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Dragonbite
September 7th, 2016, 04:10 PM
Ran across this article recently and mostly agree with it.

5 Things We (Secretly All) Miss About Ubuntu (http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/09/5-things-secretly-miss-ubuntu)


The Ubuntu Login Sound
The Mascot Wallpapers
The Lurid Color Scheme
The Wi-Fi that never worked
The Bustle of the Ubuntu Forums

An interesting article about the changes Ubuntu has undergone over the years.

I think the Ubuntu of old was more "fun focused"; when Linux distros seemed so serious and just trying to make things work or focusing on the enterprise Ubuntu was a fun, friendly and not-taking-itself-too-serious and refreshing.

What about the criticism of the forums? I remember when the Ubuntu Forums was like the Facebook for Ubuntu users!

Do you guys agree with the observations? Think it is missing anything?

oldos2er
September 7th, 2016, 05:54 PM
I do miss the "bustle" of the forums a bit. And Gnome2 (yes, I know that wasn't Canonical's decision), but xfce is pretty good. And purple seems far more lurid to me than brown and orange, but that's just personal opinion.

I really miss the video of Nelson Mandela explaining the concept of Ubuntu that used to ship with each version. I thought it was an important statement about not just the software, but the philosophy behind it.

Dragonbite
September 7th, 2016, 06:01 PM
I do miss the "bustle" of the forums a bit. And Gnome2 (yes, I know that wasn't Canonical's decision), but xfce is pretty good. And purple seems far more lurid to me than brown and orange, but that's just personal opinion.

I really miss the video of Nelson Mandela explaining the concept of Ubuntu that used to ship with each version. I thought it was an important statement about not just the software, but the philosophy behind it.

Oh yeah.... forgot about the sample movie with Mandela. That was a nice touch.

At least it is available on YouTube. https://youtu.be/HED4h00xPPA (complete with logo)

halogen2
September 7th, 2016, 06:07 PM
I agree that the login sound is useful, especially a musical one like that. Sometimes my VMs boot set to the wrong sound pitch & speed and need a reboot to get straightened out, this is an easy and immediate way to find out if that's the case.

Being a recent addition to Ubuntu Forums I don't know about #5.

Can't really agree with anything else in the article though.

Especially, point #4... that is the type of stuff that deterred me from using Linux for so long. I vastly prefer the current state in that respect.
As much as I enjoy working with computers in general, chasing cyber-ghosts of that level on my main machine is quite nerve-wracking and un-fun. Why should we users spend 2 weeks of frustration and despair on making something work properly, when we can just apt-get install a few packages and problem solved in less than 10 minutes?
The concept makes zero sense to me. :confused:


What I miss about Ubuntu is the Unity that came with 12.04. It actually runs in VM (which is exactly where I would like using it most), and with for example the launcher/dock on the left and menu bars relocated to the top of screen, it's a nice DE when screen real estate is lacking.
Current versions of Unity seem a bit bloated and are too resource-heavy to run in VM on my (still somewhat high-end) hardware - and if it runs at all it's quite sluggish. But the other DE's work pretty well for me if I keep it to only one panel on top or bottom of screen.


Just my 2 cents. :KS

1fallen
September 7th, 2016, 06:09 PM
I do miss the "bustle" of the forums a bit. And Gnome2 (yes, I know that wasn't Canonical's decision), but xfce is pretty good. And purple seems far more lurid to me than brown and orange, but that's just personal opinion.

I really miss the video of Nelson Mandela explaining the concept of Ubuntu that used to ship with each version. I thought it was an important statement about not just the software, but the philosophy behind it.

+5 :)
I wish I could adapt to XFCE.... but Mate keeps me very happy. And the video of Nelson Mandela is a nice touch.

Dragonbite
September 7th, 2016, 07:44 PM
Especially, point #4... that is the type of stuff that deterred me from using Linux for so long. I vastly prefer the current state in that respect.

What I miss about Ubuntu is the Unity that came with 12.04. It actually runs in VM (which is exactly where I would like using it most), and with for example the launcher/dock on the left and menu bars relocated to the top of screen, it's a nice DE when screen real estate is lacking.
Current versions of Unity seem a bit bloated and are too resource-heavy to run in VM on my (still somewhat high-end) hardware - and if it runs at all it's quite sluggish. But the other DE's work pretty well for me if I keep it to only one panel on top or bottom of screen.


Just my 2 cents. :KS

I used to have Broadcom wi-fi on my laptops so I remember being ecstatic when Linux would recognize it out-of-the-box. So maybe #4 is not so much about Wi-Fi not working... as the elated feeling once it DOES!! :P

I do wish Unity was lighter or at least have it reduce the settings based on the system it is being installed on. I'm currently running Gnome shell but if I need to reduce the overhead then I'm jumping to Xfce. Maybe I'll have to install it as an option (select Gnome or Xfce during bootup).

halogen2
September 7th, 2016, 09:07 PM
I used to have Broadcom wi-fi on my laptops so I remember being ecstatic when Linux would recognize it out-of-the-box. So maybe #4 is not so much about Wi-Fi not working... as the elated feeling once it DOES!! :P

Well I use Broadcom wi-fi in my Mac, it still felt good to get that working. :D
There are plenty of other places to find "that elated feeling" also. For example, try getting graphics card / 3D acceleration to work. I did it with my Intel card, with great results.
Not only does it feel good to have solved a not-too-difficult puzzle, but think about the possibilities that rise with working 3D acceleration. 8-)

6975
September 8th, 2016, 08:19 AM
I've seen Voyage Linux success make sounds bg to work with Xfce4 desktop.
Maybe I should plunder Voyage recipes from them.:smile:

verymadpip
September 8th, 2016, 04:43 PM
I absolutely DO NOT miss wireless problems, not that I ever had many to be fair.
I missed the login tune so much I added it back to my startup programs:
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-enable-startup-login-sound-in-ubuntu-1.2-04-precise.html

I know the link is for 12.04, but IIRC it's the same file path. You can make sure it's the right one by opening the folder & playing it I think.
It makes me a little happier every time I hear it :-)

user1397
September 8th, 2016, 06:25 PM
I definitely don't miss the wifi issues, although I never had many. The other ones make me a bit nostalgic, but by far the one I miss the most is the bustle of the forums. The cafe simply isn't the same anymore :(

mikodo
September 8th, 2016, 10:19 PM
I sure miss the enthusiasm of the Forums from years before. The sheer number of people participating online staggered the imagination. I remember when I was learning to dual-boot Ubuntu and Debian, I was following online tutorials of a 'die-hard' Debian user for tips on Debian. Like was often the case with seasoned pros of Linux, he mentioned a few things he didn't like about Ubuntu versus Debian, (not uncommon then). But, he commented on the Ubuntu Forums and how it impressed him. He called it the EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD! ha ha ha.

I always miss frequent posters when they no longer are common posters here. :(

Another thing, I also the miss the hustle and bustle of #ubuntu too. It also amazed me.

On the flip side, there are so many things now that Ubuntu and its' people have accomplished and are still doing that, continues to amaze me. :)

Dragonbite
September 9th, 2016, 05:13 PM
It's kinda funny, and sad, that the forums are so quiet when you look at all of the things going on with Ubuntu including drones, Mycroft, phones, tablets, snaps, Ubuntu core, IoT, and just more and more "stuff"!

I would think all of these different projects could enjoy their space on the forums to communicate with each other, and people being able to watch things evolve.

Maybe the Ubuntu Phones will re-generate the buzz?! Or is it the world has changed so much?

I remember before starting to use Ubuntu I would read all over the place these people promotiong Ubuntu as the distro-to-end-all-distros! They talked it up like it found the cure for cancer or something.

Boy, they really, really annoyed me to no end! I had NO intention of trying Ubuntu just because these jerks were all around the place saying how wonderful it is!

Then I changed jobs, didn't have access to free broadband anymore and got a system that was going to be 100% linux for myself and I didn't want to bother with compiling everything in Gentoo anymore. So when I saw the offer to ship CDs for free I figure I would give it a chance.

Surprise #1 was when I received the CD (they actually sent it to me! It wasn't a sham!)
Surprise #2 was when I ran the LiveCD and it worked!

That was around 2005.

bobnutfield
September 9th, 2016, 08:28 PM
Just my comment.....

I started with Ubuntu in 2006 on Toshiba Equium AMD 64 X2. In the beginning, I triple booted with Slackware and Fedora. I left the original installation intact and updated with every new release. It might be interesting for some to know that I am STILL using that same laptop with 16.04 on it, updated with every release since 2006. I dont have time to "play" anymore, so I have removed the Slackware and Fedora installations and the entire disk is dedicated to Ubuntu. But I have not performed a new installation since the original install in 2006. it takes about three minutes to boot up fully now, but once booted, it is as snappy as it was on the first installation in 2006, It is the only operating system I use now (except for my iPhone.)

I dont spend as much time on the forums now, but I also remember when there may be 20,000 viewing at any given point. I have wondered for years how the Ubuntu team continues for all these years with a very weak revenue model. But, I am certainly happy they have. I have not used a Microsoft product since 2001.

Just my thoughts..

Bob

nothingspecial
September 9th, 2016, 08:50 PM
Regarding the forums and the reduction of activity, i suppose the zero tolerance to trolls reduced activity a great deal. I believe it was necessary and I was staff at the time. Ubuntu was being used/experienced by more and more new users every day. The last thing you need in an official support tool is some jumped up so-called linux expert posting rtfm or just being an idiot to new users.

However, more than that, is the fact that Ubuntu just works. I joined the forums because my wifi and sound didn't work. Now this stuff does, so there are fewer questions.

