The future of Mint

Chat about anything related to Linux Mint
Forum rules
Do not post support questions here. Before you post read the forum rules. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

thatsallurspaceships wrote:
rijnsma wrote:
AlbertP wrote:At least LXDE will most likely be converting their things to GTK3, and Xfce also can't keep GTK2 forever when everyone has ported the software to GTK3.
No, but let us hope that Linux adapts to the new challenges and that it can cope.
Not with something like Unity of Gnome3, when it is not ready and many users (and maybe packers
and developers don't like it yet, please.
.
In the meantime I keep and eye on lxde/openbox WattOS. After one week and a half I like it and there is
a new version 4 in one week.
It is neve wrong to keep changing distro untill you come back to mInt. :D
O no, I'm not away.
I have two times Mint on partitions. Mint LMDE my day to day workhorse and Xfce to test,
which is not bad at all and works fine.

(And I have Mint 9 Isadora LTS as a Clonezilla-clone on a backup disk.
And more... PCLOS KDE and PCLOS Gnome on partitions, and Gameia (Mandriva-developers) as clone.
I'm sniffing all over the place since Gnome-shell 3. :D :wink:
AlbertP
Level 16
Level 16
Posts: 6701
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:38 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Re: The future of Mint

Post by AlbertP »

Xfce and LXDE care about the users who like an 'outdated' desktop with the opened windows on the panel, etc. just because they're used to it. Such users don't care if the system behind the desktop is GTK 2, GTK 3 or Qt, as long as it works like they're used to. And so are some Mint users. As long as it works like a desktop has worked for 15+ years, it's OK for many people.
Registered Linux User #528502
Image
Feel free to correct me if I'm trying to write in Spanish, French or German.
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

AlbertP wrote:Xfce and LXDE care about the users who like an 'outdated' desktop with the opened windows on the panel, etc. just because they're used to it. Such users don't care if the system behind the desktop is GTK 2, GTK 3 or Qt, as long as it works like they're used to. And so are some Mint users. As long as it works like a desktop has worked for 15+ years, it's OK for many people.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," as many people say!

But I like the new stuff, too.
User avatar
tdockery97
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 5058
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:54 am
Location: Mt. Angel, Oregon

Re: The future of Mint

Post by tdockery97 »

Well, I've tried both Gnome 3 Shell and Unity and IMHO they are for people under 30 who are used to using nothing but tablet pc's or smartphones. They are not designed with either mouse/touchpad or keyboard shortcut usage in mind. They are designed for touch-screen. And as someone said in another post, "who wants a bunch of nasty, smeared fingerprints all over their pc monitor?" When they are planning to add an on-screen keyboard, that just screams "tablet pc". Like I said, just my opinion.
Mint Cinnamon 20.1
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

tdockery97 wrote:Well, I've tried both Gnome 3 Shell and Unity and IMHO they are for people under 30 who are used to using nothing but tablet pc's or smartphones. They are not designed with either mouse/touchpad or keyboard shortcut usage in mind. They are designed for touch-screen. And as someone said in another post, "who wants a bunch of nasty, smeared fingerprints all over their pc monitor?" When they are planning to add an on-screen keyboard, that just screams "tablet pc". Like I said, just my opinion.
Yeah, to each their own. I'm a few decades past 30, don't own a tablet or smartphone or even a netbook, and don't particularly care for touchscreens. But I'm fine using Unity.
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

In fact, go figure, at one time I didn't like anything but KDE3.
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

Unity? You know Tonka-toys? That is what it does me think off.
I knew the 'docky' from KDE..

But when it is better than a free configurable desktop with free moveble icons, and one can do
everything one likes under the hood (without the fingerprints on the screen) and with panels
with SMALL free moveble icons out of the way of apps, it is okay with me.

I like new good software. KDE 4 was hell for years. I was fond of the old KDE 3.5.
KDE is rather usable now. Certainly with some Xfce-apps in it.
After KDE 3.5 -> 4.x.x I went to Gnome. :D
Last edited by rijnsma on Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
linuxviolin
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2081
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:55 pm
Location: France

Re: The future of Mint

Post by linuxviolin »

