[ubuntu-us-in] So, reviews of Unity?

[Ryan Hoots]

I didn't like unity... only 2/5 of the computers in my network have the
harware to run it. I like the GNOME 2 interface better.
Even if I had the hardware, I still think the panel on the left side isn't
what I'd choose. I'd get rid of it and replace it with the AWN dock, it
seems to do the job well enough for me.
If I *have *to use Ubuntu, even on the latest and greatest PC, I'd use
Ubuntu Classic.
But I do think Unity is better than KDE, in my opinion...

On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 9:45 PM, David Ernst <david.ernst at davidernst.net>wrote:

> I'm definitely NOT an early adopter, especially with things like my
> base OS where I pretty much want it to work and not change so that I'm
> not thinking about it.  But, prompted in part of Ubuntu 10.10 clinging
> to Firefox 3.x, I upgraded a week or two ago to Ubuntu 11.4, just in
> time to start thinking about how there will be another upgrade
> available in a month or two.
>
> So, I finally saw Unity.  I'd be curious to play with it somewhere
> like a kiosk or something ... basically anything other than my
> workstation.  My experience was like this:
>
> First, I had trouble with the 3d graphics.  This is probably something
> to do with my computer, like not having a fancy graphics card.  And
> it was true of 10.10 and previous as well.  So, I knew to look for a
> version that wasn't trying to impress me with eye candy, and Unity 2D
> did the trick.  At least things were working then.  And I really don't
> care about eye candy.  This might have contributed to some of my other
> problems, though.
>
> So, the next hurdle was that I LOVE multiple desktops.  Completely
> integrated into my computer use, I can't live without them.  And, I
> didn't have to... Unity supports them... BUT, I couldn't use the key
> bindings I'm used to.  Basically Unity snatches up Alt+F2 to launch
> the dash, and no matter what I did, I couldn't get rid of that.  I
> found someone in Ubuntu forums with the exact same preference and
> problem, and no one had a solution for him either.
>
> So, I switched my bindings to use Super+F[1234], which worked better.
> But, strangely, I still got the dash sometimes after switching
> desktops.  I couldn't discern a pattern.  Sometimes it showed up,
> sometimes it didn't.  I also was not really getting used to the switch
> to Super, although I suppose over time I might have.
>
> When I wanted to launch an application... the applications I used the
> most were easy to get in the dash.  But ones that I run 1-2 times per
> week were not there, and I was amazed at how inefficient it was for me
> to get to them.  Take Synaptic, for instance.  Fastest way I could see
> was to open the dash, type "synapt", and it finds it... but then I
> still have to move my hand to the mouse to click on it?  I'm fine with
> a keyboard or a mouse, but I really don't like switching between the
> two very often.  Seems like if they are encouraging a keyboard
> approach I should be able to say "yes, launch the 1st app in those
> search results" from the keyboard.  Was there a way I just wasn't
> seeing?  Or, was there a way to specify which apps are in the dash?
> And in what order?  I sure wasn't seeing it.
>
> The BIGGEST nuisance, though, was that windows seemed to auto-maximize
> themselves, whether I wanted them to or not.  Actually, I liked the
> more efficient use of real-estate, the problem was that with a
> maximized window, the open dash would cover up the left-most 1-2 cm of
> my window.  So, say I'm typing an email or some code, and someone
> sends me an IM... the dash opens up, alerting me to the IM with a
> dancing Empathy icon, and ... I can't see what I'm doing!!  Being as
> all of the languages I speak (that is, the one I really speak, and the
> few others that I sometimes try to speak) are Left-to-Right languages,
> I don't see how a mixture of auto-maximized windows and
> dash-suddenly-covering-the-left-part-of-the-screen could be a good
> thing.
>
> I had some spare time tonight and decided I'd try to see if I could
> customize it... maybe if the dash were on the right side, for
> instance, I'd be better with it.  After playing with it for just a
> bit, though, and not getting anywhere, I found myself wondering how to
> preserve the things about Unity that I really liked if I switched back
> to Ubuntu "Classic".  And I realized that the only thing I really
> liked was the more efficient use of real estate, and that wasn't even
> such a big plus.
>
> So, I logged in with "Classic" and was immediately happy again.  I
> reset my desktop-switcher to Alt+F[1234], and I'm again using my
> computer without thinking much about the window manager.  Just the way
> I like it.  And I have Firefox 6.x.  Odd that they flew from 3.x to
> 6.x in one version.  *shrug*
>
> So, I hope that Canonical keeps Classic as an option.  If they don't,
> though, I also checked out "awesome" based on a tip from Jeremy
> L. Gaddis from the conversation on this list about Unity back in May.
> Awesome seemed very promising.  I was very impressed with its speed
> and keyboard support.  But, there would be a learning (and
> configuration) curve, so for now I decided that I'd stick with what I
> knew... a week of running Unity did not leave me in the mood to try to
> train myself to learn ANOTHER new thing.
>
> So, those are my thoughts.  I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts about
> how I missed opportunities to be happy with Unity.  I'd also just like
> to hear if other people like it or not.  And, if anyone has inside
> news about what Canonical's plans are with dropping their Classic
> view, I'd love to hear them.
>
> David
>
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-- 
www.ryanhoots.com
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