*Official Announcement:* Ubuntu Studio is switching to XFCE.

[Michael Dickson]

On Sun, 2011-05-15 at 13:17 -0400, Mike Holstein wrote: 
> 
> check out gnome3 here http://www.gnome3.org/tryit.html and see what
> you think. assuming gnome3 is an acceptable DE for ubuntustudio, it
> cannot be disputed that it is a drastic change from gnome2, and its
> arguable that XFCE is actually more like gnome2 than gnome3 is. i have
> been hanging out in the #gnome channel on freenode looking into what
> 'compatibility mode' is in gnome3, and how to get it running, and if
> it is indeed the same as gnome3, and if it is going to be part of
> gnome3 in the long term. to quote from the IRC channel 'gnome2 is
> dead'. that being said, feel free to actually go and check out gnome3
> for yourself, and report on its functionality. thanks

I have actually run Gnome3.  And like others I struggled with it a bit
initially. But after using it for a little while I found it very nice.
It is a big change however, no disputing that.

I'll weigh in with this opinion.  I believe Ubuntu Studio should track
the "default" Ubuntu desktop for the release track its on.  In the time
frame being discussed that would actually mean Unity as I understand it.
Unity has its own issues and represents a big change.  But it will be
the default for the platform and therefore likely have the largest user
base for the DE environments supported.  And that user based insures
testing and stability for US. 

Now if someone isn't comfortable with that approach an alternative that
should be available is installing the Ubuntu flavor you prefer (like
XUbuntu for instance) and retrofitting packages from Studio on top of
it.  So no reason I cant run studio bits under XFCE.  But the default
should be the "default" for the distribution.  

That's my take and the argument for it.

Mike