Hello, When I saw that Ubuntu 11.04 will have the new unity interface I have rushed to upgrade my home pc to the not-yet-released 11.04. I saw the new interface on my eeepc netbook running 10.10 , so I was excited and impatient to try the unity on the desktop ...
Hopefully there is interest in getting feedback about it . So here are some remarks about this new default interface of Ubuntu Linux. The Application Launcher : - needs a right-click menu with options like "Add application " , "Properties". - it is uncomfortable that icons like "Workspaces" and "Applications" don't have a fixed well-defined position in the launcher : their position is variable due to new items that appear when opening new applications . - it should be possible to easily add/remove the non-application icons like "Home", "Trash", "Files & folders" , "Applications" , "Workspaces". And also have a way to control the position of these icons. - it would be nice to have the possibility to change the icon size The Dash : - provides a quick way to start an application when the user knows the name of the application . This is probably nice after getting the habit of using it. - don't see the usefulness of "favorites". For frequently used applications I would definitely create a desktop or launcher icon rather than open Dash and click on a "favorite". - it would be useful to have the possibility to configure the Ubuntu button to open a "classical" applications menu instead of Dash. The Applications: - browsing apps categories is bloated : after clicking on a category it's irritating that only a few apps are visible and that i have to click on " 5 more ... " . Way too many clicks. - it's nice to suggest new applications to be installed : good feature that allows beginners to discover new apps - the icon is non-intuitive : a plus sign suggests "adding" something , not starting applications My overall conclusion about Unity is almost positive, with reservation. I could use it for simple tasks like Internet browsing. However, it wouldn't be suitable for complex scenarios : for example when doing development I need a few consoles open, an IDE , a browser, etc. When many applications are open, Unity wouldn't be suitable for my needs ; it's limiting the user because it attempts to force a very specific way of starting applications and switching between them. The bad thing it is that it not customizable at all at the moment ... >From my point of view there are currently two open points that prevents me from adopting the new Unity interface as the main desktop: - I feel a desperate need for an "Applications" button that opens a classical menu with applications grouped into categories . A classical menu allows any application to be started with exactly 2 clicks (click on the menu, navigate with the mouse, then click on the application) . - I don't think that I can get used to the new concept of mixing "application buttons" with "started applications". I prefer a separate region on the screen used for displaying the open applications . I really liked the unity interface on my eeepc running 10.10 netbook edition. But I am unconvinced that the new concept is suitable for a desktop pc in its current state. The big difference is that a netbook is intended to be used for lightweight tasks, so it's ok to create a simpler interface . But on a full-powered pc there are much more usage patterns : it's hard to create the perfect gui design that matches the needs/habits of all kinds of users on the planet. The customizability is more important on desktop pc's user than on netbooks . And Unity is currently non-customizable (i am not talking about color themes ... i am referring to being able to activate/deactivate certain features, and re-position the elements on the screen) . Best regards, Adrian M _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ayatana Post to : ayatana@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ayatana More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp