I'm finding 12.04 very difficult

[sanderella]

I know I have to persevere, but I'm just a little old lady who doesn't like change. Any tips?

[Enigmapond]

Well it would help to know what difficulties you are experiencing or what you are attempting to accomplish.

Cheers!

[snowpine]

I assume you're referring to the new "Unity" interface?

I actually find Unity to be quite simple: tap the "super key" (also known as the "windows key") on my keyboard, and type what I want to do.

For example if I want to browse the web, I press super and type "browse." If I want to write a document, I press super and type "write."

Hope that helps answer your extremely vague question. :)

[sanderella]

Today I bought myself a refurbished laptop and installed 12.04 for the first time. I managed to get all my documents transfered. And I managed to install Synaptic for future use, and get all my updates installed.

My current problem is I can't find my favourite games. I want to install the Internet Scrabble browser, but can't find the right Java package to open it. I don't expect any Ubuntians to know that anyway.

But...I can't even find solitaire! Can anyone tell me where Swell Foop is?

[snowpine]

Tap the super key and type "software" and you'll find the Ubuntu Software Center. This will allow you to install thousands of games and other applications with a couple clicks of the mouse.

If I was familiar with those specific games, I would help. :)

[germanix]

It would also be interesting to know which version or other OS you used prior to Ubuntu 12.04? I have just changed to 12.04 with the unity desktop (one week ago) having used Linux Mint with gnome previously. The first few days I disliked it intensely, then I started to tweak it to my liking ( as far as that was possible - unfortunately lacking many options previously available under gnome) and now it is starting to grow on me. I like it more and more every day.

[sanderella]

Thank you, guys, I'm on the move again. :)

[irv]

Here is a screen shot of how I filter for games. Notice the second icon at the bottom of the one next to the house. This will bring up the word filter at the top. select the word filter and then click on Games. and you will have a list of games that are already installed. Just play around with this and you will see how useful it will become.
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[Perfect Storm]

Usually I just <super key> and write "gam" (for games) and my games pop up.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Once I got used to simply tapping the super key and typing the first three letters of what I am looking for I get so annoyed when I am at work or on another PC without Unity and it simply doesn't work :p


404

[irv]

Once I got used to simply tapping the super key and typing the first three letters of what I am looking for I get so annoyed when I am at work or on another PC without Unity and it simply doesn't work :p


404
FUNNY! :biggrin: I can relate.

[sanderella]

Thanks for the hints about the superkey! Feeling better about 12.04 now. :)

[Paqman]

Once I got used to simply tapping the super key and typing the first three letters of what I am looking for I get so annoyed when I am at work or on another PC without Unity and it simply doesn't work :p


I still get annoyed by it as it's way too slow. Luckily there are much quicker alternatives like Synapse (apt:synapse) that do the same thing much better.

Tap super and search does actually work on recent versions of Windows btw, but is also pretty slow.

[MG&TL]

I still get annoyed by it as it's way too slow. Luckily there are much quicker alternatives like Synapse (apt:synapse) that do the same thing much better.


...the dash opening, or the thing finding applications? I find my graphics card doesn't like compositing the huge slabs of fuzzy glass, so it takes a while to open. Disabling it in CCSM makes it much faster.

[irv]

I still get annoyed by it as it's way too slow. Luckily there are much quicker alternatives like Synapse (apt:synapse) that do the same thing much better.

Tap super and search does actually work on recent versions of Windows btw, but is also pretty slow.

Native dash works, does the same as Synapse and I can't tell the difference in speed. I also use Recoll for searching inside files on my system. Once you set it up (index your system) it is grease lighting for finding things.

[Paqman]

...the dash opening, or the thing finding applications? I find my graphics card doesn't like compositing the huge slabs of fuzzy glass, so it takes a while to open. Disabling it in CCSM makes it much faster.

Opening the dash. TBH I've been using Synapse happily for a while and just have never got into the habit of using the dash, so haven't really bothered trying to tweak it. I haven't really got time to fiddle about with my OS these days, if something does work as well by default as the alternative I just won't use it.

[Bandit]

I know I have to persevere, but I'm just a little old lady who doesn't like change. Any tips?

Hold down your supper key (old Windows Key) on your keyboard for a few moments until a help menu will appear. It will show you lots of shortcuts to help improve the systems ease of use. I hope that helps you some. I know how changing interfaces can be difficult. I struggle to get used to the min/max/close buttons being on the left side. So I keep putting them back on the right side.