AlbertP wrote:Xfce and LXDE care about the users who like an 'outdated' desktop with the opened windows on the panel, etc. just because they're used to it.
First you forgot KDE. Yes, with with a Folder View Activity on the desktop etc, although it's better if it's by default in the distro, you have a quite usable and modern desktop and one which looks like "an 'outdated' desktop with the opened windows on the panel" like you said... Plus, LXDE is quite buggy and I don't like it and XFCE, and even if 4.8 is maybe better and fast, is "never there yet” and no matter how you’re configuring it, it still feels like Win95 or maybe Win98. And its inability to display the desktop icon titles with a transparent background (and shadowed/outlined text for improved visibility over the wallpaper) is simply a decision to stick to 1995!...
AlbertP wrote:As long as it works like a desktop has worked for 15+ years, it's OK for many people.
No, not just for "many people" but for everybody! Nobody *needs* these new "things" and this desktop which "has worked for 15+ years" was quite productive, usable, simple, for mentally sane people etc Well, everything that the new toys are not.
K.I.S.S. ===> "Keep It Simple, Stupid"
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo da Vinci)
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Albert Einstein)
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

linuxviolin wrote:
LXDE is quite buggy
Tiny note: not any more when it is done right I noticed in WattOS. 8)
AlbertP
Level 16
Level 16
Posts: 6701
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:38 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

Re: The future of Mint

Post by AlbertP »

Install lxde from the repository and you get a decent desktop. Install Mint LXDE and it's even better. Never found any bug in it.
Registered Linux User #528502
Image
Feel free to correct me if I'm trying to write in Spanish, French or German.
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

rijnsma wrote:Unity? You know Tonka-toys? That is what it does me think off.
linuxviolin wrote:Plus, LXDE is quite buggy and I don't like it and XFCE, and even if 4.8 is maybe better and fast, is "never there yet” and no matter how you’re configuring it, it still feels like Win95 or maybe Win98. And its inability to display the desktop icon titles with a transparent background (and shadowed/outlined text for improved visibility over the wallpaper) is simply a decision to stick to 1995!...
linuxviolin wrote:Nobody *needs* these new "things" and this desktop which "has worked for 15+ years" was quite productive, usable, simple, for mentally sane people etc Well, everything that the new toys are not.
And there you have it. Does anyone remember the good old days, the whole GNOME vs. KDE thing? Every DE has people who love it and people who dislike it.

"The more things change, the more things stay the same," my old man used to say. Looks like taking shots at whatever DE they don't prefer to use, and at the people who use it, and at its devs will always be the favorite pastime for many Linux users.
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

When it is better, it's better and then we can go use it. :D
But I have not seen that kind of 'better'.
For the moment it is still a kind of forcing upon us.
So some people search their way out. :wink:
User avatar
linuxviolin
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2081
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:55 pm
Location: France

Re: The future of Mint

Post by linuxviolin »

MALsPa wrote:the favorite pastime for many Linux users.
You say the word: "pastime". But we don't want a pastime, we want something solid, stable, not changing all the time, on which you can have the last version of apps without have to update the system libraries (especially often to such new they are sometimes/often in a beta state, so unstable), several years of support, enterprise class, something for users, for productivity, for mentally sane people etc etc (I talk about everything, desktops, distros...) Everything that all these new toys, pastimes, are not.
Last edited by linuxviolin on Sun Jul 17, 2011 9:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
K.I.S.S. ===> "Keep It Simple, Stupid"
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo da Vinci)
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Albert Einstein)
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

Yes!
I do my work with Linux.
I like to keep it that way.
I'm not fond of M$$.
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

linuxviolin wrote:You say the word: "pastime". But we don't want a pastime, we want something solid, stable, not changing all the time, on which you can have the last version of apps without have to update the system libraries (especially often to such new they are sometimes/often in a beta state, so unstable), several years of support, enterprise class, something for users, for productivity, for mentally sane people etc etc (I talk about everything, desktops, distros...) Everything that all these new toys, pastimes, are not.
Huh? The "favorite pastime for many Linux users" that I referred to is the act of "taking shots at whatever DE they don't prefer," etc. It's the same now as it was when GNOME and KDE users used to argue endlessly about which was best and which was worse and so forth. From where I sit, today we simply have a new twist on the same, very old theme. The solution is the same as it's always been: Use what works for you. Nobody's forcing anyone to use Unity or GNOME3; if you don't like it, install something else. But too many Linux users can't be happy having different choices, they have to stay stuck on complaining about this DE or that DE. Never mind the fact that there are good reasons why many people use and enjoy the DE that you don't like. Dude, it's still Linux; you can still do what you want with your system. Change happens; deal with it.
rijnsma

Re: The future of Mint

Post by rijnsma »

