Upgraded 11.04 -> 11.10, want my old desktop back

[ctav01]

I think I have an idea about this but I wanted to ask.

I was using xubuntu 11.04 and upgraded (not a fresh install) to 11.10 and whatever desktop I had before doesn't seem to be available any more.

I have a second computer still running 11.04 with the desktop that I like. Is there a way to determine which particular WM I'm running?

Thanks.

[plasmafusion]

can't you just click the cog/gear icon once you've entered your username on the login screen and select your alternative desktop?
what desktop are you being forced to use at the moment?

[jimbo99]

Though that does give him the choices of different desktop managers it does not necessarily solve his problems. For instance, the fallback gnome 2 is a crippled version meant to be so bad that no one would want to use it. His only answer is that he needs to go back to 11.04 or earlier, or switch to something like KDE. Gnome 3 and Unit are horrible and are meant to stupidify Linux desktops.

[merlinus]

Sorry, but I completely disagree regarding gnome fallback. There is but little difference between it and gnome 2.x on 10.10 and 11.04.

But I have no need for fancy eyecandy, dazzling effects, and such.

[ables]

i just upgraded to 11.10 from 11.04 and i want my old desktop back aswell.

these default themes are **** imo.

a huge reason for being on linux for me was customization.

looks like they got rid of that with 11.10, very disappointed.

[merlinus]

You can download gtx3+ themes from gnome-look org. That is what I have done. And I agree that the default ones are crap.

[ables]

yes but how do u install them? before all i had to do was drag and drop....


now it is WAAAYYYY to complicated.

ubuntu ****** up on this one.

[merlinus]

Use archive manager and extract them to /home/user/.themes.

Yeah, it takes a bit more work, but that's how learning can occur.

[ables]

dont have the /user or /themes folder in my /home folder..? are they hidden?

[gsmanners]

Go to a terminal and type:


mkdir ~/.themes

Then look for it in file manager. Yes, it is a hidden folder.

[pdwerryhouse]

Sorry, but I completely disagree regarding gnome fallback. There is but little difference between it and gnome 2.x on 10.10 and 11.04.

But I have no need for fancy eyecandy, dazzling effects, and such.

There's a huge difference between Gnome 2 and Gnome 3 Classic. I hate effects too, and turn them off immediately, but Gnome 3 Classic is definitely crippled.

* You can't place icons on the panel exactly where you want them, anymore. It seems to only allow them pushed against the left, grouped in the centre, or over on the right, but not anywhere in-between these locations.
* Gnome won't remember your primary desktop anymore. I use a laptop plugged into an external monitor, and it always defaults to my laptop screen being the primary screen, and I have to manually change it. In Gnome 2, it remembered which screen was my primary desktop
* Removable disk icons no longer appear on the screen when you plug them in.
* Status icons for things like Rhythmbox have been removed.
* The settings have been cut back dramatically. It's next to impossible to find a way to change things that the Gnome developers have decided shouldn't be configurable.

[merlinus]

You are certainly correct about the icon placement on the toolbars, and mounted volumes not showing up on the desktop. But those issues are not a deal breaker, for me.