Who is an default User, who likes to customize?

[Blue Heron]

characteristic of the default user (my definition):

-> uses Ubuntu with GNOME
-> didn't modify the Desktop or System in a way that takes more then 3 Minutes, except for installing drivers

[Tyche]

I use Ubuntu and Gnome (Gutsy Gibbon and Hardy Heron Beta)
I don't use 3D desktop effects
The only reason it took 2 minutes to change my background in Hardy Heron was because I had to retrieve the graphic from the Gutsy Gibbon partition.
It has actually taken me longer to configure Firefox 3 in Hardy Heron than it has to do ALL the modifications I've done to the desktop (well, all right, the only other thing I did was to make sure the icons were what I wanted and change the cursors.)
I think I qualify. :-)

[Foster Grant]

characteristic of the default user (my definition):

-> uses Ubuntu with GNOME
-> didn't use 3D Desktop effects
-> didn't modify the Desktop or System in a way that takes more then 3 Minutes (by default Options), except for installing drivers

Then I'm not a default user, even though I don't use 3D desktop effects (if I want 3D toys, I can play AlienArena or Scorched3D¹).

But if it weren't for the logo on the Applications menu, you'd never know I have Ubuntu.
_____
¹ But not FlightGear. I would never play FlightGear. Especially when I was working on a project for a client. Nope, never would. Never ever never. O:)

[chucky chuckaluck]

i'm a messer.

[andahunter]

I changed my background, my windows, my panels and buttons, all created by myself and i use magic effects, but i use Ubuntu with Gnome :D so im a customizated :D

[Kingsley]

Hmm. I used the default Fedora theme for at least 4 months after a fresh installation. Then I decided to change the windows border to an older Fedora theme but kept everything else the same. Now, I have some black theme going on with new icons.

[Pijits_1]

finding cool themes, splash screens, and gdms is fun.

[SomeGuyDude]

Far as I'm concerned, part of the Linux appeal is customizing it to make it YOURS.

[LaRoza]

Customized to the extreme. (to a minimal functional desktop, not to make it snazzy)

See my blog for my iBook to see my last conquest :-)

[sports fan Matt]

Customization with different window managers and the like :)

[Pethegreat]

I left the basic setup, but I have moved some things around for preference.

Now If I wanted to install a KDE desktop I could just type?


sudo apt-get install KDE desktop

I have used KDE a few times in VM's. It woulld be nice to be able to try it with all the stuff I have right now.

[Blue Heron]

Far as I'm concerned, part of the Linux appeal is customizing it to make it YOURS.

Yeah it seems so, only 16% like it the default way :(

I see this a little bit as a problem:
Mainstream is important for an OS, in the end only a minority sees the OS as a cool gadget, and the majority as a possibility to launch their programs.
The problem is, that what I said is Windows XP not Ubuntu :(

[LaRoza]

I left the basic setup, but I have moved some things around for preference.

Now If I wanted to install a KDE desktop I could just type?


sudo apt-get install KDE desktop

I have used KDE a few times in VM's. It woulld be nice to be able to try it with all the stuff I have right now.



sudo aptitude install kde-core

[GeneralZod]

I customise behaviour so that it fits properly with the way I like to accomplish tasks. I don't have a good sense of aesthetics, so I tend to leave the looks close to the defaults.

[jgrabham]

I just use Satanic Edition; I want it to look nice, but Im far to lazy to do it myself XD

[Blue Heron]

, but Im far to lazy to do it myself XD

Hehe, this is my point too.
I'd like to see more GUI-functionality - some things are still sophisticated to configure.

[xeth_delta]

KDE user here. Customized desktop that looks quite different from the "standard" one. I use an extra panel for the K-menu and application quick launch, separate from the task-bar. Extensive use of dark colors and a clean desktop background. Hardware accelerated effects enabled.

As a previous user stated, having the freedom to heavily modify the appearance of the many desktops/graphical interfaces is one of the beauties of Linux. It lets you make the system better suit your needs, tastes and also be more productive.

I guess that the fact that I use a lot of customization on KDE is probably one of the reasons why I don't find Kubuntu to be unappealing as other users do, where they suggest other KDE based distros.

[AndyCooll]

I'm becoming more and more a "default" user ...because of that "laziness" mentioned before.

From previous experience I prefer to do a clean installation of Ubuntu when I upgrade. And these days I can't be bothered to then re-install lots of different apps when the defaults will do. An example of this is my audio player, I prefer Amarok but Rhythmbox will do, so I'm using that at the moment.

Having said all that I do like to tinker ...

:cool:

[DoktorSeven]

Let's see, I use Fluxbox, remove several daemons from startup, remove many of the cron scripts (I don't need slocate!), compile my own kernel, etc, etc.

I think that qualifies as a "customizer".
:)

[Bruce M.]

My wife and I use the same computer.

I like to tinker and tweak, my wife would kill me if I put this the way "I" would like to have it. She "needs" her icons on the desktop.

So I have to compromise here.

"Oh you didn't like that change."
"OK, how about this?"

Lots of things "underground" that she can't/doesn't see though. :)

I certainly don't need a program to change the desktop image thought. Get up to go to the bathroom and poof! It changes.

"Oh, I didn't like that one." :lolflag:

[rev7]

Since I am running Ubuntu on the Everex Cloudbook and only have a seven inch screen, I've customized the desktop to maximize screen space-- A compact theme for Firefox, Metacity themes without thick borders, a single carefully set-up panel, etc... And all this without sacrificing good looks!

My little lappy shipped with gOS-- The default gOS theme is a waste of my little screen space if you ask me. First thing I did was disable AWN and add its functionality to my ONE panel.

Of course, with a larger screen, I may have kept it. That's the beauty of Linux, though-- very adaptable to virtually any device.


Cheers!

[Riffer]

I guess you could call me a default user. I have tried AWN and compiz and while fun in the end I return to pretty much the default. Compiz seems to slow down my comp and I really don't know what each plugins and settings do so I end up screwing things up ( I have tried to find docs on it but couldn't). AWN was fun but at the time not very stable so things again screwed up.

I pretty much add things to my panels and increase fonts size because of my eyesight. But thats pretty much it. It would be nice to be able to change font colour for the panels.

[ExpatPaul]

characteristic of the default user (my definition):

-> uses Ubuntu with GNOME
-> didn't use 3D Desktop effects
-> didn't modify the Desktop or System in a way that takes more then 3 Minutes, except for installing drivers

I looked at KDE when KDE4 came out and decided I preferred the intuitiveness of GNOME

3D desktop effects irritate me.

I've looked at several themes but keep coming back to the Human theme (with a Betty Page background)

So that makes me a default user

*shrugs*

[Riffer]

I've looked at several themes but keep coming back to the Human theme (with a Betty Page background)

*

Now theres an idea for a wallpaper :) prolly the most beautiful woman of all time.

[Breakage]

I'm about as far from default as I can get, currently going further and further.

When I used ubuntu/xubuntu they were stripped of all the bloat and tweaked/customised.

On arch the default is cli even my cli is customised, all apps I use are customised away from default too.

I need help lol.

[tbroderick]

Pretty much default Mandriva KDE. I like Mandriva's themes. I do change a couple KDE settings, middle click to close konqueror tab, turn off konqueror access keys, etc.

[Blue Heron]

When this poll results are representative, than :-$

It'd would mean that Ubuntu users are mostly tweakers - it starts with not choosing Ubuntu and ends somewhere in a complete new Distro.

Well I'm in the minority to choosing Ubuntu over XP, and inside this minority, I'm in the minority to not customizing it. :-\"

Isn't that not a problem? I mean you tweak to make it cool, but isn't it cool enough anyway?

When i see all the compiz videos it's seems to me that coolness is the #1 issue in Ubuntu.

Well my reasons are others: a better filesystem, no registration, no trusted computing, no viruses so far.

But good to see that there are actually others who go the way it's meant to be. :)

[Breakage]

When this poll results are representative, than :-$

It'd would mean that Ubuntu users are mostly tweakers - it starts with not choosing Ubuntu and ends somewhere in a complete new Distro.

Well I'm in the minority to choosing Ubuntu over XP, and inside this minority, I'm in the minority to not customizing it. :-\"

Isn't that not a problem? I mean you tweak to make it cool, but isn't it cool enough anyway?

When i see all the compiz videos it's seems to me that coolness is the #1 issue in Ubuntu.

Well my reasons are others: a better filesystem, no registration, no trusted computing, no viruses so far.

But good to see that there are actually others who go the way it's meant to be. :)

I suppose ubuntu is a great distro for introducing people to linux, linux is not all about compiz fusion.

Although a lot of new users do install linux for it, I do use fusion when im in xfce with it made to look very minimal so it doesn't get in the away. But im not always in xfce I use other wm's a lot.
Fusion runs very very very smooth on my pc so why not actually make that graphics card i have useful in linux for things other than a higher res and smoother video performance.

If there was no compiz fusion then I 100% would still be linux as it was not the thing that attracted me to it, I actually found out about compiz after I installed linux. peoples perceptions of cool differs.

And yeah the default look & feel of Ubuntu is pretty sweet, but some people just don't like the brown & orange combo. I do. :)

Also customising linux or ubuntu, does not mean installing compiz fusion.

[xeth_delta]

It'd would mean that Ubuntu users are mostly tweakers - it starts with not choosing Ubuntu and ends somewhere in a complete new Distro.

I would rather hazard to say the most of the voters here are tweakers, as a generalization or extrapolation to the entire Ubuntu user base might not be precise.

I might not have understood what you meant, but a distro is much more than just the interface and how it is configured, just look at the package database.



But good to see that there are actually others who go the way it's meant to be. :)

Even though I see where you go here, I would not say there is a certain "way meant to be" :)
That is because Linux offers us the freedom to configure i as it suits us best. Different people have different tastes and styles and there is nothing wrong with the way one might choose to configure the graphical interface.

[Quillz]

Since I like my interface to be simple and minimal, I often just stick with the default GNOME setup, and usually only customize things like icon sets and colors. I'm not really into complete customization, as I find that most of the time, a lot of user-made themes aren't practical enough for everyday use. Same goes with the 3d effects. There are a few useful ones, but I find most to be just eye candy.

[Blue Heron]

That is because Linux offers us the freedom to configure i as it suits us best. Different people have different tastes and styles and there is nothing wrong with the way one might choose to configure the graphical interface.

My Point is, that the mainstream PC User doesn't customize his Desktop in a heavy way. There are also possibilities in XP but the majority of the Windows users uses Windows XP plain.

When I see all the threads about customization here, it seems abnormal.

Hey, actually i want Ubuntu to be the new XP.
I believe in closed source programs on open source operating systems.

But i have already heard for people, that they will leave Ubuntu, when Ubuntu becomes the new Platform for closed source software. :(

[popch]

I usually leave things pretty much as they are.

Of course, I try some of the settings and I even might leave them for some time if I like the effect. But heavy customising I usually shun.

I am pretty amazed that I left some of the desktop animations turned on. Although they consume CPU cycles I could put to 'better' use they make the destop appear to be more responsive. Go figure.

[xeth_delta]

My Point is, that the mainstream PC User doesn't customize his Desktop in a heavy way. There are also possibilities in XP but the majority of the Windows users uses Windows XP plain.

When I see all the threads about customization here, it seems abnormal.


Agree, most of the mainstream users just leave their Desktop the way they are, nothing bad with that, it's up to them :)

By the other hand I really don't see anything abnormal in having costomization threads, so I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

I think that you might take into account that a lot of the people tweaking their systems and graphical interfaces are enthusiasts or above average users, and this segment forms a considerable part of the linux userbase. IMHO, It is also their right and choice do change the appearance of the system if they want to, without becoming something unusual.

As I have said earlier, the way I see it is that this is a matter of preference and there is certainly no "better" or "worse" in this aspect. There's just the "different", and some users will just prefer some configuration others wont, completely natural.

[Blue Heron]

completely natural.

You just didn't get my point.

the thing is not about natural vs. artificial, it's normal vs. abnormal.
It's about reading statistics not it's valuation.

First you read that Ubuntu is some <1% market percentage, then you read that 85% of the voters don't go by default.

conclusion: Ubuntu is an OS for tweakers.

I want Ubuntu to be an OS for the mainstream.

Any questions?

[xeth_delta]

You just didn't get my point.

the thing is not about natural vs. artificial, it's normal vs. abnormal.
It's about reading statistics not it's valuation.

First you read that Ubuntu is some <1% market percentage, then you read that 85% of the voters don't go by default.

conclusion: Ubuntu is an OS for tweakers.

I want Ubuntu to be an OS for the mainstream.

Any questions?

Blue Heron, I am not trying to start an argument here. When I used the word "natural", I meant that I don't see anything strange in people wanting to customize the system according their own taste.

I will completely agree with you on something. The user base in Linux is generally speaking different to the one Windows has, for example.

They are more prone to fiddle with the system and to learn the insides and it should not come as a surprise that so many choose to change its appearance. This is something you have to take into account when drawing a tendency for both communities, what would be the norm in one, won't be in the other.

You could say that the Linux average user is more into the operating system, and the user community more knowledgeable, hence they show different tendencies in comparison to others.

I hope we can settle this opinion exchange now that each of us has left very clear our points of view :)

[Don S]

I customize it so it suits my needs. I find it a huge advantage to have a 3D desktop, so I configured it. But in general, I very much like the Ubuntu look-and-feel, so the panels and positions of launchers stays as they were when I installed - with the exception of all the things I've added in-between them, such as Wanda next to the logout button and the weather gadget.

[Blue Heron]

The user base in Linux is generally speaking different to the one Windows has, for example.

