Ubuntu already exists

Story: The Linux desktop battle (and why it matters)Total Replies: 7
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tbuitenh

Mar 27, 2015
9:51 AM EDT
This is silly. There *isn’t* an overwhelming amount of choice for new users. If they want something “cool” and different from what they’re used to, they should use Ubuntu with Unity; if they want something similar to what they’re used to from Windows, they should use Mint with Cinnamon, or maybe XUbuntu or Mint Xfce if their computer is very old (as for current Mac users, they’re not going to switch no matter what).

All other distros are irrelevant to new users.

There’s no need to make other distributions be Ubuntu when Ubuntu already exists - all that would do is add an extra “remove Unity and install favourite desktop” step for current users of other distributions and for people switching because they’re unhappy with Unity.
linuxscreenshot

Mar 27, 2015
10:17 AM EDT
@tbuitenh

This article is not about distros at all, it's about the battle between desktop environments. Choice is good.
notbob

Mar 27, 2015
11:19 AM EDT
> I might have a solution for this.

I know I did! I stopped reading this pointless article.

Yes! More innovation is what we crave. Soon we will have an all inclusive database that will track everything. Wait ....we already have that (ohsonasty and neupuke) and most ppl wanna know how to disable it. Howzabout all those stupid reminder/warning pop-ups on Windows, the one's everyone wants to disable. Do you see a trend, here?

Frankly, I don't give a flying flop what my desktop looks like, as I never see it. I give even less thought to what would have become of Apple if they hadn't become the annoying success they have.

I think the fear of Linux not becoming dominant on the desktop is something only blog boobs blather on about.
tbuitenh

Mar 27, 2015
12:46 PM EDT
@linuxscreenshot

The article is about distros, in the sense that it argues that all distros should use Unity (or GNOME 3) by default.

the article wrote:Imagine this... one desktop to rule them all. I know this sounds like the ravings of a madman, but consider if the whole of Linux could agree on presenting one unified desktop to the masses. What if every major distribution defaulted to, say, GNOME while retaining the ability to install other desktops if a user so desired.

Although it seems preposterous (and probably impossible to apply), imagine the possibilities! By presenting a unified front on the Linux desktop (regardless of distribution), the masses would be far more willing to accept the idea that there's a computing platform that would be more reliable, efficient, and cost effective. They would no longer be overwhelmed by a dizzying array of choices.


My point is that if you’re the kind of user that wants something like Unity or GNOME 3, there is absolutely no reason why you should use something else than Ubuntu, which in turn means there is no reason for not-Ubuntu distros to use Unity or GNOME 3 as a default desktop environment.

Note that if^H^H when the systemd people have their way, there will remain only three significant differences between mainstream distributions: the default desktop, the package manager, and the installer.
mrider

Mar 27, 2015
12:51 PM EDT
His second paragraph my emphasis:
Quoting:What I see across the Linux landscape, however, often takes me by surprise. While Microsoft and Apple continue to push the idea of the user interface forward, a good amount of the Linux community seems bent on holding us in a perpetual state of "90s computing."


Because the interface changes to Windows 8 were such a rousing success, we should emulate them! Feel free to do whatever you want with your desktop environment sir, but please leave me the heck alone. I like my workflow just fine, and don't really see any reason to chase your design vision.
tbuitenh

Mar 27, 2015
1:14 PM EDT
I’m always happy to try out new and unusual interfaces. To my disappointment, Unity is worse than what I already had; I enjoyed GNOME 3 for a while on my netbook, with LOTS of extensions to make it usable, until it stopped working on the small screen (unresizable important configuration windows that couldn’t be alt-dragged through the top of the screen...) which happened to be the only place where it made sense to me. I would even like to play with Windows 8 a bit if someone near me had that on their computer.

I’m sure the shininess of Unity and GNOME 3 is attractive to “new users”. But shininess alone is not useful to people who aren’t “new users”.
JaseP

Mar 27, 2015
5:10 PM EDT
KDE provides the most familiar interface for new users, closely followed by XFCE (which is good for a speedier, less overhead oriented environment). Unity & Gnome 3.x are too different from what users are used to (at least for anything other than a phone). When I switch someone to a Linux environment, I go to KDE by default, with web-installed Chrome and LibreOffice. They can usually start using it in minutes, with only minimal explanation as to differences (no drive letters, briefing in package managers). That said, choice & diversity are great things ...
750

Mar 27, 2015
11:04 PM EDT
"Note that if^H^H when the systemd people have their way, there will remain only three significant differences between mainstream distributions: the default desktop, the package manager, and the installer."

If certain high ups in the systemd and Gnome projects get their wish, package managers will be replaced with the "glory" that is containers...

I swear the major Linux projects these days are driven either by the US MISC or web monkeys that want to clone OSX...

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