Ubuntu loosing its popularity

[Pete]

On 12/01/2011 02:45 AM, Liam Proven wrote:
> On 30 November 2011 16:45, Art Edwards
> <edwardsa at icantbelieveimdoingthis.com>  wrote:
>>
>> I have also used a variety of window managers, although I'm always conscious
>> of where I'm getting the most done. So in 1997 I was just so happy to have
>> X-windows on a home machine--I wasn't very fussy.
>
> Oh, my, yes, me too!
>
> I started with LaserMoon Linux-FT - the first LiveCD - in 1996, as I
> could not get Slackware to install in 1995.
>
>> As I migrated from RH 4.1
>
> Well, 4.2 for me. It wasn't very nice. I really didn't like Fvwm or
> fvwm95 at all.
>
> I went from there to Caldera, the first distro to bundle KDE. When
> Caldera died and rose from the grave as a crazed zombie called SCO, I
> abandoned it and went to SuSE with KDE.
>
> I /really/ liked KDE 1 in the Caldera days. As you said (of GNOME, but
> the point still applies):
>
>> Note that it's not just a wm, it's an environment.
>
> I liked KDE 1.x. I found KDE 2.x too cluttered and complex. KDE 3.x
> was worse. KDE 4.x just descended into comedy - it doesn't even have a
> working desktop any more, just some kind of weird permanent folder
> thing, which if you close by mistake seems to be gone forever. And the
> weird floating bean/apostrophe things in the corners. Very odd, not at
> all pleasant to use IMHO.
>
>> So, I'm not so big
>> on adapting, if adapting means using an inferior product.
>
> Well, like you, I've been a GNOME user for a long time - since 2004
> when I switched from SUSE to Ubuntu.
>
> But every now and again, I try the others.
>
> * Xfce is OK. It's too basic for me, but it works.
> * KDE 4 is just ugly and stupidly complex and Byzantine with 2^16
> little options to twiddle.
> * LXDE I like - it's simple, clean and quick and does what you need.
> * OpenBox and Fluxbox are just too basic.
> * WindowMaker has potential and looks great.
> * Enlightenment falls somewhere between very pretty and
> over-ornamented into a eye-searing mess - a tart's handbag, as we say
> in British biker circles - and in use it doesn't make any sense to me,
> but I could live with it if I had to. Probably by theming it into
> something very drab and dull and grey like WindowMaker. :¬)
>
> So really I don't see what all the fuss is about. GNOME 2 worked, but
> it was much like Windows and Microsoft is getting threatening.

		<snip>
Speaking as an ex windows user (migrated to Ubuntu at the time of the 
VISTA fiasco) I have found GNOME2 to be more usable / customizable and 
generally more suited to my daily needs. WHEN is someone (or the 
community) going to stand up to MS they DO NOT rule the world no matter 
what Bill Gates says. To loose our favourite desktop environment due to 
ALLEGED infringements is ridiculous!


> The one that infringes 235 Microsoft patents and over which it was
> threatening to sue, yes. That one. The one that is "inspired by" the
> patented commercial product of a large and litigious company that has
> a protection racket in place with SUSE but doesn't with the 2 big
> GNOME distro makers - Ubuntu and Canonical.
>
> You know what SUSE's response was to GNOME 3? It was to announce it
> was going back to KDE! :¬) Which it can, because it has a deal withmore suited
> MICROS~1.
>
> Red Hat doesn't, so it's going with GNOME Shell. Canonical/Ubuntu
> doesn't, and it didn't like GNOME Shell, so it's turned its Netbook
> Remix into a sort-of copy of Mac OS X.
>
> All 3 seem like sensible moves to me. Staying with GNOME 2 was not an option.
>
>> Luckily Xfce has progressed so that it is almost as
>> good as Gnome 2. Based on the Xfce traffic on the list, gnome users are
>> migrating their in large numbers, so Xfce will probably get really good
>> quickly.
>
> I hope so too.
>
>> I know that I'm not looking back, unless the MATE fork becomes
>> stable, and I find that I'm unhappy with Xfce, an unlikely situation.
>
> Seems fair enough. Classic Ubuntu is dead. Long live Xubuntu!
>

Having said that IMHO Gnome 3 is just as usable and not too bad at all 
and I'm sure that the community will develop it into an environment that 
again betters the MS meritocracy and when they are scared again will 
they threaten litigation again or will we (the community) stand up to 
this virtual dictatorship! I for one would happily donate to a legal 
fund to help this excellent OS stand up to Microsplot.

I am currently looking at Xfce and I agree that it will probably become 
the new GNOME, but should we abandon our long trusted friend just 
because of an unsubstantiated threat.

Just my 10 cents (pence, or yen)

Regards

Pete