Install the Classic Desktop in Ubuntu 11.10
Ubuntu 11.10 will not include the classic GNOME desktop which is available alongside Unity in Ubuntu 11.04. Instead, Unity 2D will be installed to provide the Unity desktop even on systems without 3D graphics capabilities. Fortunately for fans of the old desktop, it will still be available to install from the repositories.
Install the classic GNOME desktop by installing the gnome-panel package.
sudo apt-get install gnome-panel
Before you log in, click the gear icon and select GNOME Classic. This will
give you a traditional GNOME desktop with top and bottom panels and the Compiz
window manager. If you don’t want Compiz’s desktop effects, select the GNOME
Classic (No effects) option for the Metacity window manager instead.
If you have problems with the theme being messed up and gnome-settings-daemon
crashing, make sure you have installed any available updates. I had this problem
before upgrading my Ubuntu 11.10 Beta 1 installation.
There are a few differences between this desktop and the one in previous versions of Ubuntu. It’s now based on GNOME 3, so some applications like the file browser have changed a bit. Ubuntu’s indicators have not been ported to the new GNOME 3 panels, so panel items like the volume meter are GNOME applets. This is the interface which GNOME 3 uses as a fallback from GNOME Shell.
Thanks to Jeremy Bicha for posting about this on Planet Ubuntu and bringing it to my attention.
Archived Comments
Aaron
I really don’t like the way this thing is set out. In my opinion, 10.04.3 LTS beats 11.10 in the area of design and looks. This just makes it look worse. It’s ideal if you’re addicted to the classic 10.04.03 LTS environment.
lixo eletronico
This IS NOT the classic gnome desktop… the fallback mode is a new peace of software without 3D, and IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OLD CLASSIC GNOME-PANEL PLUGINS…
Pete
Many thanks for that information. I do not like Unity, I much prefer the Classic Desktop. Whether or not it runs all old Gnome-Panel Plugins may have more to do with the changes made in 11.10. At least there is a Classic Desktop one can use, which I am sure many people prefer to Unity.
Jesper
Thanks! Really good.
Too bad though that the Gnome panel doesn’t look like the Ubuntu panel in 10.04/10.10… But it will do anyhow =)
grumpy
Thanks for the tip.
Still, as lixo says, this is not the same as the real “classic” desktop, and the
plugins are not available.
This is NOT a good situation.
Guess I’ll look into installing KDE or moving back to openSuse.
The Unity desktop is garbage, and the forced switchover is unacceptable.
Too bad, I like a lot about Ubuntu.
Zagarin
I’m just an average computer user and dont have much know-how of lunix OS. I liked my system with the classic look, but Unity is garbage and the forced switch is indeed unacceptable. Maybe i’ll switch back to Windows XP of this crap….,,,,,
guest
Also, none of this work properly on Ubuntu 11.10 final with multiple monitors.
Les
I agree. It sucks. I liked classic view.
Jon
Thank you for publishing this. I can’t stand Unity!
David
How do I remove ubuntu classic my system is crashing after installing it
Todd
Thanks too, I hate unity. Its the biggest piece of crap. I am either going to go back to KDE and its buggyness, or get an Apple. This really sucks - stupid Ubuntu!
Luca
I think I have to change Linux distribution thanks to the “fantastic” UNITY… Some body can suggest me a good distribution for a 10” monitor which is not using UNITY? This desktop is garbage!
Rob
Another Unity hater! Also disliking 11.10. I’ve spent a long time getting Ubuntu the way I want it and with the upgrade to 11.10 many things are not working. This sucks completely and, like many others, I will looking to abandon Ubuntu and looking at other distros. A pity because I did like Ubuntu up to now.
rodger
I have to agree with “Grumpy”.
I hate Unity.
I can’t navigate it at all!
I tried to get the classic back,
but it isn’t the same as it was either.
I guess I’ll have to give up Ubuntu and go to another distro.
Pete
I dont like unity. I will stick with 11.04 for a while and see what happens.
Jonna
This is is not the same and Unity is shit. This is very bad situation.
Balder Schilt
I am fan of Ubuntu and am very happy with 10.10 and 11.4
I tried 11.10 but i will not feel at home in that version.
I went back to 11.4 immediately
Why leave that so beatifull product ??????????
Kindest regards Balder
Sigurd Mellqvist
Been using ubuntu for about 4 years, did a upgrade from 10.04 to 11.10 and i just gotta reply like the others..
Unity sucks!
wanz
try another flavours of ubuntu like xubuntu 11.10..
Simon
+1 to all the haters. Unity looks like it’d be great if you have a small tablet, but the majority of us still have our laptops and tower PCs with nice size monitors and no need for hidden crap and contextual menus.
Switching back to classic-style fallback also means that things like tracker no longer work properly because it’s centred around the unity search. Boooooo!
(i liked the XP comment. i still dualboot XP and it still works fine. seems like every progressive step ubuntu takes in terms of functionality, it takes two backwards in terms of unintuitive ‘pander to the mobile devices’ UI changes)
Larry
Wow did they F this up. Unity is horrid. I have to boot my XP partition now to get any work done. What a joke.
karlhutt
here another unity hater!
i cannot believe how Ubuntu is FORCING this.
i like my classic look. i want it back!!
why can’t i choose?
i was liking Ubuntu very much until now..
this is wroooooooooooooooooooooooong!
raymond
Sorry for all the work, but it’s a huge mistake to terminate the classic Ubuntu. As a front-end designer I have to tell that Unity is rather ‘clumsy’ it’s not faster to scroll trough all those large icons. Have you guys forgotten the rules of thumb???
Clicking on the ubuntu logo in the Unity Dock:
1: The section dividers on the underside (home, settings, documents & music) are
supposed to be on top (remember that this is an extra movement of the mouse, if
you decide to choose another section)
2: Your eye has to read from left to right trough all these huge icons and when
the app is not there, you have to scroll downwards. So know we are looking up
and down too.
3: People do not like it when something is forced upon them and have to learn
all over again. Look at the arrogance of Microsoft Office with all their newly
implemented icons a few years back, people still don’t like it.
All these extra movements are not an improvement at all. Give people a choice to install ‘ubuntu classic’ like in Ubuntu 11.04 at login, but even that has been removed.
Ok, when it is going to be Unity:
implement a menu structure without the icons, make that an extra option in the
compiz desktop manager.
implement an option to scale down those large Unity icons (smaller than 32,
because this is still very big)
When you click on an icon, those menu’s with icons should size editable, because
they are GIGANTIC.
I hope someone reads this, I’m looking at new other distro’s right know.
Raymond van der Aa
jbob
been with buntu since warty and I’d say it improved markedly with every release - until the pos that is Unity. Giant step backwards. Unity makes using my pc harder, not easier. Feel like the pc interface has been abandoned in chase of non-existant tablet users and user experience sacrificed on the altar of trendiness. Looking for suggestions for best linux distro with a usable desktop.
Evgeny
Few years ago I chose Ubuntu, because it can find my nVidia card on the fly and have many helpful users and many good programs free. But when new Gnome 3 appears, I began to worry about Ubuntu, because of Unity instead of good old Gnome 2 panel and because Ubuntu developers gradually pushed users to use whatever new stuff they make. I am not against new things, like Gnome3 or Unity or whatever, but I am for freedom to chose whatever style I like. It was so in old versions of Ubuntu. So finally I leave Ubuntu and installed Debian Squeeze with Gnome 2 on my notebook. I also listen that Mint is good chose for now, maybe I will try it later. But for almost one year I have no problem with stable Debian. Without problems I deleted menu-panel and installed compiz+emerald+cairo-dock to satisfy my aesthetic feeling.
Nathan
I installed the gnome-panel as directed and am unhappy with the results.
First, I had set up a number of custom launchers in my old desktop and they are no longer available. I could type them in again but the whole point is I put them in a launcher because I couldn’t remember the exact commands.
Second, it seems that some of the menus are missing, or at least hard to find, such as the System->Preferences->Monitors. At this point I would prefer to have not done the upgrade.
Robert
you should always try new releases with virtual box first
JaM0N
“you should always try new releases with virtual box first”
Absolutely true… I’ve made the same mistake and now I don’t know where to
go… Had you find some ‘solution’ to the problem? Or migrated to other distro?
Frank
This is bad news. I liked the classic view a lot and the new interface is harder to navigate. Having to search through tons of icons to find an app under “More Apps” or typing a name is no improvement over pull-down menus. System configuration options seem less and also harder to find.
Rob
TERRIBLE!!! i cannot get along with Unity…. why oh why did Canonical feel
they had to ‘fix’ things??? “If it aint broke - don’t fix it”!!!
… what would have been more sensible (and fair) would be to put together a
whole new distro and call it ‘UnityBuntu’, for those who actually like it!!!
OR - allow users to revert to classic desktop (as in 11.04)
if they can’t fix this damage, i am going to have to abandon Ubuntu after years of loyalty (since warty), and try other distros…
Canonical - be careful you don’t start to act like microsoft!!!!
Rosco
It seems that the purpose behind Unity is to keep people from using Ubuntu. So Ubuntu is no longer ubuntu in the sense of the African meaning of the word. Unity excludes many whom Ubuntu once sought to include. After up-grading from 11.04 to 11.10, I am frustrated enough to look for an alternative.
Gernot Hassenpflug
Agreed, Unity is a bunch of time-wasting horsepoop, unbelievable. Most office
people get to use Windows (in my case XP) on hardware with no virtualization or
64-bit support and 1GiB or RAM (I am lucky to get 2GiB since I am in teh
development section). Running Ubuntu in VMware workstation on 512MiB of RAM is
no problem with 10.04…. but with 11.10—completely halted for long periods of
time.
Thanks to this and other articles I have got the “GNOME Classic” desktop working
happily.
Andrea
ugh. unity sucks and this is NOT like the classic panel.
I’ll revert to debian on my next install. fuck.
Lewis
Titanic and Iceberg spring to mind! Fantastic own goal ubuntu! Now wheres my copy of Linux Mint?
Nigel A. Gunn
Good bye Ubuntu.
Unity is unacceptable, I’m off to Linux Mint 11.
Ray
sure,and the next version of mint will have……Gnome 3 shell.
Mr Disapointed
I’m so happy to see that so many people agree that Unity is not a good change. I see a lot of people advocating Unity on the Ubuntu forums but I think it sucks. I know they need to support the investment they made but this is BS. They’ve totally lost touch with their user base. I tried it for a few months when 11.4 came out, and I gave it a good run because Ubuntu is free and I wanted to be supportive. I finally gave up in frustration. They are trying to be more like Apple and that’s a fail move. Many people like ubuntu because it works well on older machines and Unity completely destroys performance. It’s a damn shame because I’m really starting to enjoy Ubuntu. I will stick with 11.04 and see if they get the message.
scottjl
add me to the dissatisfied with unity list. i’ve been using and promoting ubuntu for years and was quite happy, but unity is simply not ready for prime time. it is ugly, less functional, and simply less productive than the previous gnome desktop. with no way to correctly install and use the standard gnome desktop i am forced to give up ubuntu and move to another distribution, probably linux mint.
ubuntu, as others have said, you are abandoning your long time goals of making a simple version of unix that just works. chasing after the latest fads in UI design is following in their mistakes. not giving your users a CHOICE is a fatal error that will unfortunately cost ubuntu in the long run. alienating your long-term users is a big mistake.
i hope there is some solution available in 12.04, i’ll take another look at ubuntu then, but for now i’m looking for an alternative (probably Linux Mint). best wishes!
Simon
I’ve been using ubuntu since 2006. Everyone in my family uses it. Guess what they told me when unity got forced?
- Can you change it back to the old view?
- Nope.
- Then install another OS, this sucks.
Even my mom, that has been using ubuntu ever since, rather use windows (which she hates) than this crappy stuff.
I’ll give them a few days, if nothing changes, I’m changing to another linux distro. I would never believe I’d be forced to change the distro I’ve been using for over 5 years because of a thing this dumb.
Nick
Me too. I’ve tried all the online prescriptions I can find for getting Gnome back, in any version, and none works. When I try to download Gnome 3 from the software centre, it says: “Package dependencies cannot be resolved. The following packages have unmet dependencies: gnome Depends: gnome-core (=1:3.0+1ubuntu1) but 1:3.0=1ubuntu1 is to be installed.” Anybody know what I can do about this? Thanks.
richard L. Parsons
Unity is a pain. If I can’t get a desktop that is usable, I, also, will be looking at other distributions
Ray
Doh. If you hate Unity and 11.10 so much just DON’T upgrade.
So many people say 10.04/10 works so well.
Well guess what ? If it works so well and you like it just keep it !
James
I tried Unity and hated it. Don’t know what Ubuntu was thinking. I changed back to 11.10 and am happy again. Will Just continue using what works. Unity programmers LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR USERS ARE TELLING YOU AND SCRAP UNITY.
Grant Kelly
Unity is a giant leap……backwards.
Disappointed
Unity is crap. The worse UI I have ever seen: simply unusable.
What’s going on in the mind of those Ubuntu guys? They’re leading their company
to disaster…
Lex
Why did these morons force desktop all users to use something suitable for touch screens / tablets only?
Looks like a time to make voting and show to canonical, that users state that unity & 11.10 sucks
Landon Martin
I find it funny that some people think that unity is catering to the tablet PC,
because it is not good for tablet.
I own a Touchsmart Tx2 convertible laptop and the upgrade to 11.10 made Ubuntu
unusable as a finger touch laptop, though it still works with the stylus. Let me
explain. I dual booted windows 8 recently and aside from having to failsafe boot
Ubuntu after I was impressed with the user interface and metro style Apps.
Windows 8 is vary convenient to use with your fingers. I had made Ubuntu 11.04
almost as good for finger tablet; but the upgrade ruined my setup by relocating
the Ubuntu symbol for opening the search menu to inside the hidden menu strip.
Now I have no button to open the strip. If I try to open the strip with my
fingers I have to ram my finger into my screens plastic and most of the time my
touchscreen malfunctions stuck in a spot for 60 second. Basically unusable and
all the while windows 8 did it right. I liked unity until this upgrade because I
can see a lack of vision for what it should be. This is what I would change in
list form by priority.
1. Add a third option at login called “Gnome panel” (not classic as if its old
or something.
2. Undo the change of putting the Ubuntu symbol in the hidden menu, where it is
unaccessible in finger tablet use.
3. By default place on screen keyboard icon in a drop down menu for tablets
(brightness, power mode,keyboard) or language switch section. Using Florence
Virtual Keyboard and ask the developers to just add a deep sound for key
strokes.
4. Bring back Gnome applets for unity so that it is better not worse than gnome
panel classic for tablets and power usage controls. Then add one applet for
dropping down other hidden applets or shortcuts (one could make their own hidden
tablet mobility menu this way).
5. possibly as a applet option add a pop up keyboard shortcut for when fingers
are detected and add Florence as the default virtual keyboard.
This is all Ubuntu needs to be as good or better than windows 8 user interface.
I’m so glad I stick to LTS upgrades only on my work computer, and that I even
have the option to do that. Keep up the good work people I wish I knew how to
program C++ already.
This is a big deal to me. If you want me to clarify anything send me a message
at this address.
Stonethrowingmob@gmail.com
splashd
Yeah, This is the last straw–I’ve been an Ubuntu fan for years, but can’t stand Unity or being crippled to work around it. I will also head for Linux Mint
Fran
Another Unity hater…
Tried 11.10 and uninstalled it after 5 hour of use. I didn’t like gnome shell or gnome classic too.
I had to reinstall 11.04. Now I’m considering Xubuntu, Lubuntu or perhaps Mint.
Alen
I’m also in big dilemma. I have new laptop, Lenovo T520, and I simply can’t find
appropriate Linux distro for it. :(
It’s so unacceptable that, after years and years of using Linux, Windows works
better on it than any distro I tried by now.
I’m sad and mad.
I don’t like Gnome 3, I don’t like Unity. I don’t want to learn all over again
DE and keep loosing my time on learning new things, while I should work with
lots of open apps, and be able to find everything in two clicks.
Ubuntu is not OS for work anymore. It’s OS for tablets and facebook. It’s very
annoying to do some serious work on it.
I think I’ll try xfce for some time and keep looking for some solution. I would
work on Windows, but I’m allergic.
Does anyone knows good stable old-fashion-looking distro that will flawlessly work on Intel Sandy Bridge?
5-year ubuntu user
If you like Ubuntu, but not Unity or Gnome 3, stay with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. It WORKS and has support. We can wait there (I am there) until Canonical comes back to it senses and restores Gnome 2.
I can WORK with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. It feels so good to be able to use it :)
Suncat2000
Yes, you must install a real graphical desktop using the command line.
After attempting to use Unity for a week, I uninstalled it and installed Gnome Classic. Canonical failed to learn Microsoft’s lesson about burying too much functionality thus making it unproductive.
Unity is not a bad interface, but the target device is something the current Ubuntu audience doesn’t use yet - small touchscreen devices. If I were just reading mail or surfing the web, it would have been tolerable, even on a normal-size desktop with a mouse. But I have to use applications that are not bundled with Ubuntu. Unity makes them hard or impossible to get to.
On a desktop screen with a keyboard and mouse, Unity is about as useless as a Buick driving from New York to Paris. I’m not crazy about some of the hoops the Classic desktop makes you jump through either, but at least I can get my work done.
Here’s hoping that Canonical listens and fixes the many problems of this brand new, buggy, deficient “Unity” design in the next update. Until then, at least include a workable desktop as part of the distribution. Way to progress. Not!
Mike
Thank. You. Nice of them to you use Unity by uninstalling the gnome desktop. My unity experience sucked. It kept crashing all the time, very unstable. They need to learn that interface improvements should make things easier/quicker not a pita. Again, thx!
Johnny
I think the the Ubuntu architect must have really either be drunk or have massive strokes or facing having brain damage to actually propose the design of Unity for 11.10.
I mean come on you can’t even move the placement menu bar. Not everybody likes the menu to be on the left. Some like it to be in the bottom….. Using Ubuntu mobile as a design layout would not have been a good idea for desktops.
I can’t believe I’m saying this…but good bye Ubuntu…until this shit fixed…. I’m using another distro.
Terry
Unity screen sux, I loved the old screen. forced change is very Microsoft, (the
best insult I could muster).
Pls give us the option of keeping the Classic screen in future updates.
David
I’ve used Ubuntu since 8 since moving from RedHat Fedora 12. When I upgraded to 11.04 I had to switch back to the classic desktop ASAP, I just found nothing intuitive about Unity and I can’t be spending ages hunting for all my apps and tools that were organised so well in the drop-down menus of of the classic view, so I switched back to that.
Since making a huge mistake accepting the upgrade to 11.10 I’m going to either switch back to Fedora or find another Linux distribution. As far as I’m concerned Ubuntu’s decision to do this just shows they’re turning away from the freedom of choice for users and following the likes of Apple and Microsoft with their restricting “you get what you are given” attitude. I haven’t the time nor desire to move away from the traditional Gnome desktop and I’d like to stick with Gnome, so it’s another distro for me.
Anonymous
well said! I also feel very uncomfortable with Unity, and 11.10 is horrible (the Tab switcher in particular). Ubuntu is a Mac wannabe now
kpro
yup… Unity is suck…
and 11.10 has a lot of bug than 11.04…
why i must type just for running an application…
change to classic yo Ubuntu, and listen your user….
aaaaarrrggghhhh…
get back 11.04 function to 11.10
JimmyB
Canonical doesn’t seem to get it. Unity sucks.
I set up a new server with ubuntu just before they released 11.10. The nice thing was being able to set up a local development environment that was easy to replicate on the server. I’m about to ditch ubuntu desktop, and the server is going to have to go with it.
mdk
I hope the Ubuntu developers take note of this massive backlash against Unity. I have to agree with the sentiments already stated here, Unity straight up sucks and something like an operating systems UI should not be altered so frivolously. I’m all for change, but Gnome 2 was better, it just was and I’m yet to try Gnome 3 so I can’t comment yet. Well, anyway, I’m off to go install Debian testing!
Andre
I have been using Ubuntu for years, I have been supporting the computers for my
family and friends, and after seeing all my computer on Ubuntu They have moved
from Windows, and Apple over to Ubuntu.
I have moved hard core windows users to Ubuntu, after 11.10 my wife made be put
windows back on her PC, now it has been a fire storm of people asking be to put
it back or change it back to windows.
I have lost 15 users back to windows because of 11.10
I know you say don’t update, but when we got hit in 11.04 I got calls all week from everyone in the family about fixing it and changing it back to the older desk top.
No mater what you say everyone I know keeps updating to get the new stuff and then they don’t want to go back to 11.04 they ask to change to something else if the classic interface is gone.
Supporting the family and friends under Ubuntu has been easy but if they are asking be to change them back to windows because at least they know it works (WTF) I can’t make them say if they don’t think it works.
Right Now I have been killing the 11.10 update on all the computer and telling others to just not update but that is short term.
If something is not done a lot of people that I got to move over to Ubuntu and telling them it get better and better each up update will move on to something else.
Sorry for the long run on but I had a lot of happy people and I’ve got a lot of unhappy people.
I know all the people working on Ubuntu have been working very very hard, and please don’t think I’m not happy that you created something better than the other OS out there. I just need a little help in not losing a few of the people that moved over to a better OS like Ubuntu.
Thanks for letting me have my say.
Ric
Another big disliker of Unity. Canonical doing things the Redmond way i.e. by force, won’t win it any friends and will certainly lose it some. Is there a way to step back this “update” and go back to the previous version???? Had I had known I would be stuck with this Unity crap I wouldn’t have clicked the update button.
Name
lubuntu-desktop package can be installed in Ubuntu 11.10, so that we can switch between either Unity interface or lxde interface (session). This will be mainly useful for new comers from windows to linux who want to have Windows like menu interface
flash
I don’t like Unity.
I prefer staying with 11.04
Matt
All,
Ubuntu is based off of Debian, which is still a very beautiful OS I am currently
running it with Gnome 2 installed and the lastest updates from the testing
branch. If you are United against Unity, but love the underlaying OS
(apt/Debian-based Linux) then I would ask you all to take a look at where Ubuntu
came from. I am a systems engineer with about 15 years experience working with
Unix and Linux and once Unity was forced on us my developers asked me to make a
change. We run Redhat on the server side (which is expensive to license and RPM
dependancies are horrible). I asked them to do some research and get back to me
on what they wanted for a desktop environment on their workstations I said I
would support Debian, Redhat/CentOS (free Redhat), SuSE (OpenSuSE), ArchLinux,
Gentoo, Slackware, or a BSD. probably 75% liked Debian since it is stable and
after being an Ubuntu user it feels like home. The 25% either never liked Ubuntu
or wanted something closer to the server OS (Redhat/CentOS). There are a lot of
options out there if Ubuntu was home try Debian the install is not as easy as
Ubuntu is (it will ask you a few questions), but once that is over it will feel
like home (without sudo, but you can set that up too).
Evgeny
+1 to Debian. After spending one day I was able to install it on my notebook Asus. But then I have no problem at all with Gnome 2 and all applications I need.
linuxglen
I use xubuntu xfce is pretty nice .
Marco
+1 leaving Ubuntu to some other distribution just because of crappy Unity. Guys, give a look to Fedora.
Stephen
I’ve been a big fan of Ubuntu ever since I discovered it some years ago. In one
foul blow this joyful state has been totally destroyed by the monstrosity that
is Unity 11.10. I used to run down Windows whenever I talked about OS’s, but now
I am using Windows 7 and even Vista, their foibles are a minor irritant compared
to the forest of obstacles in Unity. I almost weep with rage and regret at this
self destructive byway Ubuntu has plunged down.
‘Ubuntu- for Human Beings’ What a joke. Microsoft will be laughing their heads
off.
Lara Baker
I added the Gnome classic to my system and really like it. How do I get the “multiple desktops” to work. In 11.14, I could get a diagram on the task bar and click on which desktop I wanted. Is there a way to get that back?
Thanks for the very useful post.
Regards,
lara
Xander Bilmonchuk
Can I just suggest that the only rational explanation for how horrible Unity and Gnome 3 are is that Microsoft or other terrified proprietary competitors have planted moles on the dev team to destroy this once awesome interface and cause the slow death and abandonment of Ubuntu. Nothing less could explain this unspeakably horrible trainwreck of an “upgrade” to such a previously awesome system. I am being completely serious here- nothing this unbelievably horrible has a benign origin- this is enemy action.
Anonymous
I was just thinking the same, seriously. It is hard to believe that the dev people at Canonical are really that bad “updating” such a good previous job
UnitySux
Yep, I won’t be upgrading to 11.10 unity sucks. I knew when the popup window prompting to upgrade didn’t even work properly that it was not going to be a good idea…
ibozzie
Have really been a big Ubuntu fan up to this point. Glad to see so many similar feelings here. Canonical is trying to be another Microsoft/Apple puppet master here and it’s really rubbing me the wrong way. Downloading Linux Mint now…
MyHeadHurts
After being asked by my computer to upgrade to 11.10 for about a week I finally
gave in and let it… Now I’m just full of hate.
Unity is just horrible. It’s like when supermarkets change all the aisles
around. Or someone changes the recipe of your favourite soft drink.
csj
Hi guys,
Could you tell me how can I set up the classic menu to default?
Gnome-panel is installed, but at every startup I have to log out, choose the classic menu and log in again…
Thanks a lot in advance.
oobetimer
Gnome3 and Unity are the best ways to banish the potential new Linux users … :(
Mark
I tried Ubuntu 11.10 on my Dell Vostro 1000 laptop. It seemed to work alright. I
had to log out to try to shut down. It wouldn’t so I had to press the power
button. Then reinstalled Ubuntu 10.10 I also installed it on a Dell Dimension
3000. Same thing happened. But in my travels I found this fix: At a console
type
sudo apt-get install gnome-shell
You have to be patient while it downloads code and installs.
This worked great! When you log in it lets you choose Gnome classic or Ubuntu,
which brings up the unity desktop. The nice part is the icon in the far right
upper corner drops down a menu with this to do including shut down. Best of both
worlds.
sam
ubuntu 11.10 simply don’t upgrade..after installation X64 compiz, is fked up real bad ..the whole this a crap.. i am so sad after learning so much for it..but i will continue with karmic kola 9.10 i simply don’t care of updates and security shit. till that the time they could come up with better ubuntu version that this utter nonsense. :((
Anonymous
THANKS SO MUCH!! The classic desktop works much better for me.
Bachi
Unity sux so much – let Canonical know! Sign this petition (futile or not, just let them know) – http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/ubuntu – and share it on other blogs and boards!
anon
Just posting to inform everyone I know who used Ubunu is moving on.
I will try to ‘sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop’; and use kde until I have time and pattience to move to opensuse or windows 8.
i’ve been using since 5.something… Thanks for all, ubuntu.
Stephan
Finished installing 11.10-server. Seems I cannot even get gnome-panel to work unless I also install Unity. I don’t even want that junk on my hdd. Off to download 10.04 I guess. At least I still have LVM. Ticked that I wasted the majority of a workday on this. If 12.04 doesn’t improve the current tend, I’m done with ubuntu as a distro.
Linux User
I’m not sure why Canonical rolled out 11.10 with so many bugs, worst than 11.04. I’m switching back to 11.04 and let’s see what they got for coming LTS version next year. They better come out something better, or else i’m looking other distros.
cmcanulty
I run 10 library computers for the public and 4 at home. I was always talking up Ubuntu. With Unity if I upgraded the library computers the public would lynch me! I have migrated 3 of my own computers to Mint and expect will do the library ones soon. I hate this as I always thought Ubuntu was different, as they say “for human beings” I guess money drives everything and that must be the motivation to lunch Unity in such a messed up way.It is really sad that Ubuntu decides to turn their long term supporters and most techie people away to satisfy people who use their computers only as a toy. Although I can’t imagine it works well for anyone.It also hogs resources which is what I hated so much about windoze (amoung other things).I am very sad to have to leave Ubuntu. I tried installing Debian on 2 laptops and neither would finish. The mint machines work fine butI am hesitating on mint because they are going to gnome3 on the next release I believe. Maybe they will read these posts and change their mind. Is there no stable desktop like gnome 2 that is going to keep updated and running in the future? I don’t want to face this tramatic of a change again.
Evgeny
Just curious, what is the name of laptops.
I made Debian working fine on Asus laptop after installing manually Nvidia
driver.
Drake Jones
The developers don’t give a shit about our opinion. Their egos are driving them.
irimohsen
Down with Unity!!
Mario
STOP with this unity idea !
This is the most stupid thing since Linux release 5.1
In addition the installation of unity IS NOT WORKING !
I hope this developers got the message !
Used to love Ubuntu
Wow! Just installed 11.10, and I feel like I need to PUKE! There is NOTHING intuitive about this UI. Why, oh WHY did Canonical change a good thing? Upgrading/enhancing the UI is fine, but did Canonical not do a test drive of Unity on a test group first? I’m sure they would not have released this crap if they did. A total failure in my mind…really sad about that!
asp
I found the gnome-core and full gnome packages. Hopefully one of those will setup an intuitive interface?
fishtail
After using UBUNTU versions for nearly five years and enjoying their growth, this 11.10 version is bad!! It should change its name from ONEIRIC OCELOT to ONEROUS OCELOT. It is simply a badly conceived idea. UNITY is far more trouble than it is worth and prior conveniences have been lost.
Schtrudel
We want out good old quick classical gnome back!!! First time I regret so much I upgraded a ubuntu install… I seriously thinks about switching to another distro.
Michal Materny
Unity - the moment when technology overcome usability
Dr. Pennekamp
Gnome3 and unity - what a bullsheet! I belong to the old men, who have
seriously to work, and my PC has to aid me (mainly databases). Where has all the
freedom gone?
I would like the freedom of electing classic Desktop or playing with garbage.
Many years ago I selected Linux instead of Windows - a decisision for the rest
of my live.
Tammo
Unity does waste my time.
Tammo
Okay, I found ALT+Right Click in the “classic” gnome-panel.. This lets you add applets…
Neal Maclean
so sad, Ubuntu have shot themselves in the foot with this abortion of a distro. unusable. Linux Mint for now I think, then, God knows.
Fixit Man
I hated the idea of unity on 11.04, and removed it and installed Xubuntu,
instead. That worked great! THEN for some reason I decided to “upgrade” that to
Xubuntu 11.10. It looked pretty slick at first, then the volume icon was
missing, and to get it back I had to install some indicator applet that had an
instant messenger icon bundled in it. SO I spent three days getting rid of THAT,
in the process killing my display manager, etc. and having to reload them. I
have it working properly now (I even was able to get the right packages
installed to make the slider go UP AND DOWN and not sideways, and I still have
NO CLUE how) but I’ll never change anything on this Linux install again. Changes
like were wrought in the Ubuntu/Xubuntu 11 distros only enforce the user’s
inherent dislike of change, which makes them not want to even do SECURITY
updates, (which are necessary.)
Sure, these things are nice WHEN YOU ARE the developer who made them and know
how they work, but when you drop Unity, or some whole new method of displaying
taskbar items on an unprepared user, you’ll get hate mail.
Chaulkasian
Yeah, this has to be some internal sabotage. Microsoft was just incompetent with Vista, but Ubuntu must have pooped out Unity on purpose. I was glad Vista came out because it was such a piece of crap that it made people flee to OSX and Linux. But now Ubuntu, the most popular Linux, craps out Unity in 11.10. Phew! Bad bad bad!!! I’m lost now. Ubuntu was my default choice and my default suggesting, but now … I guess I’ll go back to telling people to just cough up the over-inflated prices for a Mac. Damn it. … Unity? … Really?! … Who signed off on that? … Some trendy designer jerkoff? … It wasn’t 30 minutes into 11.10 I was cursing and wishing I had done an image backup of my C drive so I could go back to 11.04. DAMN YOU UBUNTU
iamdom
if folks don’t like the new ubuntu 11.10 desktop, then why not just stick with what ever other version you like. The need to keep up with the latest version of linux distros is not necessary or must do
Cesar
what a waste of time, this ubuntu version sucks… now I’m going to look for another linux distro… argh… or windows… argh!!!
Anonymous
looking for a new distro. unity is unacceptable for real work. strictly for noobs. dumbing down the os till computers are useless? leave that to apple. if ubuntu is trying to reduce there user base they are doing well. here is a crazy idea for an opensourse distro, give the users what they want. perhaps an option at boot…like 11.04. my review of 11.10? glitchey beta garbage. don’t downgrade from 11.04.
Observer
You are quite right, and like many others, I’ve stuck on with 10.04 for the longest time. But increasingly, apps are not being compiled for Lucid or Karmic.
