All things considered...

Story: Ubuntu moves away from GNOMETotal Replies: 4
Author Content
JaseP

Oct 25, 2010
1:01 PM EDT
All things considered, I'm indifferent to this move. I pretty much use Cairo-dock & Compiz as a WM replacement, anyway. So, this won't impact me. They better have Unity's act together by then, though.
tuxchick

Oct 25, 2010
1:39 PM EDT
If they can make a better interface, good for them. As much as I like computers and Linux, the desktop environments and application interfaces still have a long way to go. A great test is to spend some time with an intelligent but not computer-guru user. Suddenly you notice design deficiencies that you ordinarily gloss over because you're used to them. Here is one example: save a document in OpenOffice with a new name, and in a different directory than the one it opens to. Notice how you have to navigate all over the screen, and there is no logical sequence of steps-- you have to know already what to do. It's even more mixed-up creating a new directory or saving to a different format.

Speaking of directories, am I the only old fossil who remembers how you could delete directories from inside Word Perfect?

Another chronic problem with KDE and Gnome is naming inconsistency-- application launchers might have names like 'text editor' or 'file manager', or they might use the actual application or command name, or both. It's different in the various distros and changes from one release to the next. Always re-arranging the furniture.
caitlyn

Oct 25, 2010
2:24 PM EDT
Have you looked at Unity, TuxChick? See Bruce Byfield's review of Ubuntu Netbook Remix. Add a few bugs and general clunkiness he doesn't cover and you pretty much have what Unity is right now: an unholy mess.

Yes, if Ubuntu really does come up with something better I'm all for it. Mark Shuttleworth talked about turning the computer into an appliance with Unity. That doesn't sound at all appealing to anyone who isn't a total newbie or who does more than light computing and social networking. Thanks but no thanks.
tuxchick

Oct 25, 2010
2:48 PM EDT
Nope, haven't looked at Ubuntu anything for awhile. I'm having fun with Arch and POD, Plain Old Debian :). Ubuntu is OK, but I'm tired of tracking a randomly moving target. Every release has all these drastic changes to important subsystems, and nothing is ever really finished. Of course that is true of software in general, but with Arch and Debian I get nice regular fresh packages without the pain of weird customizations.

After I finish working the kinks out of my kewl new Arch-based backup server I'm going to pay serious attention to some different DE/WMs. KDE4 is just plain not for me, and while Gnome has gotten pretty nice I'm overdue to check out some of the others. I'm wondering if all this energy that has gone into making KDE apps and Gnome apps means they won't integrate well into other environments, or will lose functionality.

I will check out Unity just to see what all the noise is about. They're building it up to be Spectacularly Awesome and Stuff.
caitlyn

Oct 25, 2010
4:33 PM EDT
It's Ubuntu. For some, by definition, it IS Spectacularly Awesome and Stuff simply because it is Ubuntu.

What you are experiencing with Debian and Arch pretty much explains why I stick with the Slackware derivatives and Red Hat for work. OK, with Red Hat I really don't have a choice but if I did I'd probably still stick with it. I get the idea that you would like SalixOS, which is a Slackware derivative with some of the niceties you are used to from Debian, like sane package management with automated dependency checking.

Posting in this forum is limited to members of the group: [ForumMods, SITEADMINS, MEMBERS.]

Becoming a member of LXer is easy and free. Join Us!