Discussion

Seriously? ubuntu is not linux, and gnome (theme) is not linux, I’m sure you already knew that, just pointing the obvious :)
kad
2010/03/12

I have to agree with kad, you can (and should) use linux without having to put up with this crap.
cloudhead
2010/03/12

Linux means ‘a Linux distribution,’ not just ‘the Linux kernel.’ That’s why they call it Ubuntu Linux or Red Hat Enterprise Linux or SUSE Linux. Arguing that those things aren’t Linux is really lazy.

If there’s a GUI for Linux that’s actually good, how about you drop _that_ knowledge on me instead of nitpicking terminology?
Ian
2010/03/12

Wouldn’t unchecking one or more of Main Toolbar, Side Pane, Location Bar, and Status Bar (in the View menu) solve your complaints?
Eric
2010/03/12

Would you expect your parents or grandparents to know that such options exist, locate them, and use them?

If you want to encrust 30% of your windows with marginally useful controls, you can probably figure out how to do that. If you don’t care, you’ll just be confused by them. Usable should be the default.
Ian
2010/03/12

My parents and grandparents (and wife and daughter) don’t see the issues with this interface that you do, they seem to find it quite usable (even if I don’t). Though perhaps they are considered advanced users since they all know how to stretch a window to larger than 450px high (hint: those artifacts are fixed in size; the percentage of used space decreases).
Eric
2010/03/12

Linux is a great server operating system, but a failure as a desktop. Reason being, they have an inconsistent and unfriendly UI. It’s been known for years, yet they still repeat the same mistakes. If Linux was to adopt a UI standard like Apple has, Linux would prosper greatly.
kris
2010/03/12

Ubuntu != Linux

I feel your pain but there are plenty of distros out there better suited to power users. Personally I like BSDs but when I have to walk in Linux-land I grab a trusty copy of Debian.

Nice website by the way
Spud Von Tickle Monster
2010/03/13

kris, I think that more generally what the Linux desktop could learn from Apple is just an attention to detail and to polish. The main shortcoming of the Linux desktop is just all the rough edges. That said, after having spent two months using a Macbook Pro, I was rather relieved to get back to Ubuntu. OS X is not without its own shortcomings, big (like the rather unpleasant-to-use dock, or the lack of a decent packaging system, even to Windows standard), or small, like the lack of click-in-the-taskbar-to-minimise-a-window. I don’t claim to speak for anyone else here, or expect that other people will feel the same.
Michael
2010/03/15

There are certainly good reasons for both OS (Mac OS X vs. Ubuntu), but if it comes down to Finder vs. Nautilus, I certainly prefer Nautilus: Mac OS X looks beautiful, but a file manager which is unable to sort directories before files, which is unable to easily show/hide hidden files, which is unable to move files with cmd+x / cmd+v is simply a PITA. Finder is a reason to stay away from Mac OS X, not the other way round.
Michael
2010/03/15

Hmm. Agreed that there’s a bit of clutter. The menu and title bar, at least, could be squished into one. And I don’t like the new window button placement either (prefer it on the right).

But your big point about how much window space is dedicated to “chrome” isn’t valid. Even netbooks are more than 450 pixels high, and if you have a netbook then you should seriously consider the netbook remix – the screen is just too small for a traditional windowed environment.
Ami Ganguli
2010/03/16

I’m also tired of hearing “XXXX is NOT Linux, you newbie” If you feel comfortable typing commands in shell, if you code using vi, if you grep+sed instead of “search and replace”… Good for you! But an opensource OS, claiming to be “from the community for the community” should not expect the users to do all that.

If a Linux distribution can see that issue (as ubuntu seems to be doing, little by little) and deliver a truly usable user interface (like Mac or Windows), then the users will start testing it, using it and taking advantage of all it’s hidden marvels.

And when I say “usable” I mean, do things as the user would expect them to be done, have the elements where the user is USED to find them, react as the user would expect.

Linux is great, compiling your own software is cool, shall commands are fantastic, not having BSoD’s is awesome… but come on… do you guys really NEED to pull that “you are a newbie, linux is for smart people” to feel like you belong to a different kind of human with super powers?? Well, you don’t, you are just a regular human being testing new technologies, so the rest of the world can enjoy them once they are ready for everyone.

If it weren’t for people like Ian, things just wouldn’t get better… EVER.

Enjoy! Have a life and have fun while doing!!

Manolo
Manolo
2010/03/16

Well. Is a must-have installing Compiz and maybe Emerald. The GUI improves dramaticly. Anyway I don’t understand why Ubuntu delivers with this awful default GUI
Diego Scapusio
2010/03/16

obviously, it’s just a question of time until someone will develop a truly awesome GUI for a bunch of linux distros.
the absurd thing about complaining that it hasn’t been delivered yet lies within the open source nature of the distros in question.
the right of complaint belongs solely to those that contribute.
everyone else please marvel at what has been done for you so far.
pedro
2010/03/23

I run Ubuntu on VMware Fusion. The only application I ever use is Terminal. It is not because “Ah, I am a superuser, I can do everything with shell”. It is because the only reason I need Linux is that I have to test portability of something I wrote. Most things, if not anything, can be done using any GUI for Linux will be done much more convenient on Mac OS X, even on Windows. Yes, Linux is awesome for developers, but it sucks for users. A user friendly operating system should not only provide all the functionality a user will expect, but also provide them in a way a user will be comfortable to use them. This is why more and more people switch from PC to Mac, also why Linux is still limited to the developer community.
There are many great things in the world but they never was and never will be popular among the majority of us. Another example is LaTeX. If you are a LaTeX expert like me, you may also claim its use spread all over the world, it’s the most advanced typesetting system, it’s much easier to use than Word or DTP. But the truth is that it’s never popular outside the academic or professional production. Majority of the world still use Word for cheap work and DTP for professional work. Linux is just in the same position. If you spend enough time on it, you will find it’s useful and even great. But how many of us have the time, energy, and patient to learn it before using it unless you really need it like I really need LaTeX?
Yan
2010/04/04

Put up an OS X Finder window and run the same analysis. The difference is not as great as you might think.
ABR
2010/05/13

For everyone who says this is “LINUX”: get yourself some education!

You are complaining about the UI layout in ONE APPLICATION for ONE DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT out of a plethora of choice. If you are too lazy/ignorant to search and find the software that suits you, Linux-based systems are NOT FOR YOU!

I’ve never used Gnome or KDE and I don’t reckon I will. I’m a terminal guy and I require software that is highly customizable.
Don Elagastro
2010/06/30

Atomized

Why I’m Not Switching Back To Linux Any Time Soon

Discussion

Participate