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It's popular to hate on Ubuntu, but I personally love it and its UI. I've used Ubuntu since 11.04 and run 13.04 on my personal laptop (for development and day-t

It's popular to hate on Ubuntu, but I personally love it and its UI. I've used Ubuntu since 11.04 and run 13.04 on my personal laptop (for development and day-to-day stuff). I'm a sucker for pretty things like translucent title bars and snapping windows to full-screen, but I also love how easy it is to develop with Linux (as opposed to Windows). Everything is usually a single command away on the command line (sudo apt-get install blank) so it's easy to install new libraries or programs for development. It may not be for everyone, but it definitely is possible to use Linux without having to install and fiddle with new window managers or file explorers or all the nuts and bolts. I've never even really had driver issues on my laptop now that Ubuntu has become this mature.

wildster 13y ago
I agree the hardcore linux folk all seem to hate on Ubuntu, but it does just work.
- tjr 13y ago
  One reason that some avoid Ubuntu: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html
  - kevincrane 13y ago
    I agree that it was a shitty default configuration/decision, but uninstalling Amazon was as trivial as you could possibly get, so I'm not really concerned about that.
- dkuntz2 13y ago
  I wouldn't say they all hate Ubuntu. They just don't prefer it. Speaking for myself, I think it has a fine core, and recommend the Gnome Remix to most people looking to get into Linux. I just don't really like Unity (mostly because it feels really slow every time I use it), and they're not really being excellent to the rest of the Linux community. I feel (and I said this recently in this same post) that if they focused on one thing, and stopped trying to do ridiculous and unnecessary things (like Ubuntu for Phones, and Ubuntu for TVs, and even Mir), Ubuntu could return to the nice, quality product it was. My second favorite desktop setup was with 10.04 and 10.10, the switch to Unity is what ultimately pushed me away from Ubuntu.
Jormundir 13y ago
Maybe I should try it again, but last time I used it, I couldn't get programs to just work. I don't want to hate on ubuntu, I liked a lot about it, but so often you can't just install and use something, you have to do a bunch of fiddling. Last time I used it, I couldn't get Dropbox to install correctly. Sublime text would always open in the default spot and with the default window size rather than where I closed it. There are all of these very minuscule problems that add up to a very agitating experience. That's why I said it comes up excruciatingly short, I feel like Linux is almost the best OS on every level, yet on every level (above the command line) there's some little thing that's irritating.
- kristopolous 13y ago
  If you've been programming for a while, modifying software isn't as scary and intimidating as you'd think. For exmple, I had wpa_supplicant always crap out at a few coffee shops here in LA. It tried to associate but didn't wait long enough. I ran it with the "-v" option and saw a line that said something like: "Waiting 5 seconds". I downloaded the source code and searched for that message: grep -r Waiting * | grep second I got 5 results or so. I opened up the code and I saw a line like this, right above the debug message. timeout = 5000; I added a 0 (making it 50 seconds) and saved the file. I ran ./configure && make and killed /usr/bin/wpa_supplicant, then used my copy and like magic, it started working. Go me! I think any average non-wizard programmer could have probably done the same. I didn't have to know all any big-picture detail of wpa_supplicant's design nor did I have to know the 802.11[anything] protocol. No need to do packet dissection or anything like that. I looked at the screen, I grepped for where the problem was and I added a 0. Fixed. It took all of 20 minutes or so. A lot less time then the productivity I had already lost by putting up with the issue in the first place. [1] Those kinds of experiences are the kind that make me stick with linux. I have an identical problem with the same networks on my s3. I'm guessing it's because of the same thing. But my stock install of the developer-unfriendly OS has made the barrier to doing the same process much much higher. I had a different, but also easily solvable problem on a MBP once in 2012. I tried the same process. But the man pages were half a page long and dated 10 years ago. The developer documentation was non-existent, the source code was inaccessible, and everyone that was experiencing the problem were unsophisticated users who recommended things like "going to the mac store". Basically, I was stuck with the problem. I would have had to have been in my top form hacking zone to even find out what and where to mod; and then I'd have to write assembly to fix it; using tricks to maintain byte alignment, function pointers, all that noise. After a few experiences like that I realized the machine in my hands was a sophisticated consumer appliance. That's nice. But what I really wanted was a "feasibly reprogrammable" computer. --- [1] Here's another example: I had an idea for a way to switch application windows where you type in string matches of the window names, all these weird UI ideas... The problem was I couldn't program in X - I had no idea how to do that. Good thing is that I didn't need to. Because of the openness of the system, I was able to execute my idea with a perl script; calling programs to move around and manipulate windows. The existing tools gave me enough control, power, and information, in order to execute this sophisticated idea; and all without having to learn xlib (which I intend to do one day). It's become part of my must-have list for my long-term environments. Here's the link https://github.com/kristopolous/alttab https://github.com/kristopolous/alttab . I still don't know exactly how to create an x window. I'm convinced that although initially daunting, the "here's the blueprints" philosophy of linux actually makes sophisticated ideas simpler to execute, however counter-intuitive that sounds.
dkuntz2 13y ago
The core of Ubuntu is fine, I just don't really like Unity. While you can technically use regular Ubuntu and install Gnome, I've always had some weird stuff happen because Unity's still around. My typical suggestion for other people is Ubuntu Gnome, because it provides them with the "just working" Linux, and most people I've talked to enjoy Gnome more than Unity. As for regular Ubuntu, I'm not really a fan of their recent bouts of Not Invented Here Syndrome. Everything has to be made by them, for absolutely no reason. And they tried to belittle Wayland, and make up blatant falsehoods to do it. If they were willing to focus on making ONE really, really good product, and push that towards consumers, instead of spreading their focus everywhere, I feel like they'd have a much better core product, Ubuntu Desktop (with Server out there, too, because it's not difficult to decouple the GUI stuff).
- kevincrane 13y ago
  Yeah, I'm kind of the same way. I love Unity and want them to succeed heavily, but I wish they'd jive better with the rest of the Linux world. I haven't used Gnome 3 enough to make a fair comparison, but I loved Gnome 2 and was loathing the transition to Unity with 12.04. After a few days of using it though, I loved most of what it offered me. Realistically, my biggest concerns were screen real estate (13" laptop, minimal vertical pixels) and quick access to my programs (cmd opens the launcher), so i was really happy with Ubuntu for that.
  - dkuntz2 13y ago
    I'm quite fond of Gnome 3. It's gotten a whole lot better since it started (it was kind of a mess when they started). Every two-ish releases I try out Ubuntu again to see if Unity's better, and each time it seems like they never address my main concern, speed. Unity seems really slow. I've never done benchmarks or tests, but on an i7 machine with 16GB of RAM, I would expect it to be snappy. It's even worse on my netbook. I like the dock on the side, but the super menu and alt+f2 prompts are really bad in my mind. If I could get the dock, and maybe the global menus (I'm ambivalent on them), with Gnome Shell's activities menu, I'd be happy. Also dynamic workspaces, I really like those.
StavrosK 13y ago
I use Ubuntu as my sole OS too, but it gets on my nerves with some things. I have cmd+E mapped to a new nautilus window, for example, and it doesn't work half the time (I always have to press it twice). Sometimes the focus gets lost and alt+tab won't work until I click on a window. It's also not very responsive. Windows, on the other hand, are extremely snappy everywhere. Pressing cmd+E immediately launches Explorer and Explorer itself is very snappy. I wish Ubuntu would just get its shit together and address UI latency at some point.
- samspenc 13y ago
  This. I use Ubuntu as my primary OS too, and as much as I love it, I really wish they would address UI issues on the desktop. Having said that, I'm hopeful Mir will solve these issues. Fingers crossed.

