So, Ubuntu 12 was the last straw. I tried it, and it just wasn’t right. The push behind the modern UI design does seem to be a complete reversal of the ideas of Linux, that is, let the user choose what the user wants.
I moved to Ubuntu from Fedora because I was bored of having to re-install MP3 Codecs, DVD Codecs and Flash after every major upgrade, and wanting to play with Compiz, which Fedora wouldn’t let me do _easily_ because of it’s strict adherence to the Open Source Only idea. While I support this idea, the downside is that for me, no-longer being in the industry, I don’t have the 2 hours to spare to re-install a system. I need a linux system that just works. Ubuntu promised that. And almost immediately, started to fail on delivery.
It’s obsession with graphically-heavy UI’s, but without decent enough graphic drivers meant that there was often time needed to adjust the X-config to get it working. Now, I wouldn’t mind if I was using some unnamed graphics card, but I only have NVidia and ATI cards. These should, by now, be detected, and work. OR, alternatively, the distro should be clever enough to pick a working non-graphical intensive backup by default. (Which it didn’t, and in two cases, I had to *install* the non-graphical intensive backup).
Things came to a head with Ubuntu 12. They are still chasing down this ridiculous idea that £700 computers should be used for one application at a time. I *want* to put my windows where I can see them. I want a chat-box open in the top corner of my screen so I can type on G+ and chat to them. I want my Office Document and IRC open and arranged so that I can see parts of them so I can see what’s been updated. When using the slimmed-down version of Gnome 3, it still insisted on re-arranging my windows. Sure, I could probably turn it off, but I don’t have the time.
So I moved to Linux Mint.
Much to my surprise, it worked out of the box. Totally out of the box. A sensible low-graphic backup that is the default, meaning that you can log in and configure your system, and then *try* the high-graphic version to see if it works or not. DVD Codecs, MP3’s, YouTube and even Java working out of the box. So far, so good.
The main selling point for me, of course, is the UI. Cinnamon/MATE (Cinnomon is essentially the Compiz version of MATE). It’s simple, with a system tray, a task manager, and quick launcher, and then a menu that gives access to the rest of your programs. The Menu is searchable, allowing you to type what you want (like the KDE menu), but it’s favorite section is more dynamic (and so far seemingly more functional).
The desktop allows for simple icons (as you would except from most modern desktops) with the now familiar Computer/Network/Trash/home etc. icons. As It uses Gnome under the hood, it’s file manager gives seamless access to network places.
The UI is much smoother, and quicker than the similar KDE offering, and doesn’t have the irritation of Ubuntu Unity.
The question then comes why change distribution for the sake of a UI? My main reason was that I felt that Ubuntu was more and more moving in it’s own direction and making it more difficult for those who wished to go a different way to do so. So, I shall play with Linux Mint for a bit, and get used to Debian (the distribution upon which it is based), and see how that goes.
~BX
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