The upcoming new Unity shell design for the next release of Canonical’s Ubuntu 11.04 could change the face of the popular Linux desktop as we know it. Canonical creator Mark Shuttleworth is pushing the change to Unity while other Linux distros are rolling into GNOME 3. Linux Picks this week takes a look at this new desktop shell for Ubuntu. I have been using the Unity edition Canonical released for netbooks in its Ubuntu 10.10 Remix edition on both my small-screen netbook and wide-screen notebook.
jack, jack, jack...
What the heck you're talking about?
That is NOT unity, all you're doing with this article is create confusion on others. Please do your research a little better next time.
The UNR 10.10 release seems like an early stab at the Unity desktop. I found it to be incomplete, much like the initial releases of KDE 4. I think it is quite likely that the Ubuntu 11.04 release will address most of these concerns. Only time will tell.
You are making the assumption (and I think incorrectly) that most distros will go with Gnome Shell. I think that most will stick with GNOME 2.x and move gradually to GNOME Shell. This is what happened with KDE. Most distros stuck with KDE 3.5 until it became necessary to switch.
The second false assumption that you make, IMO, is GNOME Shell will be broadly accepted. You complain that users won't like the change to Unity because it is too radical. And GNOME Shell isn't? Either way users will have to change the way they work. Of the two Unity has been around longer and it has the better track record. What it gives Canonical that GNOME Shell doesn't is control and that is the name of the game.
Canonical can make whatever changes they want. Users can go where they want if they don't like it. They can also change Ubuntu so that it reflects their personal preference and install either GNOME Shell or GNOME 2.x.
Some will leave, but most users will stick with Canonical. They see it as the front runner and it is innovative and not boring.
My prediction is that GNOME Shell will be the one that annoys more users. I've used it and it does not refelct how I work and I think that many users will find the same and I tend to be more of a risk taker than many GNOME users who are by and large don't like change.
I expected better from a news site, especially one called Linuxinsider. For a minute I thought I was on Neowin, for all the effort that went into this Linux story.
To start off, That screenshot, and what you describe, is not Unity. Never was. That was Netbook remix see, www.flickr.com/photos/ncreedplayer/4569270949/ That interface started in 8.04 and was last used in 10.04, aww hell here is the wikipedia page, you must have missed it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Netbook_Edition
Unity, witch was first used on 10.10 was originally designed for netbooks only and was based on mutter. If you were unable to run mutter for whatever reason I think the old UNR interface was the fallback, If your really on 10.10, thats the only explanation I have.
No one is arguing that Muter didn't work out so good. Witch is why for 11.04 (Yes the version your supposed to be writing about.) they scrapped Mutter and rebased on Compiz. All of this is covered here post.ryanoshea.com/mark-shuttleworth-uds-1010-keynote As well you'll note Mark talks about how Unity will be a common platform for netbooks and desktops, but they will have different defaults.You'll also note that Mark says that the "Classic" Gnome interface will still be there for those who are unable to run Compiz. (A much smaller number then mutter.) There's lots of other good information in there you should check it out.
Your opinions about weather or not Unity fit your workfow are your own. I wont argue them, but I do recommend you try an up-to-date version before forming any opinions and waiting til final release before passing judgement. If you still do not find Unity intuitve, easy to use and overall just getting out of the way. Then bring something more to your argument "if it an't broke..." its tired. Many users are not so resistant to change.
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Ubuntu Unity Plays a Frustrating Shell Game
Posted by: Jack M. Germain January 26, 2011 05:00 AMThe upcoming new Unity shell design for the next release of Canonical’s Ubuntu 11.04 could change the face of the popular Linux desktop as we know it. Canonical creator Mark Shuttleworth is pushing the change to Unity while other Linux distros are rolling into GNOME 3. Linux Picks this week takes a look at this new desktop shell for Ubuntu. I have been using the Unity edition Canonical released for netbooks in its Ubuntu 10.10 Remix edition on both my small-screen netbook and wide-screen notebook.
What the heck you're talking about?
That is NOT unity, all you're doing with this article is create confusion on others. Please do your research a little better next time.
The second false assumption that you make, IMO, is GNOME Shell will be broadly accepted. You complain that users won't like the change to Unity because it is too radical. And GNOME Shell isn't? Either way users will have to change the way they work. Of the two Unity has been around longer and it has the better track record. What it gives Canonical that GNOME Shell doesn't is control and that is the name of the game.
Canonical can make whatever changes they want. Users can go where they want if they don't like it. They can also change Ubuntu so that it reflects their personal preference and install either GNOME Shell or GNOME 2.x.
Some will leave, but most users will stick with Canonical. They see it as the front runner and it is innovative and not boring.
My prediction is that GNOME Shell will be the one that annoys more users. I've used it and it does not refelct how I work and I think that many users will find the same and I tend to be more of a risk taker than many GNOME users who are by and large don't like change.
To start off, That screenshot, and what you describe, is not Unity. Never was. That was Netbook remix see, www.flickr.com/photos/ncreedplayer/4569270949/ That interface started in 8.04 and was last used in 10.04, aww hell here is the wikipedia page, you must have missed it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Netbook_Edition
Unity, witch was first used on 10.10 was originally designed for netbooks only and was based on mutter. If you were unable to run mutter for whatever reason I think the old UNR interface was the fallback, If your really on 10.10, thats the only explanation I have.
No one is arguing that Muter didn't work out so good. Witch is why for 11.04 (Yes the version your supposed to be writing about.) they scrapped Mutter and rebased on Compiz. All of this is covered here post.ryanoshea.com/mark-shuttleworth-uds-1010-keynote As well you'll note Mark talks about how Unity will be a common platform for netbooks and desktops, but they will have different defaults.You'll also note that Mark says that the "Classic" Gnome interface will still be there for those who are unable to run Compiz. (A much smaller number then mutter.) There's lots of other good information in there you should check it out.
Your opinions about weather or not Unity fit your workfow are your own. I wont argue them, but I do recommend you try an up-to-date version before forming any opinions and waiting til final release before passing judgement. If you still do not find Unity intuitve, easy to use and overall just getting out of the way. Then bring something more to your argument "if it an't broke..." its tired. Many users are not so resistant to change.