wildster 13y ago

I agree the hardcore linux folk all seem to hate on Ubuntu, but it does just work.

tjr 13y ago
One reason that some avoid Ubuntu: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html
- kevincrane 13y ago
  I agree that it was a shitty default configuration/decision, but uninstalling Amazon was as trivial as you could possibly get, so I'm not really concerned about that.
dkuntz2 13y ago
I wouldn't say they all hate Ubuntu. They just don't prefer it. Speaking for myself, I think it has a fine core, and recommend the Gnome Remix to most people looking to get into Linux. I just don't really like Unity (mostly because it feels really slow every time I use it), and they're not really being excellent to the rest of the Linux community. I feel (and I said this recently in this same post) that if they focused on one thing, and stopped trying to do ridiculous and unnecessary things (like Ubuntu for Phones, and Ubuntu for TVs, and even Mir), Ubuntu could return to the nice, quality product it was. My second favorite desktop setup was with 10.04 and 10.10, the switch to Unity is what ultimately pushed me away from Ubuntu.

Jormundir 13y ago

Maybe I should try it again, but last time I used it, I couldn't get programs to just work. I don't want to hate on ubuntu, I liked a lot about it, but so often you can't just install and use something, you have to do a bunch of fiddling. Last time I used it, I couldn't get Dropbox to install correctly. Sublime text would always open in the default spot and with the default window size rather than where I closed it. There are all of these very minuscule problems that add up to a very agitating experience. That's why I said it comes up excruciatingly short, I feel like Linux is almost the best OS on every level, yet on every level (above the command line) there's some little thing that's irritating.

