Ubuntu 11.04 May Default To Classic GNOME Desktop

[bluestealth]

Also, keep in mind, that the Natty "release" is not the "end all".

Unity can still receive stability and bug-fix updates after Natty is released, just like other software packages.

I realize this, but 11.04 has got to be the roughest Ubuntu builds I have ever used. I get the feeling that they are trying to push new technology at a great cost to usability. With their plans for perhaps including Wayland in the fall, I just don't see the situation getting better on that front. Its not that I don't like using cool new unstable features, since I do. I just don't think they should come stock.

[locovaca]

Also, keep in mind, that the Natty "release" is not the "end all".

Unity can still receive stability and bug-fix updates after Natty is released, just like other software packages.

So Ubuntu should become Windows where nobody upgrades until SP1? Good grief...

[deanjo]

I realize this, but 11.04 has got to be the roughest Ubuntu builds I have ever used.

All *.04 releases seem to be rough in ubuntu and it takes until the .10 releases for them to smooth items out.

[deanjo]

So Ubuntu should become Windows where nobody upgrades until SP1? Good grief...

I never did quite get why some distros seeing package upgrades as a viable way of addressing bugs and security issues.

[BlackStar]

I never did quite get why some distros seeing package upgrades as a viable way of addressing bugs and security issues.

What other way is there?

[deanjo]

What other way is there?

The way the most other common distros handle it, by backporting them to distro release versions and sending them out as an update instead of a upgrade.

[allquixotic]

Unity is to Ubuntu as KDE 4.0 is to Kubuntu. In other words, featureless, glossy, crashy, unusable crap.

When you're bringing up a new DE, it takes years and years to get all the convenience features in place to make the new DE as productive and intuitive as its uglier predecessor. I really really like KDE4 since 4.4 or so, and the latest stable is quite nice indeed. But it took them several years after the release of 4.0 to get to that state.

There's no reason to think that Unity couldn't rival KDE 4.6 or Gnome 2.x, but as it stands I think they have a loooong way to go. As for Gnome 3.0, I think it's about in the same state, or maybe a little bit better: the core technology is there, but it needs to be fleshed out. Gnome did spend a bit more due diligence perfecting their stack though, which is something we can't say about Unity.

Some users might find Unity appealing, but it's gonna be a hard sell for people who are used to the conveniences of Gnome 2, or even Windows. Tack on a bunch of bugs and a lot of feature requests unfulfilled, and you're looking at a technology that really isn't ready for the general population.

I'm all for releasing 11.04 with Gnome2 by default. My most preferred option, though, would be to pull all the Canonical developers off of Unity and make them contribute to Gnome3 instead, building a better unified platform for the common Linux desktop, rather than this fragmented bullshit. Without Canonical's developers, Unity would die fairly quickly.

Too bad Ubuntu does time based releases, or they could probably pull together an excellent Ubuntu 11.06 or 11.07 based on Gnome 3 with the 2.6.39 kernel. Shame.

[Kano]

I see no highlight in that release, when you forget Unity then you only get a few updates you can get with other extra ppas too - like newer xorg drivers with the edgers ppa or new mainline kernels, new libre office/wine is easy to get too. Did i forget something that somebody considers as a must have?

[mugginz]

Has anyone heard any more on the subject of whether or not they're gunna add an option for positioning the dock where you need it?

I run a triple head setup. Sometimes I don't need all three screens to be on. With Gnome2, I had a panel at the top of each screen, each with the same applets, menus, etc. This meant that if I only turned on the center screen the environment was still usable. Now with the dock stuck on the left edge of the left most screen I need to at a minimum fire up the left most screen.

How bloody annoying.

I'd hate to be relegated to the classic desktop just because of this usability issue.

[monraaf]

I see no highlight in that release, when you forget Unity then you only get a few updates you can get with other extra ppas too - like newer xorg drivers with the edgers ppa or new mainline kernels, new libre office/wine is easy to get too. Did i forget something that somebody considers as a must have?

Well, not every release has to be a revolution. In fact I prefer the evolutionary approach myself, not interested in radical changes in the desktop paradigm every six months.

But anyway there are loads of updates, some more interesting than others. It all depends on your own interests. Here's some changes in Natty that I found worthwhile:

• Firefox 4, enough said.
  
• Ubuntu software center has now ratings, reviews and recommendations. I was skeptical when Canonical started with this project, but I think it's pretty awesome now, though I still use synaptic a lot, out of habit I guess.
  
• Ubuntu now ships with zeitgeist enabled by default, I think it's used for powering search in Unity, but with classic gnome you can use Synapse which is a really nice front-end.
  
• Shotwell now not only manges your photos but can also manage your videos.
  
• Evince has now support for adding proper pdf annotations to your pdf files.

Besides upgrading in Ubuntu is a breeze, using ppas is nice to try out some experimental/cutting-edge software without compiling stuff yourself but it's in no way a substitute for doing a proper distro upgrade.

Only thing I'm disappointed by is that Natty is still gtk+2.0 based.