Ubuntu 12.04LTS upgrade ambivalence.

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NJC

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My beloved Ubuntu 10.10 will no longer be supported after Apr 2012, so the 12.04LTS upgrade looks inevitable. Having tried Ubuntu 11.10 with Unity, and reverting back to a hacked (font rendering not as good) version of Gnome Classic, I'm leery of the change. But wait! More change is on the way now with Ubuntu HUD - Head's Up Display.



More info here:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/beyond-the-desktop-ubuntu-linuxs-new-head-up-display/10204

As with Unity, I'll test it with low expectations. I haven't tried Linux Mint and don't need too much adventure for my main desktop, but I like the basic functionality of Gnome. Besides, some of my family members may not take too kindly to learning more desktops..
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I have an ancient laptop that I run 10.10 on.
The only thing it does is browse the web, and it beats the pants off my desktop box that runs XP and holds it's own to my new machine that runs Windows 7.

I could never get 11.1 to work on it. But then again I tried it when it first came out and I doubt all the drivers were available for a ancient IBM thinkpad.

I hope I will be able to figure out how to get 11.1 to work on it once they stop supporting 10.10
That is unfortunate.
 
Originally Posted By: NJC
..and don't need too much adventure for my main desktop, but I like the basic functionality of Gnome...


Would regular Debian be satisfactory in this case? Nothing beats Debian when it comes to business continuity IMHO. All those other distros come and go, and Debian is alive and well. Now, if they finally kick that Linux kernel out
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I have 10.04 on my old ThinkPad as well. I switched to LinuxMint on my Linux VMs though and the change will probably be permanent. I have both regular Mint and Debian Edition(LMDE).

LMDE is a good way to go if you are considering Debian...
 
Originally Posted By: Y_K
Originally Posted By: NJC
..and don't need too much adventure for my main desktop, but I like the basic functionality of Gnome...


Would regular Debian be satisfactory in this case?


I'm just leery to add more variables in the mix, since I have 3 operating systems at home to contend with (XP + 2 Ubuntu flavours). I have reverted to Unity on my 11.10 installation since a recent purchase of a Radeon HD 5450 video card. But had never considered Debian - thanks.
 
I upgraded my Ubuntu 11.10 partition to 12.04, since it's for messing around anyway.

Screenshotat2012-01-31222755.png


Kernel is 3.2.x.x. Still unstable in Alpha though.
 
I am using the 64 bit version of the Debain - Linux Mint version on my Netbook and Laptop.

If you are A Ubuntu user you can try Lubuntu or Xfce if you like a simple desktop. Xfce is great for an older computer with limited Ram - older processors.

You can find a lot of info on those desktops for tweaking them.
 
The earliest alpha releases of Ubuntu will have very, very little different from the prior version (well, they'll be much less stable...)

As time goes by and you begin the gradual upgrades to the alpha -> beta -> RC -> release you will notice, apparently, that they'are doing away will heirachal menus altogether in favour of a Heads Up Display where you begin typing the function you'd like to perform in any given program and various options are availed to you as you type (a la the video in the OP). Also, they're apparently making Unity a lot better.

Linux Mint has completely forked Gnome 3 (called "Cinammon") and there are also forks these days of KDE 3 ("Trinity") and Gnome 2 ("Mate") out in the wild. I think we'll see in the coming years all of these distibutions really separating themselves as distinct operating systems.

If you're really after Long Term Support, it's hard to go wrong with Debian. The stable release is usually pretty outdated by the time it is released (most applications are well behind the currently released version), but it has been tested and refined to near perfection by several thousand dedicated and skilled volunteer developers. Releases average every 2 years or so and are supported for quite a long time. The trade-off is that Debian is a lot more concerned with using only free software and therefore getting (proprietary) codecs and (proprietary) firmware and (proprietary) drivers is not as automagic as in Ubuntu.

Debian also *never* throws curveballs at their user base like Unity or HUD.
 
Because there won't be security updates for Ubuntu 10.10 past April 2012 I wouldn't recommend using. The good news is that 12.04 with be a LTS version so it will be supported until Apil 2017.

I'd like to hear any opinions of Ubuntu's plan to include HUD (Head's Up Display) in Ubuntu 12.04. See video at top of thread. I can't give these features a fair shake until I try them.
 
I've been running the 12.04 Alpha (it went Beta as of yesterday, I think; so I guess I'm running the Beta now...) and just recently the default install bundled Gnome-shell (including the "Gnome Classic" and "Gnome Classic" - no effects). If Unity's not the right thing for you (I like it, but MAN OH MAN is it ever resource-intensive! I think Unity throws out the argument that Ubuntu is somehow "lighter", "snappier" or in any way "faster" than Windows or Mac OS) you can always use the Gnome Classic interface.

I am still getting crashes left and right, by the way. I'd steer clear of using this on a machine of any importance unless you enjoy filing bug reports.
 