kristopolous 13y ago
If you've been programming for a while, modifying software isn't as scary and intimidating as you'd think. For exmple, I had wpa_supplicant always crap out at a few coffee shops here in LA. It tried to associate but didn't wait long enough. I ran it with the "-v" option and saw a line that said something like: "Waiting 5 seconds". I downloaded the source code and searched for that message: grep -r Waiting * | grep second I got 5 results or so. I opened up the code and I saw a line like this, right above the debug message. timeout = 5000; I added a 0 (making it 50 seconds) and saved the file. I ran ./configure && make and killed /usr/bin/wpa_supplicant, then used my copy and like magic, it started working. Go me! I think any average non-wizard programmer could have probably done the same. I didn't have to know all any big-picture detail of wpa_supplicant's design nor did I have to know the 802.11[anything] protocol. No need to do packet dissection or anything like that. I looked at the screen, I grepped for where the problem was and I added a 0. Fixed. It took all of 20 minutes or so. A lot less time then the productivity I had already lost by putting up with the issue in the first place. [1] Those kinds of experiences are the kind that make me stick with linux. I have an identical problem with the same networks on my s3. I'm guessing it's because of the same thing. But my stock install of the developer-unfriendly OS has made the barrier to doing the same process much much higher. I had a different, but also easily solvable problem on a MBP once in 2012. I tried the same process. But the man pages were half a page long and dated 10 years ago. The developer documentation was non-existent, the source code was inaccessible, and everyone that was experiencing the problem were unsophisticated users who recommended things like "going to the mac store". Basically, I was stuck with the problem. I would have had to have been in my top form hacking zone to even find out what and where to mod; and then I'd have to write assembly to fix it; using tricks to maintain byte alignment, function pointers, all that noise. After a few experiences like that I realized the machine in my hands was a sophisticated consumer appliance. That's nice. But what I really wanted was a "feasibly reprogrammable" computer. --- [1] Here's another example: I had an idea for a way to switch application windows where you type in string matches of the window names, all these weird UI ideas... The problem was I couldn't program in X - I had no idea how to do that. Good thing is that I didn't need to. Because of the openness of the system, I was able to execute my idea with a perl script; calling programs to move around and manipulate windows. The existing tools gave me enough control, power, and information, in order to execute this sophisticated idea; and all without having to learn xlib (which I intend to do one day). It's become part of my must-have list for my long-term environments. Here's the link https://github.com/kristopolous/alttab https://github.com/kristopolous/alttab . I still don't know exactly how to create an x window. I'm convinced that although initially daunting, the "here's the blueprints" philosophy of linux actually makes sophisticated ideas simpler to execute, however counter-intuitive that sounds.

dkuntz2 13y ago

The core of Ubuntu is fine, I just don't really like Unity. While you can technically use regular Ubuntu and install Gnome, I've always had some weird stuff happen because Unity's still around. My typical suggestion for other people is Ubuntu Gnome, because it provides them with the "just working" Linux, and most people I've talked to enjoy Gnome more than Unity. As for regular Ubuntu, I'm not really a fan of their recent bouts of Not Invented Here Syndrome. Everything has to be made by them, for absolutely no reason. And they tried to belittle Wayland, and make up blatant falsehoods to do it. If they were willing to focus on making ONE really, really good product, and push that towards consumers, instead of spreading their focus everywhere, I feel like they'd have a much better core product, Ubuntu Desktop (with Server out there, too, because it's not difficult to decouple the GUI stuff).

kevincrane 13y ago
Yeah, I'm kind of the same way. I love Unity and want them to succeed heavily, but I wish they'd jive better with the rest of the Linux world. I haven't used Gnome 3 enough to make a fair comparison, but I loved Gnome 2 and was loathing the transition to Unity with 12.04. After a few days of using it though, I loved most of what it offered me. Realistically, my biggest concerns were screen real estate (13" laptop, minimal vertical pixels) and quick access to my programs (cmd opens the launcher), so i was really happy with Ubuntu for that.
- dkuntz2 13y ago
  I'm quite fond of Gnome 3. It's gotten a whole lot better since it started (it was kind of a mess when they started). Every two-ish releases I try out Ubuntu again to see if Unity's better, and each time it seems like they never address my main concern, speed. Unity seems really slow. I've never done benchmarks or tests, but on an i7 machine with 16GB of RAM, I would expect it to be snappy. It's even worse on my netbook. I like the dock on the side, but the super menu and alt+f2 prompts are really bad in my mind. If I could get the dock, and maybe the global menus (I'm ambivalent on them), with Gnome Shell's activities menu, I'd be happy. Also dynamic workspaces, I really like those.

StavrosK 13y ago

I use Ubuntu as my sole OS too, but it gets on my nerves with some things. I have cmd+E mapped to a new nautilus window, for example, and it doesn't work half the time (I always have to press it twice). Sometimes the focus gets lost and alt+tab won't work until I click on a window. It's also not very responsive. Windows, on the other hand, are extremely snappy everywhere. Pressing cmd+E immediately launches Explorer and Explorer itself is very snappy. I wish Ubuntu would just get its shit together and address UI latency at some point.

samspenc 13y ago
This. I use Ubuntu as my primary OS too, and as much as I love it, I really wish they would address UI issues on the desktop. Having said that, I'm hopeful Mir will solve these issues. Fingers crossed.