They are more prone to fiddle with the system and to learn the insides and it should not come as a surprise that so many choose to change its appearance. This is something you have to take into account when drawing a tendency for both communities, what would be the norm in one, won't be in the other.

You could say that the Linux average user is more into the operating system, and the user community more knowledgeable, hence they show different tendencies in comparison to others.

I hope we can settle this opinion exchange now that each of us has left very clear our points of view :)

ok, no problem,
maybe we should compare the mainstream-factor of both communities again in 10 years :)

[thenes]

The only complaint my wife had about switching to Linux was the default Ubuntu theme. Once I changed it to a light blue theme with a desktop picture of the ocean, she was happy :KS

[xeth_delta]

ok, no problem,
maybe we should compare the mainstream-factor of both communities again in 10 years :)

Completely agree, and hopefully Linux of all flavours will be far ahead by then :)

[christianxxx]

I put in customize, even though I'm running a default system, more or less.
But that's because I haven't found the right tweaks yet. Especially in terms of a good theme. Could of course do one myself, but for convenience, I'm still running a default system.

[bruce89]

I can't stand Ubuntulooks (not maintained) or the Human icons. I use Clearlooks with brown colours and tangerine icons. I also remove useless stuff (bluez, brltty, compiz, cups-pdf, diveintopython, example-content, firefox, printer drivers etc).

[dashnak]

I've replaced my window manager, file manager, panels, hotkey management, tweaked the startup, changed icons, gtk themes, etc, etc.
..
So yeah, I seem to be a tweaker.

[EXCiD3]

i never stop customizing

[danbuter]

I've tried Xfce and KDE. I like Gnome. But I have a ton of little customizations going on, from background, to theme, to fonts, to installed programs, etc.

[WBL]

The extreme amount of customization that you can do in Linux is actually why I switched back to Linux from OS X.

-WBL

[cardinals_fan]

characteristic of the default user (my definition):

-> uses Ubuntu with GNOME
-> didn't use 3D Desktop effects
-> didn't modify the Desktop or System in a way that takes more then 3 Minutes, except for installing drivers
I think that the 'default user' for Ubuntu probably DOES use Compiz...

[Blue Heron]

I think that the 'default user' for Ubuntu probably DOES use Compiz...

you are right my definition was too strict, however the most are changers.

Anyway, just read the posts, there are some users that go the default way.

[lswest]

i always change the theme & sometimes make custom wallpapers for my desktop install, and for my laptop i usually just tweak a few things, but hey, an artist's work is never done ;), however, i set both up with Compiz, my desktop has 9 workspaces, and a desktop wall, whereas my laptop has 4 workspaces on a cube. Used to have my desktop PC with burning windows for open and close and focus animations while my theme was a flame-style, but it got old quick :P

[swoll1980]

It depends. If the default is poop brown then I cusomize the "crap" out of it

[SuperSon!c]

My wife and I use the same computer.

I like to tinker and tweak, my wife would kill me if I put this the way "I" would like to have it. She "needs" her icons on the desktop.

So I have to compromise here.

"Oh you didn't like that change."
"OK, how about this?"

Lots of things "underground" that she can't/doesn't see though. :)

I certainly don't need a program to change the desktop image thought. Get up to go to the bathroom and poof! It changes.

"Oh, I didn't like that one." :lolflag:

seperate accounts wouldn't work for you?

[justin whitaker]

What exactly is the point of going open source if not to tinker?

[akiratheoni]

I used to be a default user + 3d effects... then I started experimenting with KDE then back to GNOME then finally Openbox where you can't even tell that it's Ubuntu :)

[sstusick]

I use Kubuntu, and I usually change the default theme. The Kmenu icon annoys me, so that is one of the things I change, along with the window borders, the wallpaper, the default system fonts, and I disable D3lphin and use Konqueror, it is a much better File Manager in my opinion. I install Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, because I dislike Konqueror as a web browser, and Kopete as an Instant Messenger. Haven't really played with Kmail, but I'm too comfortable with Thunderbird to make a change. I also uninstall Kaffeine and install VLC and use that to watch video. Kaffeine doesn't seem to like the video codecs in the repos, so I use VLC instead.

Oh and why is it that Kubuntu doesn't come with a graphics editor? I have to install GIMP as well. Krita would fit in nicely into a default Kubuntu install.

It takes me a couple hours to get the system up and running the way I want it. But once it's setup, I'm good for a month until I start getting bored with it and start changing things again. And I'm starting to get bored, thankfully Hardy will be released in a few days, I can start tinkering with a new OS :)

[acelin]

I use Ubuntu with KDE installed, a customized USP with a Ubuntu 'start' button, 3d effects- even those are customized-, a caurosel type dock, and awesome icons.