Not everyone wants to have to git src and compile just to try out some app.
Meanwhile, I’m testing out Kubuntu for almost a week now. So far so good … I end up installing nautilus bcos dolphin goes into a crazy spin when I delete or try to restore something.
Well, better than Unity anyway.
Graeme Howlett
I have to agree, Unity sucks big time!
Mint is next for me … sadly.
nusat
I don’t like Unity.
I don’t like the latest Gnome.
I don’t like the latest KDE.
There is no where to run. There are the lesser environment - but they feel like going back in time.
I wish Linux would stop trying to cater for the mainstream idiots. Stop trying to be something like a commercial OS.
Matt Evans
Its been years since I last used it, but Enlightenment is looking really good to me now.
enlightenment.org
Rob
First time I have ever been unhappy with Ubuntu. Very disappointed.
PhilOSparta
I have to agree that Unity is really a disappointment for those of us that rely on a well established platform. I’ve added Docky to the ‘Classic Gnome” layout and I can live with it since it somewhat takes care of the panels. I hope they see the ills of their ways and re activate the REAL Gnome Classic.
Bjorn
Thank U
It’s not the real Classic but will do.
Unity stinks
Eric
the worst i have seen since my comodore 64. slow inconvenient, unpractical, things with age are to improve not disapprove
Niklas
I didn’t read all the comments but it seems to me that there not a single person who likes the new concepts of unity and it’s impossible that the developers of unity do not know of how bad the feedback of the community is.
I will use my 10.04 version as long as possible and in this time search for an alternative distro. For people who want to try out new distros I can highly recommend “Multiboot” system (http://www.pendrivelinux.com/multiboot-create-a-multiboot-usb-from-linux/) where it is possible to put several distros on a flash stick and try them out without installing them.
Todd
Why do the ubuntu developers INSIST on telling the users what their display should be. I had everything how I liked it in ll.04 now I have to redo everything! Maybe you could actually ASK the user if they want to keep their existing layout! If you’re on a PC, a drop down menu is better than big buttons that pop up window after window. That might be fine for a touch pad but it kills efficiency if you are using a mouse. 1st suggestion, check what type of system it is, 2nd suggestion leave a user’s current configuration alone!
Andy
I too have used Ubuntu for years. I recommend it to other beginner computer
users and those who are fed up with windows systems which get slower with time.
Now with 11.10 Unity, I can no longer recommend Ubuntu because of Unity!
Ubuntu, bring back the look of 10.04 otherwise your going to lose a lot more
users, people who want to get a job done.
Unity is a gimmick, and for looks but not for working with.
Santiago Roland
I cannot believe what Ubuntu did to itself with unity. I’ve been an Ubuntu user since 6.06 migrated from Windows XP (the last window version i ever touched) and used Ubuntu for scientific work and personal stuff. In those years even my wife started to use Ubuntu (her since 9.04) and i don’t know what to do now. I installed XFCE desktop to have something fairly similar to GNOME 2, but i found 11.10 to be the biggest disaster of Canonical ever. Bluetooth is broken, Public folder sharing is broken, nautilus was broken until 2 weeks ago. Skype crashes (i think maybe due to some buggy qt lib) Google Earth displays wrong fonts. And if you also think about the ridiculous conception of a desktop driven by mutter or unity or whatever-buggy-heavy-crappy desktop developed by some guy with a fetish with a tablet PC, this disaster is even bigger. The PC is not a toy, not a smartphone and not a tablet PC. The tablet PC is designed to be used to quick things and a few apps, not more than 20 min. That amount of time is exactly the time that lasted my unity session before i noticed that it was completely rubbish. It’s nice, it’s pretty, it has nice icons, but for use only 20 mins, not for working. This is the thing, unity turned Ubuntu’s desktop for other thing but working or multitasking. I’m very sad about that because there is no other reliable choice gnome2-like or parallel desktop that mature and serious people would use. There is this kind of joke called gnome-session-fallback give me a break. I’m in a very tense situation with Ubuntu and it’s usability, stability and i’m thinking about migrate after 6 years to other distro that won’t be playing with useres like this. And i’m not saying another desktop, because i tried all, and the stuff that should work (because it works in previous versions) do not work in other desktops. XFCE is not able to eject a USB pendrive without giving confusing feedback or no feedback at all of the usb being unmounted, bluetooth do not work, thunar do not handle network places… this things should be fixed and well supported before introducing unity, because other users have no place to go. And I have Ubuntu pens, t-shirts, went to Ubuntu presentations and give talks in local events about Ubuntu and how good is it. I cannot support Ubuntu this way anymore because i do not see a usable desktop oriented PC operating system. I see a tablet operating system, but i do not have a tablet, i have a PC.
MCris
Clearly it’s a turn to tablets and other mobiles. The rest of us should google for ‘PC operating system’
hmmm
I have yet to ever see a default look for any linux OS that i liked. And I’m glad Ubuntu Developers and Gnome Developers are trying new things. However I don’t like Unity. I will be downgrading to 10.10 permenatly, since it was better. Which sucks since my wifi doesn’t work on 10.10 but it works on 11.10 :( ….. not to mention 10.10 will be forgotten by software developers in years to come :(
happy holidays everyone.
scotty
Hate 11.10. Used Ubuntu for years but this release is unworkable. You can’t find anything, Drivers aren’t installed by default, Looks just like Windows and performs worse - a waste of time. I will be looking for a proper professional distro instead of this amateurish rubbish.
NickV
Upgrade = A b s o l u t e d i s as te r .
I am already looking for other distros.
Here are the news ppl: I ***DO*** know where I want the damn launcher because I am the one using it everyday …. right?.
c r a p
Jan Greeff
What amazes me is that nobody is talking to the users about their frustration with Unity. A high-handed attitude has been the downfall of many empires and could be making that of Ubuntu imminent.
I also hate the look and feel of Unity and will stay with 11.04 until Ubuntu makes classic an option again or if, not, I will look for another OS.
Fuck Unity
I really tried to give Unity a chance. Been using it for weeks now, learned the keyboard shortcuts, tried to customize it as much as possible (it’s barely customizable, btw). But still, it slowed down my work so much, because the simplest tasks are a pain in the ass.
Especially switching between applications/windows became a major nuisance. And the Dash is a horrible concept. Now I need 3 x the time to start an application.
For fuck’s sake, I don’t want to type the application’s name into a search box. I just want to open a fucking menu and click. And those gigantic icons! Was this designed for blind people? If you just want to see what apps are installed, you have to click, scroll, etc. Too much space wasted. And the Dash’s scroll bars are so thin, that I always need 2 or 3 attempts to grab it. It’s just GAY.
Why do they force a smart phone GUI on desktops? Just because it’s the trendy bandwagon they hop on. But they forgot one thing: the power of users. Canonical shot themselves in the foot. Users will leave this distro in masses.
Fuck you, Canonical!
Patman
This is the first thing shown on the web that actually worked to fixing Ubuntu back to the way it was!
I use Ubuntu to get away from all that “user-friendly” BS Unity is doing, that actually makes using a computer more difficult.
Thanks!
benjaminsa
I have tried Unity for six months and I am completely sick of it. Good for a touchpad I am sure, but I find it a horror of a desktop. I hope that Mint becoming a more popular distro will wake Canonical up to the idea that it might be a good idea to offer an easier way to fall back to a more familar version that your users have been configuring to work just right over many years…
I am using gnome-classic through the fall back package, and this solved the
issue with the volume applet (hope it doesn’t beak anything…):
ths solved it.
If this becomes too painful it might be all the way back to Debian for me.
Fred
I agree with most of you .. Unity is garbage, and I’m not fussy about Gnome 3 either.
I’m sticking with 10.04.3 until it runs out in 2013, and then I’ll see which distro still offers Gnome 2.
Fred
nick
tutorial does not work in ubuntu 11.10
John.St
What for some reason is called “Unity” is a copy of the almost immediately scratched OS/2 2.3.05 and I wonder why somebody has made the same mistake 19 years later.
eggdeng
Neither of the new desktops can hold a candle to Gnome 2 + Compiz / Emerald +
Gnome Do.
Gnome Shell is not even all that bad - just stiff, dull and limited - but Unity
is a total dog’s dinner with a WTF moment around every corner.
I’ve probably put 20 or 30 ubuntu installs on machines since Hoary Hedgehog, but
I don’t imagine I’ll be doing any more.
Looks like it’s all downhill from here.
Artur Sowinski
I just made my 11.10 ubuntu look like EXACTLY 10.04
Compiz and all, included :D
details:
http://pleasanthacking.com/2012/01/02/making-ubuntu-11-10-and-12-04-behave-like-10-04/
screenie:
http://pleasanthacking.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/screenshot-at-2012-01-02-043519-4wordpress.png
enjoy ;)
Gabe
I really don’t understand why the ability to add shortcut to your desktop has been removed!!! It doesn’t really matter to me that it is the old desktop or the new unity desktop, I want to be able to do what ever I want with my desktop like adding shortcuts, for me it is far much easier than going through the unity menu! I have some application that do not need installing such as CELTX, but requires that I create a shortcut, so what do we do now? The gnome-panel or fallback can not be installed anymore! So my question to the Ubuntu team is what can we do now? This is really a pain for me!!! It would be nice to keep the old 10.04 version but I made the mistake of upgrading…
Charles Whittington
Agree. I was able to go back to Ubuntu Classic on 11.04 - but now nowhere to turn. Lovely big monitor and everything I want takes about three clicks. Disaster! Is there a response from Ubuntu community?
Terry
Ubuntu desktop 11.x should have the option to switch back to a the previous
desktop. My reason I say this is that the new desktop has the feature of the
Apple Desktop, not that is bad or anything but I would much rather preferr the
menu bar to stay with it relavent window such as the way it was before. Windows
has these method and my guess is that most of the Linux users are currently
windows users as well, by shear numbers that is. I installed the gnome-panel on
the 11 version but I still have issue with the menus not attached to thier
window.
Maybe the developers will reconsider this and make it an option.
Thanks for listening.
Brice
it took a little while to set up but I do love unity on my touch screen dual core laptop I did have to google around a bit for a classic menu indicator applet and compriz config editor to keep the tab bar from hiding
on the other hand my single core atom net books are going back to 10.04 LTS or maybe shifting to mint when I have a little time to screw around and I’m in no hurry to “upgrade” the desktop from 10.04 LTS it took me six months to get all the panel applets and program buttons right where I want them and I have no desire to start over
I have yet to find a program I realy want to run that doesn’t work under 10.04 just have to dig for install files now and again.
I too hope that Ubuntu starts giving us a choice about interface again but unity is not without its uses on systems fast enough. In particular I like it for my mom I can set all the program she needs right up front and hide all the stuff she doesn’t need to be touching so she doesn’t break the system and when she calls me I don’t have to try and remember how her menus are set up the search feature will find the program i need her to use making phone “support” easy.
ae
nique ta mere avec ton unity
c’est de la merde fdp
met ou cré un program pour virer cette merde coulante
Bull
Ubuntu Wake-up! I always encourage windows user to take up linux and suggest Ubuntu for an easy setup, now theres no point windows is better than this unity Bull! I used linux before ubuntu and yip ill use linux again, not unity for Dummies
lee bondam
The first time I saw Unity was in 11.04
Cause of no intended action by me, I found myself in this weird environment.
Happily found out I could just switch back to classic.
So proceeded with installing 11.10 thinking that option was there too.
Unpleasantly surprized, stuck with stupid desktop.
There are some tweaks to let it resemble classic.
Too much hassle, and poor result.
May go 11.04 again or other distro here.
Look, software is constantly being developed.
I presume the good old open source guys, who make all this possible, do not
intend to upset us.
Change is the price of progress.
Reverting wrong changes is also progress.
Just hope they read this…..
nothing important
hahahah ‘Todd says:
October 16, 2011 at 6:36 am
Thanks too, I hate unity. Its the biggest piece of crap. I am either going to go back to KDE and its buggyness, or get an Apple. This really sucks – stupid Ubuntu!‘
Get an apple!!!! um ok so you are complaining that a completely free operating system isn’t to your liking and that you’ll go spend $1000+ on an apple. Which will force you to do what apple wants you to do whether you like it or not. Apple isn’t that amazing and is just as bad as microsoft, just not as good at getting your money. good luck i’ll stick with ubuntu for now thanks.
Diogenes
People at canonical are not dumb, they’ve known from the start that unity is an extremely bad idea. How did it come to be forced on 11.10? A spoiled relation of the boss made it a pet project and everyone else had to follow along, lying about how great an idea it is, including of course the boss, and are expecting us to follow along as well, for it’s forced on 11.10. Pathetic!
Harvey
Been using ubuntu since version 6, but 11.10 did for me. I am even considering
buying a copy of windows 7, brrrrr.
Will give fedora a try before windows any day..
What a shame, I really liked Ubuntu….
Kamal Maini
installing 11.10 with Unity was waste of time ; will switch back to 10.4 LTS
Angry Voter
Unity is why I am quitting Ubuntu.
Anonymous
People, just stay on 11.04. Unity is crap. Canonical is typical of big corporations that insist on “fixing” it until its broken, instead of listening to their users.