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Linux Mint has completely forked Gnome 3 (called "Cinammon") and there are also forks these days of KDE 3 ("Trinity") and Gnome 2 ("Mate") out in the wild. I think we'll see in the coming years all of these distibutions really separating themselves as distinct operating systems.


Cinnamon is only on the LinuxMint12, the version based on Ubuntu. LinuxMint Debian Edition (LMDE) is still using the old school Gnome interface. LMDE is what I am typing this message on now
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I do have Cinnamon in a different VM window and I do like it a lot. I even have a picture of some cinnamon sticks as my desktop background
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. The forking of LM 12's desktop though concerns me as it's Ubuntu based though, not sure how far they can support this fork being based on Ubuntu, if Ubuntu is going the opposite direction on desktop UI.
 
Originally Posted By: Brons2


Cinnamon is only on the LinuxMint12, the version based on Ubuntu. LinuxMint Debian Edition (LMDE) is still using the old school Gnome interface. LMDE is what I am typing this message on now
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Get ready. I am told that update 4 is coming and it has MATE (fork of Gnome2) and Gnome-shell. You'll have to decide soon between MATE and Gnome-shell as Gnome2 will be depreciated.

Mint 12 is the only Mint version so far to have Cinnamon, but it an open source project and will begin showing up in other distributions before too long. Arch probably already has it. Just because Mint started and maintains the fork does not mean by any stretch that Cinnamon is exclusive to Mint! In fact, you can already download it from Mint to install on other distributions:

http://cinnamon.linuxmint.com/?page_id=61

Originally Posted By: Brons2

I do have Cinnamon in a different VM window and I do like it a lot. I even have a picture of some cinnamon sticks as my desktop background
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. The forking of LM 12's desktop though concerns me as it's Ubuntu based though, not sure how far they can support this fork being based on Ubuntu, if Ubuntu is going the opposite direction on desktop UI.


Cinnamon is merely a fork of Gnome-shell (which itself is *only an interface*), which has nothing to do with Ubuntu or Mint. It will work anywhere Gnome-shell works, including Ubuntu eventually (Ubuntu already has Gnome-shell; I am typing from that on a 12.04 beta right now). Even Ubuntu's interface ("Unity") will eventually begin showing up on other distributions (Arch has a none-too-stable version running now).
 
I've been using Unity and I'm not sure why it is branded resource intensive; just shut off the nonsense like wiggly windows etc. My machine is "only a Pentium 4" with Nvidia grfx and it runs fine. (4Gb RAM); Big fan of unity since I only use a few apps and I can put them all on the task bar.

I loaded the 12.04 Beta on my Xeon 64bit WS and compiz segfaulted twice, so I'm waiting until the actually release is out to use it.

All the online articles talk about the HUD; the HUD has been out there in the tech releases. This is the first time it is showing up in an LTS; it is obvious the reviewers don't really follow the tech releases, because it has been out there for about a year.

I don't see any reason not to upgrade.
 
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Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I've been using Unity and I'm not sure why it is branded resource intensive; just shut off the nonsense like wiggly windows etc.


If you have to shut stuff off to lessen how resource-intensive something is, then it's resource-intensive.

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
My machine is "only a Pentium 4" with Nvidia grfx and it runs fine. (4Gb RAM);


Any interface that doesn't run well on an NVIDIA chipset with proper drivers and 4GB of RAM is crazy awful. KDE with everything turned *on* ought to run OK on NVIDIA with that kind of RAM; and KDE is the very definition of "pig".

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
I loaded the 12.04 Beta on my Xeon 64bit WS and compiz segfaulted twice, so I'm waiting until the actually release is out to use it.


I file at least half a dozen bug reports a day. Mostly Unity and the Xorg server. Lots of Samba (Windows file sharing) crashes, too. Definitely not ready for public consumption yet!
 
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
... and KDE is the very definition of "pig".

I hope you don't mind me quoting that, but here I thought I was the only one who found KDE to be the slowest modern desktop I have tried in recent years.
 
I've been using Ubuntu since Dapper. I've got an older P4 desktop that needs a fresh install and I'm almost certain I'm going to put Mint 12 on it instead of Oneiric or Precise. I actually kinda like Gnome Shell and it runs okay on the P4. I'll never get used to unity, way too many clicks and mousing to do things that never took that much work before. I don't even run it on my netbook, which was the platform it was made for to begin with.
 
Originally Posted By: calvin1
I've been using Ubuntu since Dapper. I've got an older P4 desktop that needs a fresh install and I'm almost certain I'm going to put Mint 12 on it instead of Oneiric or Precise.


Please remember though that no one *has* to use Unity! In the default install I am pretty sure that you get Gnome-shell *and* Gnome-shell's fallback mode, which is very, very similar to Gnome 2; and much, much lighter in the usage of resources.

Even if they're not in the default installation they'd still just be a click away to install.
 
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