If it's true that Mint is now more popular than Ubuntu, why

[nousername]

...are there so few forum members here compared to Ubuntu?

[craig10x]

Probably because Ubuntu has the largest base of users worldwide, so therefore the volume of participants would be much greater...
despite all the other distros (ubuntu based and otherwise) it is still the most used linux distro on a global scale...

[webguy64]

Well, I skimmed this: http://www.unixmen.com/linuxmint-vs-ubu ... -analysis/
And from what it said, they're about the same. I prefer Mint myself. The Unity interface looks unappealing to me

[nousername]

Well, I skimmed this: http://www.unixmen.com/linuxmint-vs-ubu ... -analysis/
And from what it said, they're about the same. I prefer Mint myself. The Unity interface looks unappealing to me

I don't understand why it's unappealing. Why are icons such a big deal? There are no other differences, are there?

[craig10x]

Well, I skimmed this: http://www.unixmen.com/linuxmint-vs-ubu ... -analysis/
And from what it said, they're about the same. I prefer Mint myself. The Unity interface looks unappealing to me

I didn't like unity that much at first (probably because it was somewhat different from what i was use to and also reading many negative comments didn't help)...
but now i like it very much (and i also like Cinnamon on mint as well)...i think what caused a lot of the unity hate is people generally don't like change or anything different then they are accustomed to...

[Lumikki]

Question of popularity.

If we talk about people interested about Linux, then I think Mint is more popular.
If we talk how many people does use Ubuntu or Mint, then I think Ubuntu is more popular.

Ubuntu is older distribute, so of cause more time to have more users.

i think what caused a lot of the unity hate is people generally don't like change or anything different then they are accustomed to...

I think most people allways will resist little bit something new, unknown to them. But there is more to it, it's also about people methods of use computers, as how people like to do something. Like how you start you programs, how you switch between programs, do you use multible desktops, how many programs you run sametime, how much someone use mouse or keyboard shortcuts and so on. If these basic function change, it can cause issues for people to get use to new ways. Also what way fits to one person, doesn't means it's good for other. Some like "old" ways, some "new" ways, we just need to choose how we like our GUI's.

[nousername]

So how is Unity different from GNOME other than the way icons are arranged?

[craig10x]

So how is Unity different from GNOME other than the way icons are arranged?

Well, let's see...you use the unity bar (dock) on the left of your screen instead of launching a menu from the bottom or hitting a favorites short cut you have on your panel...

The unity bar contains your favorites there instead and there is also a button on the top of it called the "dash" which is the same as the search function in your mint slab menu...you can add or remove favorites from the bar just like you do in mint's slab menu....

Open programs minimize to the unity bar on the side instead of your mint panel on the bottom....

Unity also has an icon to hit for your workspace switching....

Not really much different...just ORIENTED somewhat different the mint's panel on bottom with slab menu...so takes a little bit of getting use to...
but that is probably why some people resist it...and hate it without giving it a fair chance...
There are also various desktop shortcuts you can use as well to save a little time...

For example if you hit your superkey (that's the button on your keyboard that has the "windows" symbol) it brings up the unity menu without having to "mouse" to the bar for it...

It also has a global menu where the top functions of your application window is on your top panel instead of on the application window itself (like on the Macintosh)..
which saves space (including giving you more space on your web page too...which i like a lot)...

Just some examples of the differences....which apparently is enough to scare some off

[Lumikki]

Just some examples of the differences....which apparently is enough to scare some off

How about switching between running programs, difference?

[craig10x]

If you want to quickly switch between running programs, there are a number of different strategies. Running programs are marked in the Unity launcher with an arrow, allowing you to quickly identify which are currently open. You can also spread your windows across multiple workspaces for easier navigation of programs with similar functionality...

Also each open program appears in the unity launcher (even if it isn't "pinned" as a favorite)...so you can switch in there...
they desktop shortcut is Super Key (windows key) plus W that displays all your open windows, and you just hit the one you want to bring up...

Really hard... right?

these are the differences that "scare em' off"

[Lumikki]

If you want to quickly switch between running programs, there are a number of different strategies. Running programs are marked in the Unity launcher with an arrow, allowing you to quickly identify which are currently open. You can also spread your windows across multiple workspaces for easier navigation of programs with similar functionality...

Also each open program appears in the unity launcher (even if it isn't "pinned" as a favorite)...so you can switch in there...
they desktop shortcut is Super Key (windows key) plus W that displays all your open windows, and you just hit the one you want to bring up...

Really hard... right?

these are the differences that "scare em' off"

So, what I have to do is make Unity not hide the left side icon bar.
Look the pin in icons to know if it's running, if it's favored, other progras icons should be there too if they aren't favored. Does this include multible same progams?
or I have to use keyboard short cuts to open window where I can see all the programs. Then use mouse to select one.
or not use full screen windows so I can see them all, if they aren't covered by other program windows.

Yeah, it's harder (slower) than It's now, when I see all running programs directly in my taskbar with name and can go directly any of them by choosing it with one mouse click.

Question is not can somehting be done, but how efficient it is and how it has to be done.

[craig10x]

pinned icons (if running) will have that little marker to the left of the icon...that is how you know it's open...and so do the "unpinned" running applications too...
Windows key + W easiest way to view everything you have open at the same time and then hit the one you want to bring up..
probably other ways to do it but i hadn't looked into it yet...

I don't know..to me not really more complicated (once you have done it for a few days) but some resist change and just don't want to bother re-orienting themselves a bit...those are usually the ones that "bash" it...

After leaving windows, i had a short "stint" with MAC before discovering linux (actually i liked the Mac alot just didn't want to get "locked in" to the high priced hardware)...so maybe for me it was bit easier to adjust to unity for that reason....but hey...when someone leaves windows and switches to Mac he has to get use to the differences in how it is used but it doesn't seem to bother them...in fact, the usually love it...

[Lumikki]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not Unity hater. I liked some of the features when I tryed it, but some of them where more difficult for me. Because I don't use keyboard shortcuts at all, almost not all. I'm mouse user. What I have seen writen about Ubuntu, it's moving more and more to keyboard shortcut use direction. Example comming HUD, it's all about replacing visual menu selection with keyboard use. It's style change how to use your computer.

[craig10x]

i think i read that they are dropping hud...anyway, it was only going to be an option from what i understand...
unity dock is here to stay with ubuntu...it's not going away...

most of the time i don't even use windows key + w...i just hit icon on the unity bar of the particular app that i have open that i want to use...
so just 1 click involved instead of 2...

much like one does when an app is minimized to your tray (panel)...only i am doing it on the left instead of the bottom (lol)....which again is why
i say small difference, really...

but to each his own, i guess

[Lumikki]

but to each his own, i guess

Yeah, exactly.

For me it's not about is bar left or bottom, that has no meaning to me, because both are good choices.
But how the bar actually function. What isn't same between Unity and Cinnamon.

Example I can see now in my Cinnamon taskbar that I have firefox open into "Linux Today" news page, while I'm writing this. I mean they aren't in different tabs, but actually different browsers (running programs). Of cause tabs would do same in this case, but what about documents. I can see the name of my open documents, without ever touching mouse or keyboard. Then I can just switch between them with one mouse click.

So, while I could get use to the way Unity does it, it's really about how every person likes it. I like more Cinnamon ways, than Unity ways. Even if I think left icon bar in Unity is great. It has advances example in 1920 x 1080 monitors has more room in side ways.

[claudecat]

I don't "hate" Unity, but I do find it inconvenient to use for mainly one reason: ease of opening 2 instances of the same program. Almost impossible with the bar. Also not a fan of the global menu. And what's with that color scheme? Purple and orange? Really?!?! Just one cat's opinion...

[craig10x]

Some like the set up but prefer to use it with Cairo Dock instead of the unity bar...i might give it a go and play around with it a bit to see if i might prefer it
I like Cinnamon too...but adopted fairly easily to unity...and i kind of like the default desktop wallpaper (though one can easily change it of course)...
And don't mind the orange stuff at all, really...ubuntu is orange...mint is green...

But i use the lighter theme in the appearance control application...like it much better then the default black theme...gives it a more mac-like silvery metal type look...

[aes2011]

...are there so few forum members here compared to Ubuntu?

Some people visit the ubuntu forum because of the "games" section. They hardly ever post in the "help" section. By doing this, they push requests for help off the "front" page. Really, there should a separate forum for stupid games!

[Colonel Panic]

One possible reason; because Mint basically just works, and so people have less of a need to keep visiting the Help forums when things go wrong (because by and large they don't) than they do with certain other distros.

[MALsPa]

One possible reason; because Mint basically just works, and so people have less of a need to keep visiting the Help forums when things go wrong (because by and large they don't) than they do with certain other distros.

I don't know. Logged into both forums, looked down at the bottom of the main pages of each.

Ubuntu: "Currently Active Users: 8480 (204 members and 8077 guests and 119 Spiders)"

Mint: "207 users online -- 17 registered, 4 hidden and 186 guests"

I find it hard to believe that the huge disparity is because "Mint basically just works." Ubuntu has much more extensive documentation than Mint, so my experience has been that I haven't had to ask many support questions at the Ubuntu forums. A web search usually turns up a solution.

By the way, I've spent some years using both distros, but I have over 1400 more posts at the Mint forums than at the Ubuntu forums; joined the Mint forums 6 months after I joined the Ubuntu forums. I guess that can be interpreted in a number of ways, though. Anyway, it seems to me that Mint (the main version) and Ubuntu are more the same, underneath, than different. Issues I've had with one in the past have also been present in the other.