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Windows 3.0 was released in May of 1990, just one month before I graduated from high school. Previous to this, my experience with computers was limited to DOS operating systems and good old fashioned Tandy Basic, with a smattering of machine code here and there. Needless to say, for me Windows was a godsend, and I remained a faithful little fan-boy all the way up through Windows 98, where for financial reasons I stayed until the release of Windows XP.
XP was missing a few of the features I liked from '98. It had some new quirks I had to get used to. And, until they came out with “service pack 2” it was rather unreliable. A few years go by and they finally get done shaking all (well most…) of the bugs out of XP just in time to release a new version called Vista. It was supposed to be faster, stronger, and just better in every possible way. They even beta tested the thing so it had to be good. Right? So, naturally, I ran right out and bought myself a new desktop, set it up and hit the power button. I didn't know it at the time, but that was the beginning of the end.
I could bore you with all the details about the massive amount of software incompatibilities, the BlackICE Defender program that constantly questioned everything I did, the glitches, jams and downright frustration of it all. But, I am sure that many of you have experienced them for yourself, so there's no real need. I think what I found most frustrating, however, was how much it seemed to coddle the user. It looked and felt like it was designed for toddlers. It forced features on me that I didn't even want, and those features that I did want were gone. Even most of the desktop customizing tools that I was used to using were now a ghost of the past.
Three short months later it crashed. Hard. Total meltdown. It was inevitable, I suppose. It was Windows, after all. So, like a good little MS drone, I set about the all too familiar task of reinstalling the OS. 30 minutes later I get this lovely blue screen that read, “We're sorry, this computer is not compatible with Windows Vista.” Say what now? IT CAME WITH VISTA! Several unsuccessful tries later I had had it. I installed XP, fired up Explorer, made my way to Google, and typed “Windows Alternatives.”
Thus began my exploration of this strange new world of Linux. I must have tried out 20 different distros and flavors. Some more than once. I finally settled on Ubuntu. It was the highest rated, most download, best reviewed, and most intuitive distro I found. After bouncing around between the three main desktops (Gnome, KDE and XFCE) for about a month I finally committed to Gnome because it was the most comfortable for me coming from a Windows OS background.
My first full install was Ubuntu 7.04 LTS with the Gnome desktop. It was freedom, Baby. I could finally make my computer look how I wanted, and act how I wanted. I must have completely rebuilt my personal desktop 1000 times in the last 5 years. My wife is terribly grateful for her own Login, I'm sure, as I am constantly fiddling and tweaking and revamping. It's so in tune with my artistic nature, and the possibilities are seemingly endless. It's been everything to me that an OS should be. It's intuitive, responsive, logical, and, mostly, it gets out of the way and lets me do what I want.
I've since installed every LTS version of Ubuntu that came out. Which naturally includes Ubuntu 12.04. I have to say, that it came as a bit of a shock to me when I saw the Unity desktop come up instead of Gnome. At first, I thought I had accidentally downloaded the wrong ISO. I hadn't. So, I gave this new desktop a trial run. After all, there's nothing wrong with change, if it's for the better. Unfortunately, this wasn't. It was cumbersome, counter intuitive, and slow. I think what I found most frustrating, however, was how much it seemed to coddle the user. It looked and felt like it was designed for toddlers. It forced features on me that I didn't even want, and those features that I did want were gone. Even most of the desktop customizing tools that I was used to using were now a ghost of the past… Now, where have I heard this before?
Don't misunderstand. I'm not kicking Ubuntu to the curb just yet. I've found a desktop that works o.k. for me (Gnome classic… with quite a few tweaks added). But, I cannot help but question the wisdom behind the move to Unity. By swapping to Unity, they not only alienate their current fan base, but potentially alienate themselves from new converts who are used to a Windows style interface which has been around for 20 years. If we want to attract new users, we have to make that conversion easy and natural for them. Gnome accomplished this. Unity does not. I find it insanely ironic that a desktop environment which causes so much confusion, disharmony, and division is named “Unity.”
IT HAS ARRIVED!
The Full Circle Podcast Returns!
It may be a new team of podcasters, but the format will be the same.
We'll be talking about Full Circle Magazine, news, reviews and interviews.
Your new team is: • Les Pounder • Tony Hughes • Jon Chamberlain • Oliver Clark
All are members of the Blackpool (UK) LUG http://blackpool.lug.org.uk
Debut episode is available from the FCM homepage.