Unity, or else ...

[ronsking]

I'd try Ubuntu Mate and use their Mutiny configuration.

[TheFu]

It is common for people to confuse the GUI and the OS. The GUI is just another program, definitely NOT the OS. There are 15 popular DEs/WMs and 50+ options for people who aren't afraid to try something different.

Picking a GUI is very personal. Spend an hour on youtube looking at different DEs and Window Managers, WMs. See what jumps out at you. Almost all of them can be crazy customized so they don't look anything like what you would normally see.

That link showing many different DEs and WMs is good, but don't take those screen shots as representative for anything beyond a default installation for each. Change 3 things and each will have a completely different look. Just because something is old, that doesn't mean it doesn't have extremely modern capabilities. I've been running Kodi since before the name change. Swapping out a different GUI is as simple as picking from a list of 50-100 others, at least on Kodi.

For new users, I usually suggest Mate as their GUI. It has pretty programs to change settings, is easy to figure out like Win7 and isn't too bloated. There is lots of code debt because they use gnome2. It will need to be paid at some point.

Disclosure: I'm an fvwm user after about 8 yrs with openbox, LXDE before that, XFCE before that and whatever the faults were on all the non-server systems for the prior 15 yrs before that. A few fvwm thumbnail examples are here: http://fvwm.sourceforge.net/screensh...dex.php?num=50 My attempt at embedding them failed.

Opacity, monitoring tools, Window placement (smart or absolute), and multiple desktops have been part of it for over 20 yrs. Best of all, if you setup fvwm and keep your config files, you'll likely never need look for another GUI again or care what the default GUI might be on any Unix system. fvmw works on all Unix systems with X/Windows that follow the standards. I haven't tried it with wayland. Wayland doesn't fit my needs, yet.

[mc4man]

1. I could run Unity on 18.04. Seems simple enough, but how many people do that? Anyone?

It won't be possible to predict a number as data needed would be hard or not possible to acquire. Though i could reliably predict no less than 10K, solely based on number of downloads from a semi-obscure ppa for ubuntu-unity-desktop and unity-control-center packages.

[jan-80]

Hello again,

For starters, Happy New Year!

As I continued into my exploration of Ubuntu (and 'flavours') I found out - and some have pointed that out - that most UIs are very customisable. I liked the default Unity, so there was no reason to change its appearance, but if I didn't like the default Gnome, I could just change it. That was kind of a revelation to me. So, the idea for now is to stick with Gnome3, but change the looks so that it "looks more like a traditional desktop". Let's not beat around the bush, that expression means: "looks more like Windows".

I took this article as a lead: https://www.howtogeek.com/353819/how...-like-windows/

Installing extensions and a menu manager made the UI look completely different. I even put the Windows 10 button to activate the Menu. Not because I like Windows so much, just to throw off some people looking at my system.

Finally, thanks everybody for pointing out alternatives. I will be keeping an eye out for Unity as alternative, and I have investigated Xubuntu and Lubuntu also. With the abundance of flavours and possibilities, it's difficult to choose. Maybe I should just toss a coin, pick one and stick to that...

Regards,
Jan-80

"May the source be with you"

[Tadaen_Sylvermane]

I'd suggest just move on to Gnome or something else. I know Linux is about choice, and you are free to keep running Unity if you want. But as time progresses you will eventually be forced to switch unless it really regains support and or you can keep it running on your own. Kicking the can down the road is never a good idea. Ask the government how well that works out. Best to do a controlled move to the newer tech rather than being forced at gunpoint.