New-look Ubuntu 11.04 hits beta, final release within the month

AlexF (New user):

Isn't this more of the same? Does anyone actually use Linux on a consumer desktop? Servers (running LAMP, Oracle, etc) and (network) appliances (routers, load balancers, DVRs, etc), I get, but on a consumer desktop... why?
Wasn't the underpowered netbook ideal platform for Linux? Where did that fall back to, Windows Starter?

franko12345 (New user):

Quoting AlexF:
Does anyone actually use Linux on a consumer desktop?

You would be amazed how many people do. All my computers do. Running Myth
TV through the house is brilliant. I am on holidays at the moment typing this on a netbook running Ubuntu, tethered to my android (linux)phone.

Fornax (User):

I have windows 7 and xp quad core machines for myself and an old laptop for my wife running ubuntu. The laptop is an old ibm pentium M 1.6ghz laptop and it loads faster than my core i7 920 desktop. Ubuntu requires less effort from me to maintain and it does everything my wife wants eg web browsing, office documents and video. If I didn't game my systems would be running linux also. I would love to upgrade my wifes laptop to the new version but the new interface would drive her mad she doesn't like change much. It took her a year to say she liked Ubuntu better than Win XP and the reason for that is its soo much faster than friends laptops running windows on faster hardware

ss-rotel (User):

every.
single.
mac.

AlexF (New user):

Quoting ss-rotel:
every.
single.
mac.

Err... Macs don't run Linux, they run OS X - version of FreeBSD on top of Mach kernel.

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting ss-rotel:
every.
single.
mac.

Saying every single Mac runs linux is like saying Jamie Whincup's Commodore is the same as my Commodore.

ss-rotel (User):

how do you figure? it's still linux. it's still the BSD kernel. the Difference is just the GUI Shell. WHICH is what's outlined above. Ubuntu's running a new GUI shell.

MAC is still an Intel PC @ the end of the day.

Quoting Me In Oz:
is like saying Jamie Whincup's Commodore is the same as my Commodore.


I've seen, (and worked on), a V8 supercar, so no, you're right, it's nothing like your Commodore. Infact, the only thing that a V8 supercar has from your commodore is estentially the doors and bootlid.

I've also worked on the Katey Wagon, (goto LS1 forums, and look that one up), and something like that's a better analogy.

the MAC's a pretty Intel PC/laptop, with linux, with a very user freindly GUI at the end of the day.

The main reason that there's nothing else like it out there? no one else is getting paid to make one. i wouldn't build a GUI @ the level that OSX is for nothing.

But, my statement is still correct.

ss-rotel (User):

i dead set swear i posted replys for this...

ok - Sooo... FreBSD isn't linux then? I find it funny that MAC chose to use the opensorce, not the commercial ver of BSD Linux

and honestly? i've worked on a V8 supercar. and i can tell you from experience, the only thing that it has in common to your commodore is the door skins and the boot lid.

I've also worked on the Katey Wagon, (goto LS1 forums and look that one up), that's better probably a better analogy.

Really, Linux is more a commodore that you have every control for the car an unlabled button, with a great big help button, that you need to access all the time, that's up under the steering wheel, and OSX is a commodore with a shiny forward, backward, left and right button... and that's pretty much it.

OSX is linux that has a very user freindly GUI Shell on it, (that Apple spent alot of time and money to develop, and that's what you pay for when you buy a copy), but saying OSX ISN'T linux, is like changing the windows shell to litestep or something like that, and saying it's no longer windows.

Your Average Joe (User):

" .... In addition to Unity, Natty Narwhal includes Firefox 4.0, LibreOffice 3.3.2, Banshee 1.9.5 ..... " - APC

Now there's a set of contentious Apps.
LibreOffice is just a rejig of OpenOffice and they both have crappy autoformatting.

Octo (New user):

I am a long retired engineer (not computers) and an amateur astronomer, I have used computers since the 80s but am in no way an expert, I build my own but that is only because of the excellent parts and free advice I can get, I know nothing of software and am totally inept when using the command line
I've used OpenOffice since I started with Linux, I often have a couple of word documents, several spreadsheets (each interconnected but performing separate tasks) and at least one drawing open at any one time, I have never had a problem in 7 years - not one, possibly because I've always ensured more than sufficient RAM. I've used Ubuntu since Suse signed its deal with Microsoft (I'm at a stage in life when I cannot, or do not need to, remember the detail), I upgrade about 2 days following each final release. On 3 occasions I was obliged to reinstall, the rest of the time has been purely an upgrade. Following 2 serious upgrades to my machine, both requiring new boards and CPU's, I had a spot of bother but the hard drive was eventually recognised each time and carried out its boot-up.
I do not know if I will appreciate Unity because I cannot see how the 6 windows I have at the bottom of my screen will be shown. With Gnome I find it so simple to click onto the Firefox box, the Thunderbird or Word or Spreadsheets, drawing or music boxes, each one carrying its application(s). If I am unable to do similar or better with Unity, I'll just stay with Gnome.
I consider myself a pretty average user even though I make very heavy use of OpenOffice. I have read most of the information about the change to LibreOffice and fully understand the reasons for the 'rejig'. I do not appear to have any problem with the formatting, all of my documents are defaulted to Free Serif (mainly because of the huge choice of characters when writing formulae), I do not see anything 'crappy' in the formatting whatsoever.
What on Earth is contentious about the default Apps choices? Where does such contention come from? I use my computer for about 5 hours each day, I write, use spreadsheets, create formulae and drawings all the time, I enjoy using OpenOffice and will enjoy LibreOffice. Others do not, so don't. Find something you consider better and use that, its your choice, nothing contentious about that.

ss-rotel (User):

meh... i've tried to repond to this twice now, and i can't be bothered trying agian to the same extent, but -

FreeBSD is linux, to say otherwise is like changing the shell in windows to Litestep, and saying it's not windows

and i've personally worked on a V8 Supercar, and i can tell you from experience, that they only thing it shares with your commodore is the door skins and the bootlid.

a mac is NOW an intel PC with Linux and a shiny easy to use shell.

A better analogy would be a commodore with every single feature on the car, down to the engine tune, an unlabeled button on the dash, were OSX is a commodore with shiny forward, reverse, right and left buttons, and that's it.

one's going to be easier to use, right? but at the end of the day, it's still a commodore