the app menu from the little notification area itself, or at least be able to browse through a pop-up notification list of all the latest tweets and dents that have happened in the last short while.


All in all, it has a way to go. But I'm really, really loving the ideas presented here. I cannot wait for the GTK3 apps and theme, and I can't wait to see what all is using the new technologies with Clutter and Folks in 2.30. :D

[Lucradia]

And I'm still fine with just openbox, thank you.

[gnomeuser]

I absolutely loath the GNOME-shell, but then again I consider it daft to implement my desktop apps in Javascript, not to mention continually changing the goals, redesigning and rewriting without doing usability studies, then forcing this work on everyone through what was essentially a rubberstamp vote. While naturally, being led by one entity which used its mandate to reject all competing alternatives for inclusion in GNOME on flimsy grounds.

It's recently changed from being a bad idea which was poorly implemented, to a Unity ripoff, which is poorly implemented. I think I will stick with Canonical on this one.

The GNOME 3 platform is fine and contains some valuable cleanups and additions but the GNOME-Shell should be nuked from orbit.

[qamelian]

The GNOME 3 platform is fine and contains some valuable cleanups and additions but the GNOME-Shell should be nuked from orbit.
You're welcome to your opinion, but I've been using Gnome-shell almost exclusively for months, and your opinion doesn't hold water with me. It's the most comfort DE I've used in years. I've done my own usability testing with my clients and I can guarantee you we will not be using Unity in any of the businesses where I provide support.

[cariboo]

You're welcome to your opinion, but I've been using Gnome-shell almost exclusively for months, and your opinion doesn't hold water with me. It's the most comfort DE I've used in years. I've done my own usability testing with my clients and I can guarantee you we will not be using Unity in any of the businesses where I provide support.

I would suggest that you don't write off Unity so quickly. the new version is coming along quite nicely. Natty Alpha 1 will be out on Dec. 2. Even though it isn't even close to being finished, I suggest you give it a try.

[qamelian]

I would suggest that you don't write off Unity so quickly. the new version is coming along quite nicely. Natty Alpha 1 will be out on Dec. 2. Even though it isn't even close to being finished, I suggest you give it a try.
I have tried it repeatedly. In my opinion, Gnome-shell still wins. For my own use, the only things that Unity offers that appeal to me are already done better in GS. For my clients, it is a requirement the their desktops use a shell that is a standard across multiple distributions to minimize need for possible retraining if there is ever a need to migrate to a different distro. Since my clients are already heavily invested in preparing for GS, Unity is a non-starter. My largest client actually informed me that we needed to be sure that we could either use GS or the Gnome 2.X interface or else we would drop Ubuntu and begin migrating to another distro ASAP. My assurances that they won't be forced to use Unity are the only thing keeping this business using Ubuntu on all of their desktops.

[czr114]

You're welcome to your opinion, but I've been using Gnome-shell almost exclusively for months, and your opinion doesn't hold water with me. It's the most comfort DE I've used in years. I've done my own usability testing with my clients and I can guarantee you we will not be using Unity in any of the businesses where I provide support.


I would suggest that you don't write off Unity so quickly. the new version is coming along quite nicely. Natty Alpha 1 will be out on Dec. 2. Even though it isn't even close to being finished, I suggest you give it a try.

That's what this is - opinion.

GNOME-shell and Unity are brand new concepts subject to personal taste and preference. It's not as if it's a transition from ext2 to ext3.

One doesn't need to give it a "try" to understand the concept being peddled in the screenshots. Unless they're going to scrap the whole concept, go back to panels, but maintain the new name, a significant amount of the userbase has a right to be irritated by this change being forced from up high.

"Try it and you'll like it" and "you're free to rip apart the default installation and spend time reverting back to panels" really aren't helpful viewpoints.

The simple fix is to recognize both branches as a matter of taste, like wallpaper, and allow for an easy switchout during installation, from one to the other, or back to panels.

[cariboo]

This really is no different from when gnome went from v1 to v2, there were just as many complaints back then, as there is now. There was actually a former member that wanted to fork gnome when the announcement came out about gnome-shell.

I'm running Natty on 5 systems, 2 desktops running Unity, a netbook with Unity on it, a desktop running gnome-shell and one with the standard classic desktop. There are different things I like about all three. As it is right now, I prefer gnome-shell over the others.

[Harry33]

That's what this is - opinion.


Exactly this.
The most important feature in Ubuntu's Gnome right now and up to the very near future, is the Freedom Of Choice:
- Gnome-Shell (already GTK3)
- Unity (still GTK2)
- Gnome-Panel, Gnome Classic (GTK2)

[BrokenKingpin]

I tried it a few months back and did not like it at all. I have seen some recent screen shots as well, and I just do not like the direction they are taking Gnome3. I do not see the need to move from the traditional environment with panels.

I will give it another shot when it comes out.

[czr114]

Exactly this.
The most important feature in Ubuntu's Gnome right now and up to the very near future, is the Freedom Of Choice:
- Gnome-Shell (already GTK3)
- Unity (still GTK2)
- Gnome-Panel, Gnome Classic (GTK2)

From what I've read, Unity is being defaulted, and restoration of the panel paradigm will require installation of the OS, removal of Unity, and then installation/configuration of G2/panels.

