I am a new convert to Linux.  I love Ubuntu but so far HATE this
decision to force the dock to always be on the right side.

This is a tension between logical semantics/convention (which is the
argument Mark is making) and emotional preferences of taste.

People simply have non-logical, emotionally driven differences in taste.
Case in point - how many of us love lime green cars?  Some of us hate
that color - but some of us love it.

How many prefer blond hair and blue eyes to brunette with dark eyes?
Who here prefers metal to classical?

You cannot argue one is 'better' than another - each individual has
their own taste and own preference.  Or rather, you can argue but it
won't change people's minds and it has a very CS binary interpretation
of how humans want their products to work.

In the same way Mark is arguing about the semantic meaning of each side
of the screen a metalhead could argue about the superiority of shredding
to rhythmic guitar.  At the end of the day, though, those logical
arguments don't supersede my personal taste.  I like what I like.  I may
understand you logical argument that the left side of the screen is for
'apps' but inside my chest I have this visceral reaction which keeps
going 'this feels wrong'.

There should have been a compromise here - on the desktop where there
are already established conventions the option should be provided to
move the dock to the bottom where many of us prefer it.  On smaller
devices (and less established conventions) the dock on the left wouldn't
feel as incongruous.   I am smart enough to figure out that a tablet UI
is going to be slightly different from a desktop UI - in fact I demand
it.  Trying to 'unify' the conventions is a well intentioned mistake
IMHO.

Ubuntu is making the same mistake Microsoft did with Metro - they are
trying to create a unified user interface for devices which by their
nature shouldn't have the same input.  Each of these form factors
(pocket sized device, TV, tablet, desktop) have their own
conventions/use cases/needs and their interfaces should reflect that.
Trying to cram what works on one form factor to another is as incorrect
as sticking a steering wheel on an airplane.

You can make the logical arguments for a 'unified' interface system as
much as you want, inside many of us who don't share your taste and
eventually will move to another more expressive interface.  It feels
like SUCH a missed opportunity.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/668415

Title:
  Movement of Unity launcher

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