With KDE 4 was not possible to work for years, while KDE 3.5 was great (but with a simple look okay).
Now we have some KDE which works right (but no more than that) with some glitter. O yeah..! :roll:
I like them Gnomes and Unities to bring 'the new one' when its better than the old one. :D
Which is not the case yet in my opinion.
User avatar
tdockery97
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 5058
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:54 am
Location: Mt. Angel, Oregon

Re: The future of Mint

Post by tdockery97 »

MALsPa wrote:Change happens; deal with it.
That's the best point anyone has made yet, MALsPa. Actually, in a strange way I am grateful that this whole Gnome 3 and Unity thing has come about. If it hadn't, I would not have taken the time to discover KDE or LXDE. The KDE desktop is a lot of fun and even the default look is beautiful, while LXDE is simple, easy to use and configure, and absolutely blazing fast. I have both Mint 11 LXDE and Fedora 15 LXDE on my laptop, and the Fedora LXDE boots in 25 seconds from Grub menu to desktop.

I can't wait to try out the Mint Debian KDE that Boo is working on.
Mint Cinnamon 20.1
jeffreyC

Re: The future of Mint

Post by jeffreyC »

People who complain about desktop designs that are 15 years old do not realize that that kind of desktop was the result of multi-million dollar research on how people really use a computer. (I am not a Microsoft fanboy but when someone gets something right, credit where credit is due)
User avatar
linuxviolin
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2081
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:55 pm
Location: France

Re: The future of Mint

Post by linuxviolin »

MALsPa wrote:Nobody's forcing anyone to use Unity or GNOME3; if you don't like it, install something else.
I guess you're joking... We are constantly pushed to cr**. We are pushed to GNOME 3 as GNOME 2 is no more maintained, idem when KDE 4 arrived etc When they are really polished -- think KDE 3.5.10 or GNOME 2.32 --, there are some benevolent teams of dictators who decide to jump to an unstable boat -- think KDE 4.0.0, GNOME 3.0. By the way, in Linux, as soon as a technology is mature & stable enough, someone gets on steroids and decides to develop a totally different replacement, which is then pushed on the market while not entirely production-ready. :evil:

Oh and I already said in several different places what I think of the others... so I'll not repeat myself here. :mrgreen:
tdockery97 wrote:the Fedora LXDE boots in 25 seconds from Grub menu to desktop.
This is unimportant. I'll make just a quote:
"If it ain't broken, don't fix it." Countless examples (y compris KDE4, GNOME3, but I'm not going into this), I'll just say SysV init/systemd/upstart/whatnot -- I'm not even interested in this cr**. It is cr** for me because:

i. Booting time is irrelevant for servers, they're 99.99999% up.
ii. Only stupid desktop users would shutdown when hibernation (suspend-to-disk) is available.
iii. Gaining 10 seconds in boot time is not worthing, if the price is a disruptive redesign of the entire init process, with tons of downstream work for everyone.
Last edited by linuxviolin on Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
K.I.S.S. ===> "Keep It Simple, Stupid"
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo da Vinci)
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Albert Einstein)
User avatar
MALsPa
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2040
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:17 pm
Location: albuquerque

Re: The future of Mint

Post by MALsPa »

linuxviolin wrote:
MALsPa wrote:Nobody's forcing anyone to use Unity or GNOME3; if you don't like it, install something else.
I guess you're joking... We are constantly pushed to cr**. We are pushed to GNOME 3 as GNOME 2 is no more maintained, idem when KDE 4 arrived etc When they are really polished -- think KDE 3.5.10 or GNOME 2.32 --, there are some benevolent teams of dictators who decide to jump to an unstable boat -- think KDE 4.0.0, GNOME 3.0. By the way, in Linux, as soon as a technology is mature & stable enough, someone gets on steroids and decides to develop a totally different replacement, which is then pushed on the market while not entirely production-ready. :evil:
Not joking at all.

Think about it. Nobody's forcing you to use Linux. If you use Linux, nobody's forcing you to use Ubuntu. If you use Ubuntu, you can install whatever DE or WM you want to use; nobody's forcing you to stick with Unity.

Heck, at this moment, I'm using Fluxbox in Mepis 11, not KDE4. I use Openbox in Lucid, AwesomeWM in Squeeze, Xfce in Fedora 15. If you don't like a particular DE in Linux, you simply don't have to use it. Nobody's holding a gun to your head threatening to pull the trigger if you don't use GNOME3 or Unity, right? (Glances over his shoulder...) :lol:
Locked

Return to “Chat about Linux Mint”