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On 13/11/11 16:47, George Parker wrote:
Here we go again. Sometime in 2010 I gave up on Mepis distro running KDE 4.whatever and moved to Mint running Gnome 2.whatever. I chose Mint Debian which is a rolling distro running Debian testing. For a year I've been happily going along running the updates as they come in, the odd problem with something a bit more bleeding edge than is comfortable but nothing unmanageable until this week.
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This brings up 2 points 1. This type of thing is why people stick with Microsoft, or move to Apple if they can afford it. With Apple you get what you pay for. Rock solid, useable but you don't mess with it. With Windows you can play with it to some extent but you know what you will get. It may not be rock solid but, hey, what's a BSOD now and then between friends. With
I think you've answered your own question, you're running something based on Debian testing, it does change, although I'm a bit confused to why it would upgrade you to Gnome 3 like that. Saying that I run the normal desktop release of Mint so it stays with the packages that I have installed unless I either reinstall or upgrade or change something drastically (like install another desktop environment).
If you're not happy with things changing then maybe you'd be better off with Debian Stable or maybe an Ubuntu LTS release or one of it's derivatives.
Linux you work your socks off to get things exactly as you want them and then, lo and behold, the ceiling caves in and you are left staring at Unity. Only idiots like me who are a bit masochistic will put up with this and this is why Linux will never be king of the desktops. Thousands of People are still running XP, and Win 95 for all I know, and are very happy to do so because they do what is familiar.
That's not happened to me. When I was using Ubuntu it didn't suddently just leave me staring at Unity. Neither did my step-dad's laptop which was running Ubuntu 9.04. It did suggest he upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 but it didn't do it automatically, he would specifically have to tell it to do a distribution upgrade AND enter his password (which he can never remember :-P).
2. If you are the masochistic type (most of the people on this LUG) what the hell do you run? There are some opinions on Slashdot this week, see:
I run Linux Mint 11, before that I was running Mint 10 and prior to that Ubuntu 10.10. I've looked at Unity (albeit the last release) and I just can't get on with it. I've received a copy of Ubuntu 11.10 on the latest Linux Format cover DVD so I might have another go.
My kids run Mint 10 and Mint 11 on their PCs, my Media PC runs Mythbuntu 11.10, my server runs Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and the wife runs Windows XP on her laptop and Windows 7 (and WebOS on her HP TouchPad, she won't let me near it to try Ubuntu).
I've downloaded the Mint 12 RC and I'm interested to see what they have done with regards to Gnome 3, I'm going to probably try it in a VM before deciding if I should take the plunge (if I don't I guess it'll be Debian for me).
I looked at Unity last week and thought 'Why would you take up all that lovely desktop space with links to Applications (That is Applications,
Some people seem to love it, maybe it's like Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
not Apps)'. To the day I retired my physical desktop was a repository for my current work in progress with anything not being worked on moving to the back of the desk until it fell in the waste basket or the filing system. I use my computer desktop in exactly the same way but KDE, Unity and Gnome now don't want me to work this way. Xfce and LMDE will but are
I know what you mean, I've seen desktops with hundreds of icons on them it's a miracle the users can find anything. Saying that I'm just as bad, just dumping things on the desktop (I really keep meaning to put things into the Documents and Pictures folders but I rarely do).
they what I need in other areas. I will now have to spend time yet again testing the options. OK, OK, I know I enjoy it but most other people don't and that is why Linux desktop will always struggle. Believe it or not, there are people out there who want the decisions made for them.
To be honest things are going the same way with Windows and OSX. I haven't personally tried OSX Lion yet (I don't have a capable Mac or a PC which will run OSX) but I hear that it has an option where you can have your applications as icons like iOS (and Windows 3.1 too :-D). Windows 8 on the other hand, well that's going to have either the Windows Phone 7 like interface or the traditional Windows 7 like interface and who knows what Windows 9 will look like.
Maybe the thinking is that lots of people have touch screen phones, tablets etc so if it works on those devices why not transfer it to big devices. I'm sure in years to come it will work well, but personally I can't see the point in a touch like interface on my laptop unless I hack it to bits and try and fit a touch screen to it.
Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq