Linux Beginners' Guide

[Rypac]

Sweet, let me know how your Mint 12 installation and experience is. I downloaded the ISO a while ago and burnt it to a DVD with the intention of installing it but still haven't got around to it. I also liked the fact that it seems more open than Ubuntu.

[DR650SE]

Will do.

Found this. It's why I went with Mint over Ubuntu. Guess I was having Ubuntu issues. It's an old thread I created.

Ubuntu/Dual Boot, and Trim questions

[sanjie]

I can't find an application for Ubuntu that monitors System temperature. Anyone knows one that does?

[niharjhatn]

Originally Posted by Rypac

What do you guys think of Ubuntu and Unity? I tried Unity and while it was pretty, I didn't find it that efficient so I installed the Gnome 3 desktop. I actually really love Gnome 3, especially how I can just flick the curser to the top-left of the screen and have the dock, programs and window switcher all there instantly, ready for use.

Well, let me just say that the rest of the ubuntu community doesn't really agree with you

Gnome 3 I just find kinda stupid... too many mouse movements to do anything and the one bar they have on the desktop is hardly customizable easily. Instead they include - quick access to universal accessibility settings!!! Coz that's REALLY what the users need instant and continuous access too!

And then there are just unbelievable idiotic aspects - take for instance the calendar at the top of the screen... if you want anouncements etc to pop up... you have to use EVOLUTION... yes, that crappy email program that is not even included by default in ubuntu anymore. Gnome 3 was a big gamble and I have to say it is not paying off.

I honestly think Unity is kinda decent. I used to run a heavily modified version of gnome 2 back in the day, and unity is fairly similar to how I had customized gnome 2, so I didn't find it too bad. The new version of unity coming out (Unity 5 I think? I think you can install an alpha version, but it will be default in 12.04) has some new features which are pretty cool. But the lack of customization is really killing unity, but the biggest problem is that since 10.04, ubuntu has gotten noticeably slower, I think due to combinations of huge increases in kernal size, as well as gpu acceleration requirements and the fact that ati drivers suck really bad on linux.

What concerns me is that both new desktops (gnome 3 especially) stink of the plans of ubuntu to move to the tablet market, abandoning some of the principles of pc computing - I'm all for ubuntu to expand, and would love an ubuntu tablet, but that doesn't necessitate the need to diminish the experience for the rest of us.

Each to his own, we all have a choice... but IMO unity is better and seems to be actually improving.

A couple of things I think a gnome 3 user like you might be interested in:

Firstly, edgebound desktop - a fairly innovative desktop concept, combining aspects of unity and gnome 3.
Freed Up Thoughts

It runs on gnome 3, might be interested in giving it a whir.

Also Gnome Pie, a pretty cool app launcher, and I think a noob/gnome 3 user might like it (sorry, just a joke, couldn't resist )
Gnome Pie: A Cool New Visual Application Launcher ~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog

[Rypac]

Originally Posted by niharjhatn

Well, let me just say that the rest of the ubuntu community doesn't really agree with you

Gnome 3 I just find kinda stupid... too many mouse movements to do anything and the one bar they have on the desktop is hardly customizable easily. Instead they include - quick access to universal accessibility settings!!! Coz that's REALLY what the users need instant and continuous access too!

And then there are just unbelievable idiotic aspects - take for instance the calendar at the top of the screen... if you want anouncements etc to pop up... you have to use EVOLUTION... yes, that crappy email program that is not even included by default in ubuntu anymore. Gnome 3 was a big gamble and I have to say it is not paying off.

I honestly think Unity is kinda decent. I used to run a heavily modified version of gnome 2 back in the day, and unity is fairly similar to how I had customized gnome 2, so I didn't find it too bad. The new version of unity coming out (Unity 5 I think? I think you can install an alpha version, but it will be default in 12.04) has some new features which are pretty cool. But the lack of customization is really killing unity, but the biggest problem is that since 10.04, ubuntu has gotten noticeably slower, I think due to combinations of huge increases in kernal size, as well as gpu acceleration requirements and the fact that ati drivers suck really bad on linux.

What concerns me is that both new desktops (gnome 3 especially) stink of the plans of ubuntu to move to the tablet market, abandoning some of the principles of pc computing - I'm all for ubuntu to expand, and would love an ubuntu tablet, but that doesn't necessitate the need to diminish the experience for the rest of us.

Each to his own, we all have a choice... but IMO unity is better and seems to be actually improving.

A couple of things I think a gnome 3 user like you might be interested in:

Firstly, edgebound desktop - a fairly innovative desktop concept, combining aspects of unity and gnome 3.
Freed Up Thoughts

It runs on gnome 3, might be interested in giving it a whir.

Also Gnome Pie, a pretty cool app launcher, and I think a noob/gnome 3 user might like it (sorry, just a joke, couldn't resist )
Gnome Pie: A Cool New Visual Application Launcher ~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog

Thanks for the info and the links. A noob/gnome 3 user like myself needs all the help I can get...

I've been using Ubuntu pretty heavily over the last few days trying to become more familiar with it and have started to agree with you and the rest of the community about Gnome 3. I do like the slickness of it and the mouse gestures but I agree that alot of the other features feel like a bit of a gimmick.

I've been back to Unity since yesterday and am liking it a lot more now. I've hidden the launcher and have Cairo Dock installed which is alot more functional and quicker. I've also been messing around with Conky and got a few panels going which look pretty cool. I've had a look at some of the changes for Unity in 12.04 and they do look pretty neat.

I'm actually really enjoying learning the basics of Linux. It's also great that whenever I have a problem, all I need to do is Google it and find that it has already been asked and answered.

[niharjhatn]

Originally Posted by Rypac

Thanks for the info and the links. A noob/gnome 3 user like myself needs all the help I can get...

I've been using Ubuntu pretty heavily over the last few days trying to become more familiar with it and have started to agree with you and the rest of the community about Gnome 3. I do like the slickness of it and the mouse gestures but I agree that alot of the other features feel like a bit of a gimmick.

I've been back to Unity since yesterday and am liking it a lot more now. I've hidden the launcher and have Cairo Dock installed which is alot more functional and quicker. I've also been messing around with Conky and got a few panels going which look pretty cool. I've had a look at some of the changes for Unity in 12.04 and they do look pretty neat.

I'm actually really enjoying learning the basics of Linux. It's also great that whenever I have a problem, all I need to do is Google it and find that it has already been asked and answered.

yeah, definitely - its FUN to use the desktop in its own - i.e. its an experience running the OS and tweaking customizing to your liking...

Just wanted to add, the unity overlay (when you hit the 'super' key i.e. windows key) has lenses that you can customize. A youtube one is coming out, allowing you to use youtube without even opening a browser, which is pretty damn neat. I feel that the power of Unity lies almost entirely with this overlay screen, and with added options will become the main benefit of unity in the future.

[Rypac]

Originally Posted by niharjhatn

yeah, definitely - its FUN to use the desktop in its own - i.e. its an experience running the OS and tweaking customizing to your liking...

Just wanted to add, the unity overlay (when you hit the 'super' key i.e. windows key) has lenses that you can customize. A youtube one is coming out, allowing you to use youtube without even opening a browser, which is pretty damn neat. I feel that the power of Unity lies almost entirely with this overlay screen, and with added options will become the main benefit of unity in the future.

Wow, thanks for that. I found that the key took me to the lens but I had no idea you could customize it. That's awesome, I'm going to play around with it now.

[SemiExpert]

Unity felt very rough until 11.10. In it's current state, it's far from "light weight," but the 3D effects work very well and it offers great screen utilization.

Having said all that, if you have very old or very slow hardware, Unity 2D is not an entirely enjoyable alternative. If your hardware doesn't support Unity, but defaults to Unity 2D, you're going to have a very different experience.