Upgrade from Ubuntu 12.04 to 12.10

[Bluemax_36]

I've been a contented Ubuntu user since installing Ubuntu 8.04 several years ago. I've regularly upgraded each time a distribution upgrade has become available. I've never had serious issues in the past. It's always been fairly straight-forward--until now. I recently upgraded from Ubuntu 12.04 to 12.10. Everything seemed to go fairly smoothly. As one of those troglodytic "classical" desktop users, my first move was to switch to the classic gnome desktop. The issues noted:
1) When I try to arrange the workspaces in a single row in the bottom right tray, both top and bottom trays are eliminated on workspaces 2, 3, and 4. Obviously without a tray, there is no workspace indicator after one arrives on workspace 2. One has to unplug power in order to shut down.
2) I've been unable to find anything resembling an "Update Manager" in Ubuntu 12.10. Don't know if its disappearance is one of the improvements or enhancements, but it makes me a bit nervous that I can't find it.
3) I can find no icon or other indication of a "HELP" function in 12.10. I was looking for it as a possible source of information to help me solve the issues listed above.
4) I've tried every method available through Google Search to install Google Earth on my 12.10 installation. It was working beautifully on 12.04. It always ends with me opening Google Earth and seeing the startup window which immediately crashes and goes out of sight.
I'd sure appreciate knowing if my problems are unique or if others have encountered the same and found solutions.

[dino99]

upgrading is easy to get that up to date rolling installation; but it also have some dark side, as many choices have changed with new settings .... and possibly conflict with the oldish settings of the previous releases.

So its a good idea to start with a fresh install after having done 1 or 2 dist-upgrades.

[bogan]

Hi!, Bluemax_36,

1.Ubuntu Tweak can re-arrange the workspaces set-up.

2. Update Manager in 12.10 is called: "Software Updater" in the unity launcher or Dash, but from a Terminal "update-manager" will run it, though "software-updater" will not. [ Go Figure!! ]

3. Take the Mouse Cursor to the topbar/Global Menu, and you will find a Help Menu item according to the active Window or the Desktop.

4. There are lots of Threads complaining about Google Earth not running or crashing, though it runs OK on my set-up.

X. These responses are for Unity/Ubuntu, and may not apply to "the classic gnome desktop". Does that mean: 'Gnome Classic' [ fall-back], 'Gnome Classic[no-effects]', or 'Gnome-shell'??

Edit: I just checked in 12.10 Gnome Classic and the same things apply; in Gnome Classic [no-effects] 'Software Updater' is in the: 'Applications>System Tools>Administration sub-menu.

Chao!, bogan.