Ubuntu 12.04 LTS removing unity and installing GNOME

[Ryan Gauger]

On 06/05/2012 08:25 AM, Jim Byrnes wrote:
> On 06/05/2012 08:08 AM, Ryan Gauger wrote:
>> On 06/05/2012 07:59 AM, Jim Byrnes wrote:
>>> On 06/05/2012 07:35 AM, Ryan Gauger wrote:
>>>> On 06/04/2012 10:44 PM, Rashkae wrote:
>>>>> On 06/04/2012 08:04 AM, Ryan Gauger wrote:
>>>>>> ent. I am on the Unity Design Team, and we have crafted the most
>>>>>> beautiful desktop environment ever (haha, just kidding). It would be
>>>>>> helpful if someone replied who hates Unity (or someone who knows 
>>>>>> why,
>>>>>> but maybe doesn't hate it themselves), and told me why, so that I 
>>>>>> can
>>>>>> give this information to the Unity Design Team. As I have said, I do
>>>>>> *highly* recommend just getting used to Unity, like you got used to
>>>>>> Ubuntu when you switched from Windows (I know not everyone did, but
>>>>>> most people do not install another OS than the one that came
>>>>>> pre-installed (most lik
>>>>>
>>>>> Ok, I'll bite....
>>>>>
>>>>> (Note: I haven't tried the latest iteration of Unity. Apolgies if 
>>>>> some
>>>>> of these issues have been addressed.)
>>>>>
>>>>> I don't personally like moving the application menus to the top of 
>>>>> the
>>>>> screen. Admittedly, this is something I could just get used to, and
>>>>> 'would' have proven useability benefits to using the screen edge for
>>>>> infinite pointing space... I say "would" be cause any perceived
>>>>> theoretical benefit gets completely eliminated when the menu hides
>>>>> unless you move the mouse pointer to unveil it. I don't know what
>>>>> genius thought that would be a good idea, but it shows right there in
>>>>> two minutes exactly how little though to usability actually went into
>>>>> Unity.
>>>>>
>>>>> 2: I'm a compulsive multi-tasker who has grown used to having a dozen
>>>>> virtual desktops, several of them filled with several windows. A task
>>>>> bar/dock that doesn't keep my desktops separate is completely useless
>>>>> to me. It's bad enough that Docky hides the option and requires gconf
>>>>> editing to enable this basic function, but Unity eliminates it
>>>>> entirely. If I could opt out of using Unity task bar in favor of
>>>>> something else that worked better for my needs, (docky, AWN, and
>>>>> another whose name I forget,) that would be a non usse. But Unity,
>>>>> like Gnome Shell, forces itself to be all or nothing. Bad Unity.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Those are the only 2 issues I ran into before giving up on Unity. #2
>>>>> especially is a complete showstopper.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> I can answer one of your thoughts on this... Moving the app menus 
>>>> to the
>>>> top panel was done to provide more space for the app. This is part of
>>>> what creates a distraction-free area, especially for maximised 
>>>> apps. It
>>>> may not look like it, but if you really think about it, hiding the app
>>>> menu by default helps to create more space. We could not fit the 
>>>> menu on
>>>> the same panel as the title, window control buttons, and indicator
>>>> applets, so we thought that hiding them by default was a better way to
>>>> go than to throw them down under the top panel, as that would not make
>>>> any sense at all, and may confuse users more than the hidden menus. I
>>>> will bring up the idea for the option for more virtual desktops in the
>>>> Unity Design Team, as well as more ideas you had. Thanks!
>>>>
>>>> In Christ,
>>>> Ryan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> This is not the first time I have seen the "give more space to the
>>> apps" argument for moving the menus to the top. To me it is not a
>>> compelling argument. I just measured and the menu bar takes up a whole
>>> 1/4 inch on my monitor. I would gladly give up that 1/4 to have menus
>>> where I expect to find them. I mean what is a 1/4 inch, one row on a
>>> spreadsheet.
>>>
>>> I'm with Rashkae on the multi-tasking issue. Again I would gladly give
>>> up another 1/4 of screen space for a comfortable way of keep track of
>>> what is happening on my desktop.
>>>
>>> Regards, Jim
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Removing the global menu would not necessarily add to the desktop
>> experience, or add to the app space. The top panel would still have to
>> be there, for the indicator menus. That would basically be the only
>> reason the top panel would be there, and that does not really make any
>> sense. Thanks!
>>
>
> I hit send to quickly.  What I was thinking but didn't write was I 
> would like to have a bottom panel also.  So I could display the 
> virtual desktops I was using and what was in them. That would amount 
> to another 1/4 inch gone.
>
> Regards,  Jim
>
>
I like the traditional bottom panel, so I'll bring it up with the Unity 
Design Team.