Mint 12 to maintain a classic desktop in addition to Unity?

[t3g]

As of right now, Ubuntu 11.04 has a classic desktop fallback option that looks like the classic Gnome 2 look that people have been used to for years. With 11.10, they are going to be removing it in favor of Unity 2D while still using elements of Gnome 3 and GTK 3. Linux is all about choice and a Mint user tends to have different tastes than a standard Ubuntu one.

Seeing that Linux Mint's default look in 11 is related to the classic desktop in older Ubuntus, will the Mint team offer a classic option that looks like Mint 11 in Mint 12 in addition to Gnome 3/Unity? Could even rename the options in GDM to switch between "Mint Unity" and "Mint Classic" for those who want to pick a side. Speaking of GDM, I'm very curious as to how the Mint team adapts LightDM in the 11.10 code with their own look. From what I've seen in mockups it looks slicker than GDM.

I'm guessing that with everyone moving to GTK3 that modification of the Mint theme could take some time to merge over from GTK2, but I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

[Matti L]

I hope they'll offer a classic option as long as possible.

[AlbertP]

The Mint team is still investigating which desktop to use in Mint 12. But I am sure that they will not force us to Unity or the default implementation of Gnome Shell.

[mkleber]

Hi folks !

I've been using the Ubuntu since 8.04 till now 11.10b1.... but I dropped it because unity is not really a friendly shell, is not so useful... and gnome 3 session are so rought now... So I decided to try the Mint ! And it works nice...

I guess the Mint Team will release a shell that keep their users comfortable, they wont do the same mistake that canonical mades... and become to lost lot of users...

Well, sooner or later we ll see what happens !

[craig10x]

I suspect you will have a choice...even with mint going to gnome 3...probably the default will be the classic mint desktop style and an option to change to gnome shell if you desire to....Even though ubuntu will no longer offer "fallback mode", from what i have seen, it sounds like the gnome project will continue to offer the fallback mode in gnome 3 for those who prefer it over their gnome shell...

[ThistleWeb]

I wonder how many threads are about this very subject on these forums?

[Habitual]

I wonder how many threads are about this very subject on these forums?

+1

[t3g]

I wonder how many threads are about this very subject on these forums?

First of all, I'm flattered that you are replying to a thread that is a few months old. People must be curious about it and showing their passionate, if somewhat biased views at times. Since we have a greater grasp on Gnome 3/Unity now that we did months ago and with Ubuntu 11.10 offering full Gnome 3 support, this issue is more pressing. Mint offering Gnome 3 Shell, Unity, and Classic modes benefits everyone.

Second, issues like this get brought up because they aren't answered by the Mint development team and it is up to the community to indulge in speculation because the Gnome codebase Mint is currently based on is being phased out. Distro hopping is common, but the reality is that we want to feel comfortable with the look, feel, and ideology of the one we install on our systems. We want some sort of guarantee that our workflows will not be drastically altered because of transparency.

Third, making a passive aggressive comment about the quantity of these threads does not solve anything. It is much easier to point fingers and sit on the sidelines doing so than actually offering constructive thought.

[ThistleWeb]

I wonder how many threads are about this very subject on these forums?

First of all, I'm flattered that you are replying to a thread that is a few months old. People must be curious about it and showing their passionate, if somewhat biased views at times. Since we have a greater grasp on Gnome 3/Unity now that we did months ago and with Ubuntu 11.10 offering full Gnome 3 support, this issue is more pressing. Mint offering Gnome 3 Shell, Unity, and Classic modes benefits everyone.

Second, issues like this get brought up because they aren't answered by the Mint development team and it is up to the community to indulge in speculation because the Gnome codebase Mint is currently based on is being phased out. Distro hopping is common, but the reality is that we want to feel comfortable with the look, feel, and ideology of the one we install on our systems. We want some sort of guarantee that our workflows will not be drastically altered because of transparency.

Third, making a passive aggressive comment about the quantity of these threads does not solve anything. It is much easier to point fingers and sit on the sidelines doing so than actually offering constructive thought.

What part of that isn't being done on the other threads? I agree, discuss, suggest, argue. The point wasn't that there's no place for it, it was that we already have several threads to do just that, why have yet another? I look at new posts, which means posts that have been made since the last visit. If people post to old threads it jumps into the new posts section.

I agree though, this thread viewtopic.php?f=29&t=73579 was started in May to discuss much the same thing, it's one of many and was already in full flow.

[Kendall]

Second, issues like this get brought up because they aren't answered by the Mint development team and it is up to the community to indulge in speculation because the Gnome codebase Mint is currently based on is being phased out.

Decisions such as these are actually made fairly late. It's a combination of seeing exactly what's happening with Ubuntu along with seeing what Clem thinks is the best route to take. It would be silly of us to prematurely jump to conclusions about the default desktop without seeing exactly what Ubuntu ends up with.

[joez]

Assuming a stable and bug free as humanly possible OS, a Desktop environment which can easily be tailored to each individuals preference is of primary importance in allowing each individual user to find the best ways to increase their productivity with the least effort. Although all my friends who use Linux also use the Gnome Desktop, but no two of us are set up identical. Individual freedom was another major factor which moved us from the MSWin environment to Linux. And none of us are geeks, and some are first time computer users, the youngest 8 years old and the oldest 76 years.

[t3g]

Oneric just came out today, so I guess we should expect a Mint release next month. With that in mind, there has been no hints on what DE they will use as there is such a polarization what desktop should be default. If Mint 12 uses Gnome Shell, then there is no stopping someone from manually installing Unity and vise versa. My big deal is that if someone does choose to install Unity, at least the default Mint theme looks halfway decent with it.

I know that many of you aren't open to change but Gnome 2 is really looking its age and makes you wonder how long the Mint team can keep nursing it.

[proxima_centauri]

With that in mind, there has been no hints on what DE they will use as there is such a polarization what desktop should be default.

From the latest blog post

Linux Mint 12 “Lisa” will be released in November this year with continued support for Gnome 2 but also with the introduction of Gnome 3. The radical changes introduced by the Gnome project split the community. At the time of releasing Linux Mint 11 we decided it was too early to adopt Gnome 3. This time around, the decision isn’t as simple. Gnome 3.2 is more mature and we can see the potential of this new desktop and use it to implement something that can look and behave better than anything based on Gnome 2. Of course, we’re starting from scratch and this process will take time and span across multiple releases. Until then, it’s important we continue to support the traditional Gnome 2 desktop. We’re likely to release two separate editions, one for Gnome 2.32 and one for Gnome 3.2. We’re also working in cooperation with the MATE project (which is a fork of Gnome 2) at the moment to see if we can make both desktops compatible in an effort to let you run both Gnome 2 (or MATE) and Gnome 3 on the same system, either in Linux Mint 12, or for the future.

[joez]

I have made up my mind to give Linux Mint a try rather than upgrade from Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10, and seeing that Linux Mint 12 is supposed to be available soon, November?, I was wondering if a firm date is known yet? As it will take some effort to make the change, it would probably make more sense to wait, and I really am anxious to get it over with. Is there a link to where I can obtain this information? Thanks.

[proxima_centauri]

All we know is that it will be released around mid-November. That is subject to change. Linux Mint does not set specific release dates - Clem works on it until it's ready for RC.

[ewall]

I must say, I'm excited for Linux Mint 12... particularly for the Gnome 3.2 desktop with the Ubuntu guts.

I was considering switching to Fedora, but I don't want to fight with the shaky support for my ATI Radeon HD 6770M & Intel HD Graphics 3000 hybrid graphics card (as it works pretty good with out-of-the-box Ubuntu).

I hope it remains possible to keep Gnome 3 support in Mint as Ubuntu shifts their focus to Unity.

[joez]

If Gnome 3 or Unity is the desired Desktop, why would you want to move to Linux Mint? If Ubuntu would commit to retaining a Gnome 2 Desktop option I wouldn't have even bothered to look at Linux Mint. I've not yet discovered what Gnome 3 or Unity is supposed to provide that would benefit me as a user. They both reduce the options I can exercise in setting up my Desktop in a way most efficient for what I do.
I don't pay much attention to icons, and I like my top and bottom panels which I make great use of, and my multiple workspaces, which allow me to work with many tasks simultaneously, and proficiently, none of which carries over to Unity or Gnome 3 acceptably.
If another distribution of Linux is more committed to maintaining a Gnome 2 type Desktop than Linux Mint, please inform me and I'll not waste time on Linux Mint.

[craig10x]

joez...another factor which you aren't taking into account is that you can have gnome 3 underneath running with a mint style desktop using new extensions that are being provided with gnome 3.2...ask tdockery97....he took ubuntu 11.10 and easily made modifications using extensions to modify the shell and turned the desktop into a mac osx copy cat!

And one can also make it into classic ubuntu style 2 panels with standard fan out menus or classic linux mint desktop!

in fact, from what we gather from Clem's recent comments to some blog posters, Clem is both working on re-coding mint menu to gnome 3 as well as using extensions on gnome 3 to provide the classic mint desktop (with mint menu and one panel on bottom)...

most of us here at mint are hoping it works out well as Clem puts together his release of Mint 12 and will be able to provide this option on that release...
it would give one (as i have said before) the best of BOTH WORLDS...Gnome 3 underbase (which is excellent) without standard unity or gnome shell configuration..but a minty desktop instead!

i am keeping my "fingers crossed" And you might want to "wait around here" to see what will happen

Also, i have little doubt that other ubuntu based distros like Zorin will probably be going a similar route....So Gnome 3 does NOT have to mean Unity or Standard Gnome 3 Shell...It's probably better to go this way then trying to maintain the gnome 2 underbase which will no longer be supported...and better then gnome 2 "forking"...

[joez]

craig10x: I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and waiting on LM12 to become available. We've spent nearly 6 years fine tuning our Desktops to suit our needs and don't wish to go through that again.

If Gnome 3.2 can be made to provide the features we depended on in Gnome 2.32 that would be even better.

[ruel24]

Could Linux Mint look like it did back in Mint 9? That was a beautiful look. Now Mint looks like everything else out there. Bring back the dark theme...