4 ms·

So, I have a buddy who wants to try Linux on a netbook that he has found no use for. Mint or Ubuntu?

• keithpeter 15y ago
  If he likes windows and wants to just do stuff, then try Mint (might be heavy for an Atom based netbook). If he wants to try something a bit new, then have a bash at Ubuntu 11.10, but then try installing the XFCE desktop package from within Ubuntu if Unity does not 'take'.
• bryanlarsen 15y ago
  Unity is ideal for netbooks/small screens. (thus menu on top, et cetera). The people complaining are largely those with larger screens who are either stuck in their ways or haven't bothered to figure out how to customize it to their liking.
  • keithpeter 15y ago
    I'd take a very minor issue with this: try xfce with dmenu (from the suckless tools package) bound to the super key. I maximise applications within xfce using alt-F11. All window decorations gone, no OS junk pixels visible at all. I invoke applications using dmenu. I switch between windows with alt-tab, and workspaces with alt-ctrl-arrows. Perhaps I'm taking this to extremes...
    • bryanlarsen 15y ago
      I'm not sure what you're gaining (unless you're also hiding the application's menu). A maximized application in Unity doesn't waste any more space than what you describe. The top bar is still visible, but it's merged with the menu, so there's no effective wastage.
      • keithpeter 15y ago
        True, but there is nothing appearing at the left if I wait too long on the File menu, and the indicators are hidden. Perhaps this is an extreme example. I actually rather like Unity on small screens.
  • DanBC 15y ago
    So it's a shame that it's the default for a desktop, not mobile, OS. Ubuntu had NBR, and dropped it, and kludged it into Ubuntu main. Now people with netbooks (small drives) may like Unity but aren't so keen on all the other Ubuntu stuff.