What's different about Netbook Edition?

[gldearman]

Hi, all,

I have a Asus EEE PC 1001P. I downloaded Ubuntu Netbook Edition, and made a bootable USB drive.

After booting with it, I discovered that I hate the desktop environment in netbook edition. Can anyone tell me what that is? Is it Gnome with all kinds of customization, or is it a different desktop environment?

I'm trying to decide which would be easier — intalling netbook edition on my EEE PC and then changing it to a more "classic" Ubuntu interface, or just installing standard Ubuntu on it. Are there any other advantages to netbook edition? Is there any other reason I should choose it over the regular edition? And how hard is it to change the default desktop environment in netbook edition?

Thanks, all!

[nathan.osborn1]

I downloaded Ubuntu Netbook before I downloaded the desktop. I really don't like the "sidebar" either, but mostly didn't like it because you can only view one page at a time which means switching between two windows when you are trying to work on two things at once. I would say from my own experience to use the desktop version. I am still "really" new with Ubuntu so I can't really tell you much about customization.

Hope this helps.

[antiballs]

In UNE you can change the default setting to Gnome and it will boot normal Ubuntu, you can change this back and forth on the login screen.

[gldearman]

Thanks, guys.

I actually found that the Wikipedia article on UNE was really helpful. If it's accurate, the onle difference between netbook and desktop editions is a handful of packages, all related to the interface. I really sorta figured UNE was optimized to configure netbook hardware, but it doesn't seem that it is.

So, I'm probably going to go ahead and install Desktop editon, and then pick and choose individual packages that I like from UNE. Most importantly, I'm excluding that horrifying UNE Launcher.

No point in installing an interface I can switch to, if I never plan to switch to it.

Thanks again!

[bitterbug]

What I did with mine was disable the UNR interface, then remove the Gnome panels from the top and botton - to give me the most vertical space.

I installed AWN and set it to Intellihide on the left side of the screen in case I need it. But I rarely do as Gnome-Do is installed and I just run applications from that.

I left Maximus enabled in the boot-system, so now when I run an app it's truly full screen and not the almost-full-screen-with-the-UNR-panel.

Compiz is configured with a cube with several sides. I have two shortcuts set up for desktop and window management.
CTRL-ALT and the left right arrows rotate through the desktops as normal.
I also added a hotkey using the SUPER and arrow keys to slide applications into neighboring desktops.

If you plan on running multiple apps on a single desktop this isn't a great system, but if you want focus on an individual app on each and fast navigation it's awesome.