nathant wrote:I am using Ubuntu up to version 10.10 now. I don't like Ubuntu 11.04 and later versions with Unity / Gnome 3 DE. Then I am trying various version of Linux Mint. Mint 11 is great. Mint 12 desktop is a disappointment. Mint 12 with Cinnamon is ok. Now LMDE with gnome is great so far. But from what I read, LMDE will have gnome 3 later on. Not great!
What is up with all these desktops ? What choice do we, gnome2-lovers, have? A critique with Cinnamon is because it is still a derivative of gnome3, it will be at a disadvantage if gnome3 change.
I mean I can stay with Ubuntu 10.10 or Linux Mint 11 forever for the sake of gnome2, but I still want to upgrade and use latest Linux versions. I thought that using LMDE would be a safe bet, but if in the future LMDE goes with gnome3 then it's not good.
I'd like to hear your future plan for using linux, if you are a gnome2 fan.
Nathan
First let's get one thing straight. Unity and Gnome Shell are DEs running under Gnome3. The Gnome project folks designed Gnome Shell to work with Gnome3. The Ubuntu folks designed Unity to work under Gnome3 as a plugin for Compiz.
Gnome2 which used the Gnome Panels DE is no longer supported.
Cinnamon is designed to work under Gnome3. It may be simply an extension package for Gnome Shell or another independently produced DE for Gnome3, I don't know and have never seen it, don't really care.
I am a long time Gnome user. I have explored the options quite a bit. My choice was to switch from Ubuntu to Debian and use Xfce4.8. As a guy that used launchers on the Gnome panels I was never impressed with Xfce in the past.
My set up had 2 panels both on top. Groups of launchers populated convient (for me) places on the panel.
With the ability to stack launcher in Xfce4.8 I find that I can have the launchers that were once in the groups on the Gnome panels can now have each group under one applet on the Xfce panel system. This has allowed me to use only one panel.
If some strange thing happend and I had the chance to have full functionality of the Gnome Panels DE back I would stick with Xfce.
The only thing that I am disappointed with is that Xfce4.8 is still using Gtk2 instead of Gtk3. Xfce4.10 is due, last time I checked, to be released on the 16th of this month. It uses Gtk3.
If you install Xfce you will get a popup window at first boot. One of those helper popups to guide you through setting up and using a new DE. These are usually really lame and useless. This one is not. Do not get rid of it untill you are comfortable with the DE. It is well written and easy to understand.
I even had fun setting up Xfce to look like Unity once and if you do that you really wonder what the boys at Ubuntu are smoking. Xfce would be a much better DE for small form factors than Unity and does not require 3d capability. I don't use it like that, as I have a desktop box and no touch screen.
You owe it to yourself to give it a whack. Take your time read the tips. Give it a couple weeks. There are other options out there.
Cinnamon is one. You worry about Gnome3 changing. Gnome2 changed over the decade or so it has been around.
Gnome shell is pretty new and it will be changing as did the Panel system that was about as popular as a turd in a punch bowl when it came out. Extensions are easy to write for GS and there are already many of them.
I have Debian Sid on here with Gnome and Xfce on it. When I log into the Gnome session I get GS. I have a number of extensions on it. I do not have to leap around the desktop to what ever they call the silly interface with with the launch bar on the left. My favorites (programs) are on the upper panel. I have a lower panel (can't move it to the top where I want it) that has a workspace switcher and a windows list.
It is quite usable and will get better as more extensions are made. That is the only reason I have it. I want to play with the editing of extensions and the writing of them.
When I go over there I use Xfce if I want to get work done.
. 