They really should make this an option in the installer, whether by freeing up disk space, going to larger media, or offering an online installation mode for those systems which can connect to the Internet during installation.

See sig.

[NightwishFan]

I read somewhere, probably on askubuntu, that the gnome 2 session will be available by default in Natty and probably beyond.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/unity

[aaaantoine]

Uh... doesn't "dog's bollocks" imply that it sucks?

There's a great Eddie Izzard bit about "bollocks" vs "the dog's bollocks".

Go to around 2:30 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSajE72Tpjs


Um… yeah, Johnny Paul: bit kind of knackered. That's a word you can use when you get to Britain, "Ah, a bit knackered" you'll fit right in. And the other one's, "That's a load of bollocks, mate! That a load of…" which means ********. ********, bollocks - very close in the B area of the dictionary. But er it's kind of weird 'cause bollocks, that's crap, "Oh it's bollocks! That's bollocks!" but if it's the dog's bollocks, that's really good. And, and bollocks also means testicles, so if you're saying something's the dogs bollocks you're saying it's the dog's testicles - but it is good. It's really weird, I mean you can go up to the Queen and say "That outfit, your Queen, it's the dogs bollocks." And she'll say, "Well, thank you very much for saying so. I thought it did look a bit like the dog's bollocks." "Well it does look, and it is the dog's bollocks." And she'll be happy as Larry, however happy he is.

[rich52x]

Enough about the dog's bollocks haha, it's a very commonly used phrase in the UK :) I agree with DeadSuperHero and weasel fierce, the ideas brought forward are great, but as I've noticed there are a few bugs/glitches, but I'm sure all will be fixed sometime in the foreseeable future. (Oh and sorry about posting in the wrong area, as you can see, I'm kinda new here :P )

[cariboo]

From what I've read, Unity is being defaulted, and restoration of the panel paradigm will require installation of the OS, removal of Unity, and then installation/configuration of G2/panels.

They really should make this an option in the installer, whether by freeing up disk space, going to larger media, or offering an online installation mode for those systems which can connect to the Internet during installation.

See sig.

There's an option on the login screen to select the Ubuntu Desktop or the Ubuntu Classic Desktop. Unity is setup as a compiz plugin, and all selecting the classic desktop does is disable the Unity plugin, which gives you the the two panels.

That's the problem right now, most of what you read and screenshots you see are out of date, because of the speed of development. There have already been two Unity updates today alone, and I'm sure there will be more before the alpha comes out on Thursday.

[misfitpierce]

Uh... doesn't "dog's bollocks" imply that it sucks?

That's what I first thought it implied till I read the post itself! Ha! :D

[Naiki Muliaina]

I absolutely loath the GNOME-shell (+ some more stuff thats a big quote)

I gotta agree with this. The Gnome team have struck me as.... Wishy washy over Gnome3 and Shell on how to implement them. Lack of certain direction is maybe a good way to put it? Never a good way for a project to be.

[Johnsie]

I've switched to XP, Jolicloud and Boxee. I think Ubuntu has lost the plot when it comes to GUI's. All of the new GUI's seem to be unusable and Gnome 2 is dated and ugly. Right now Android seems alot more promising for Linux adoption than Ubuntu.

[Naiki Muliaina]

I would say the opposite actually on GUI's in Ubuntu. The only thing I am not keen on is the Software Center. I prefer the old Add/Remove. It is certainly coming along though.

[COKEDUDE]

This reminds me of Formula 51 :). Felix DeSouza loved to say dog's bollocks!

[symon1980]

I absolutely loath the GNOME-shell, but then again I consider it daft to implement my desktop apps in Javascript, not to mention continually changing the goals, redesigning and rewriting without doing usability studies, then forcing this work on everyone through what was essentially a rubberstamp vote. While naturally, being led by one entity which used its mandate to reject all competing alternatives for inclusion in GNOME on flimsy grounds.

It's recently changed from being a bad idea which was poorly implemented, to a Unity ripoff, which is poorly implemented. I think I will stick with Canonical on this one.

The GNOME 3 platform is fine and contains some valuable cleanups and additions but the GNOME-Shell should be nuked from orbit.

I agree with you my friend. I have been using Gnome-shell on and off for a couple of years now and I just compiled the new layout.... I really had higher expectations... Development in Gnome-shell has crawled along very slowly and not many new relevent or useful features has gone into it for the majority of development. Look how much development has gone into unity in just 6 months compared to Gnome-shell.... Not that I like Unity much either in it's current state, but I can see Gnome-shell either being rejected by Gnome by April, or held back yet again. There is no way they can get Gnome-shell sorted out within 4 months. not a chance in hell.
We'll see how it turns out.... i was really excited about gnome-shell, but after seeing what has been done... I think i'm over it.... But we will see how it turns out in April

Just uploading my review of the latest gnome-shell on my channel

www.youtube.com/Linux4UnMe

[Harry33]

It will be more and more clear to me that the differences between the outlook of Gnome-Shell and Unity is not going to be so great after all. They have now really some resemblance on each other.
Gnome-Shell's overview screen has become more or less only a icon bar now.
And that is what Unity has been all the time.
The technical differences being that one uses Mutter and the other Compiz.

So one can really wonder would it be so bad idea to stick with Gnome-Panel and, lets say Cairo-Dock + Compiz of course.