Also there is askubuntu

Old_Grey_Wolf
September 10th, 2016, 12:29 AM
I thought "1. The Ubuntu Login Sound" was odd.

I always rename the system-ready.ogg and desktop-login.ogg files to something else so the system comes up quietly.

Old_Grey_Wolf
September 10th, 2016, 12:54 AM
I think part of the reason for the reduction in activity on the forum was the changes to life cycle support. LTS went from 3 years to 5 years and non-LTS went down from 1 1/2 years to 9 months. From browsing the forum, it looks like more people are using the LTS releases. Once the LTS is installed and working, people just use it. Fewer people doing fresh installs results in fewer question being asked on the forum.

JohnnyC44
September 10th, 2016, 05:07 AM
I just installed 16.04 on a Thinkpad 11 that was running Win8.01. Yawn! It was a no-brainer. Everything works as advertised. I hardly noticed that I had changed my OS. What a far cry from 9 years ago when I bought the first Dell with Ubuntu installed. Dell wasn't too clear about what they were doing and put grub in the wrong partition, so when I rebooted after installing updates I got nothing. A very active Ubuntu Forum solved my problem before Dell even came back from their coffee break [no beans for them!]. There have been compromises made over the years, e.g. Ubuntu only pays lip service to restricted packages these days, but that's okay by me. Pushing a robust, practical Ubuntu package out there to more and more people is way more important than "free, as in beer" stuff.... I am 72 years old, and I intend to run Xenial Xerus until it expires in --what? -- 2021. Thank you, Ubuntu. A job well done. Keep up the good work and keep the noobs guessing. It's all part of the plan. And, yes, I miss the Mandela message, too.

Dragonbite
September 10th, 2016, 01:53 PM
I think part of the reason for the reduction in activity on the forum was the changes to life cycle support. LTS went from 3 years to 5 years and non-LTS went down from 1 1/2 years to 9 months. From browsing the forum, it looks like more people are using the LTS releases. Once the LTS is installed and working, people just use it. Fewer people doing fresh installs results in fewer question being asked on the forum.

Yeah, I think Ubuntu is winning with "it just works" and the needs for individuals is becoming less (but still there),

I don't think we lost THAT many people in the Gnome 2 => Unity/Gnome shell storm. And I think people are realizing why things have happened.

I also missed Ubuntu One's files and settings synchronization being built-in but it didn't get enough love to survive which is sad. It could have been a platform for synchronizing your Ubuntu Phone and desktop even better! I think they were too focused on the money-making (music) aspect.

HermanAB
September 10th, 2016, 01:55 PM
The bustle stopped because everything is working. So, now Ubuntu is just as boring as the other distributions.

Sableyes
September 10th, 2016, 02:03 PM
I miss the animal wallpapers and certainly miss the bustle of the forums.

I used to post under the name Naiki. I lost the accounts details and email yonks ago, but I remember there was a long period where the Cafe was closed. I presumed Ubuntu Forums was trying to remove the communal part of the forum and be support only. When the Cafe was closed for an extended period I left and found other communities to join. In my opinion, that is what killed the bustle of Ubuntu Forums. It was never the same after that.

SantaFe
September 11th, 2016, 02:23 AM
To be honest, I kinda miss the free CD's, but I figured that it cost more to use DVD's so they had to stop offering them. :D

jamesfbays
September 12th, 2016, 07:30 AM
I agree with the original 5 things. But I secretly miss a 6th thing: the LinSux guys trolling every now and then.

uNoubu8a
September 12th, 2016, 01:14 PM
Regarding the forums and the reduction of activity, i suppose the zero tolerance to trolls reduced activity a great deal. I believe it was necessary and I was staff at the time. Ubuntu was being used/experienced by more and more new users every day. The last thing you need in an official support tool is some jumped up so-called linux expert posting rtfm or just being an idiot to new users.

However, more than that, is the fact that Ubuntu just works. I joined the forums because my wifi and sound didn't work. Now this stuff does, so there are fewer questions.

Also there is askubuntu

Could also be seen as killing the patient to cure the illness...

Dragonbite
September 12th, 2016, 01:32 PM
I have dropped the idea of using one distribution because of such a bad experience in the forums. The distribution is fine, but time in the forum left such a bad taste in my mouth I have avoided that distribution from my list of distributions I jump between.

cariboo
September 14th, 2016, 04:52 AM
I just updated and rebooted Yakkety, this is only a month old installation, I still get the startup sound.

uNoubu8a
September 14th, 2016, 05:44 PM
I just updated and rebooted Yakkety, this is only a month old installation, I still get the startup sound.

All of the Ubuntu installs I have done for many years always have the bongo drums playing when logging in...

Sableyes
September 16th, 2016, 02:42 PM
I get the short 1 secound bongo sound.

I do not get and have not heard for ages the bongos with animal noises when the desktop starts up. Is that still in there?