PT
If you installed up to 11.04 then you can still run Gnome classic by switching back to it on the bar at the bottom of the screen on the login window. Canonical needs to stop trying to “fix” ubuntu until it’s broken.
hassan assallay
did any one mentioned that ubuntu is forcing the users,
using ubuntu was like “hey windows users i can change and customize my OS and
you dont” but right now they dont wont users mess with ubuntu any more cause
they want there distro like apple “mac os” a non-gnu/linux OS means
non-humanity…..
……………..an older ubuntu user…
nothing important
i’ve installed KDE with no problem at all so you are not forced to use Unity. Just open synaptic and install it. Might see if xfce works ok too.
hth
Paul
and by classic, I mean version 2.3, not the new 2D version you’ve concocted to look like the classic Gnome 2.3. I actually loved Ubuntu until you removed our beloved desktop. Why would you hurt your company and your user base by doing something so illogical as removing choice from the user? Canonical will end up dying because you removed choice. All the comments on your homepage about how great your operating system is no longer apply because you removed what was great about it. Looks like Ubuntu 11.04 will be the last great Linux distribution from your company. Sad to see Microsoft win. I’m now seriously wondering if they had an active role in getting you to drop one of the better distributions. My next distribution will probably be Fedora or Mint. Sad, very sad.
Conserned Costumer
I have tried alt+f2 and I still cannot see my icons it has done this numerous amounts of times and I have to fiddle with it to try to get them to appear please help
GunDeck
YES!!!
Unity BLOWS!!!!!
Thank you for assisting me in restoring the Gnome interface.
This Unity crap was driving me crazy! I was getting sick of have to browse
through the labrynth on Unity to launch a second instance of Bash and teh
freaking menu kept covering my work.
Get rid of Unity or atleast make it an install option to so the operator can choose if he wants to complicate his life, or not.
GunDeck
HUH!!!
Looks like Unity does not support VM Multiple monitors.
I reverted back to Gnome and all of a sudden I can span my Virtual Machine
display across both monitors again.
Yet another reason why Unity sucks a$$
Bernie
I can’t find a fucking thing. I’m going to wipe and return to version 9 where everything is clear and obvious.
Bernie
I apologise. Sorry. Problems easily solved. Pretty crass to complain about a free operating system anyhow. Shouldn’t upgrade over a glass of wine. I do appreciate you people who develop this stuff and I am very sorry for my nasty comment.
RMS
I’m with all of you…Unity is junk. Please, Canonical, restore the old desktop as an option
Why?
Installed 11.10….glade I backed up my files, wiping my hard drive clean and re-installing 10.04
Chris Sugden
Thanks for this. I like to use the latest version on my desktop, but must have the Gnome desktop. We need to get the new Gnome interface matured a bit - and Unity too I guess. I hope they both get the chance.
Just some guy
Ubuntu Unity is the Windows ME of the Linux world.
Sakthi
The installation of UBUNTU 11.10 was a pleasant breeze. (In fact I thought something was not Ok! :). With the Unity interface my very first impression was to get frustrated for being not able to find my GnomeTerminal !. Next was the missing WindowMenuBar and found it is now like the AppleMac on the top and not attached to individual windows. Once I understood the DASH icon interface. I pulled all my tools to the bar and Happy then on. I like Unity and comfortable doing my kernel and device driver development for embedded systems. The issue for a new comer will be; Where are my favorite Tools ?. (especially the Gnome Terminal) once you had crossed this point you will be back into to your speed. Learning is fun BUT unlearning is Painfull !. Once you are warned then you can enjoy your Unity interface and doing tasks with it. Guys/Gals!, Please give a serious try!.
impalerau
Someone’s already mentioned the missing System menu. Does anyone have a solution?
Maddog
Gotta agree with the Unity assessment. I have it on my netbook and love it there, but it stinks on the desktop. Slooooowwwww. Moreover, things just don’t work. I can’t seem to get dual monitors working, can’t share folders, etc., etc., etc. I hate that you can’t really customize the sidebar. Takes me at least 10 clicks to find anything unless I do a word search (if I happen to remember the names of stuff).
Unity really gives Linux a bad rap. It confirms most people’s fears that you have to be a freakin’ command-line guru to get anything done, if at all. I used to have my 70 year-old mom using Ubuntu 9 with classic Gnome and she loved it. She bought a new PC but I told her to stay with the pre-installed Windows. There’s no way I’d have her attempt Unity.
Hate to say it, but I’ve been booting into Windows 7 (would love to have XP back). I can’t get anything done in Unity. I don’t like Windows 7 much more than Unity but at least I can get work done.
Brian
What is Ubuntu thinking? 11.10 is the new Vista, and we know how well that piece of garbage went over. It’s like Bill Gates is calling the shots at Ubuntu.
Ubuntu needs to offer an upgrade giving us a TRUE classic desktop like 11.04. Not something made for tablets. If Ubuntu must support a tablet version then make it a standalone and leave the desktop/laptop versions alone.
I’m going to dump 11.10 and install 11.04LTS. Thanks Ubuntu for wasting my time.
Anonymous
hope that Canonical read this webpage!
Mike
Never been a Windows user. Started on DOS, switched to OS/2, then to linux. Never have I used such a fked up interface as Unity. Lasted the amount of time needed to figure out how to switch to the classic desktop, when I upgraded to 11.04. Guess I’ll be shopping for a different distro that I can use to get things accomplished, since it seems that Ubuntu is hell bent on making us use Unity.
I only want a desktop, I have no need for scrolling through dozens of icons to get to the app I want to start. Someone needs to pull their head out of their hind end and provide the option to keep a desktop - let the winidiots have Unity if they want it…
Paul
Used Ubuntu for many years. Now it’s crap because of Unity. Good thing it’s easy to switch to a different distro. Just as easy as it should have been under 11.10 to switch to a real desktop manager.
Henk
For all the who say that unity sucks (i agree)
take a look at Linux Mint: http://linuxmint.com/
It is based on ubuntu and a great alternative :)
Titus
Unity sucks, indeed!
I did not choose Linux and Ubuntu to get stuck with something like Unity. I want
the old classic 10.04 desktop!
charlie
Used Ubuntu since 8.04, have been using 10.04 LTS and really liked it and converted many Windoze users, I’ve just “upgraded” to 12.04 LTS, What have they done?????? How much did the guys at Redmond pay. Can’t use this , support for 10.04 is coming to an end soon, TIME TO FIND ANOTHER DISTRO IF THEY DON’T SORT IT SOON
Emma
THANK YOU! So much easier to navigate again!
Jeremy Bicha
Do you see how the black color looks wrong in the top panel? I mentioned in my blog post that switching your theme to Adwaita improves the appearance.