From A Die-Hard Windows/Anti-Linux User

[Leonick]

I've got to say, one of my biggest gripes (which I used to also be accused of being too picky about) was that I simply couldn't stand the theme. I thought it was ugly and far behind its rivals. Now, along with the other massive changelog present in 10.04, I've got to say, I'm massively impressed.

Before, my major issue with linux was the sheer amount of effort it took to get all my drivers and devices working. However seeing as my laptop has finally been caught up with driver support, I'm thinking more and more that I'm going to end up dual-booting Ubuntu for fun. I simply love the idea of consolidated and standardized UI elements, and Ubuntu's new look is definitely attracting me. It looks sophisticated, clean, and very well thought out, rather than the childish cheap looking theme of before.

Anyways, just wanted to let you know that even the most hardcore Windows fans notice Linux. It's out there and it's making a name for itself.

Ok, this is answer coming from a fellow windows fan... though i am first and foremost a geek :p that's why i also check these parts of the forum as well as have ubuntu installed on my laptop

Let me just get this straight, your a "anti-linux" guy, and you main concern was the theme? wow :p ok i sure didnt like it either, one of the first things to do with ubuntu is change theme but really changing the theme or the colors take one minute tops :p and really. maybe i should have looked closer but when i saw the screenshots that seem like it's all they've done, changed colors.

And hey, seriously, it's not like the current default theme is worse than that of what i guess is the most common OS out there... XP, damn so ugly... god bless Aero :)

as for drivers, well I don't know what you have in your computer but linux gets everything except a few hardware buttons like volume and wifi :( working for me, never had any problems with that not in years... at least for ubuntu the hardware support seem pretty impressive, though i think there might be some problems with things like printers and scanners...

While I am posting, why not leave my biggest disappointments and what keeps me from using linux more often...

There really is only 3 things that comes to mind right now...

• I have an iPod touch and need iTunes for syncing whether I like it or not :(
  
• Userfriendliness/Program Installations... Ubuntu have this "big" database of installable programs build in, but for some reason most don't have a install button and in most cases it wont tell me why and sometimes it's something about some architecture or something... I mean seriously, last time i had to open the terminal and type in some good damn command to install flash, and I had to look trough forums to find it, while going to the flash website and downloading their "installation program" failed, its both stupid and very bad Userfriendliness
  
• Programs UIs are kinda ugly when compared to other OSs I want a music player with a good library function[check] but i also want it to display it in a nice way, best I know is Zune followed by WMP, and I haven't found an alternative for linux
  

I like linux, and i love gnomes interface and what they are working on seems nice too... but unfortunately there are things that keep me away every time i try to start using it more :p

[bjoswald]

I guess you could say I'm a "minimalist" because I prefer the muddy and cruddy look of GNOME to Windows most of the time. I can't deny how pretty Windows has become, but it's just too distracting. I don't need transparent glass effects, open/minimize animations, or other visual effects. I like my desktop themed to be clean, simple and reasonably elegant. It's true the default Ubuntu themes are pretty boring and soulless, but there are some of them that I can't imagine being without (Dust). Besides, once you know your way around, you can get Linux to look pretty decent in a matter of minutes. I'd rather type "sudo apt-get <theme>" over UXTheme patching any day. ;)

[farmeunit]

I actually like the old theme for Ubuntu. The new theme is nice, but what's up with the windows buttons? Why change that? Is there an easy way to change that back?

[bjoswald]

I actually like the old theme for Ubuntu. The new theme is nice, but what's up with the windows buttons? Why change that? Is there an easy way to change that back?

Not unless you hack the theme or work some kind of 'gconf-editor' magic. Or, more simply, use a different theme. ;)

EDIT: Evidently there is a trick to rearrange the button order back to the old style ('minimize', 'maximize', 'close') and keep them on the right.

[pm_41]

Ubuntu is good, but it'll never fully replace Windows. That's why I run it from VMware! :P

Ubuntu is for the things that cost $500+ in Windows :P

[bjoswald]

Ubuntu is good, but it'll never fully replace Windows. That's why I run it from VMware! :p

Ubuntu is for the things that cost $500+ in Windows :p

It's also good for poor people that can't afford the latest and greatest, schools on a budget, and so on. There's a lot of reasons. I just like to use it because I don't see the point in paying $200 or so to chat, e-mail, watch movies and/or listen to music. If I want to play games, I just use my GF's PC ("latest and greatest").

[farmeunit]

Not unless you hack the theme or work some kind of 'gconf-editor' magic. Or, more simply, use a different theme. ;)

EDIT: Evidently there is a trick to rearrange the button order back to the old style ('minimize', 'maximize', 'close') and keep them on the right.

I wasn't sure if changing the theme altered the button setup or just the basic look. An article I read said something about 'gconf' stuff and I'm definitely no expert there. I'm sure someone will have a walkthrough for it later.

[Kreuger]

# I have an iPod touch and need iTunes for syncing whether I like it or not :(

No you dont. Gtkpod works well.

# Userfriendliness/Program Installations... Ubuntu have this "big" database of installable programs build in, but for some reason most don't have a install button and in most cases it wont tell me why and sometimes it's something about some architecture or something... I mean seriously, last time i had to open the terminal and type in some good damn command to install flash, and I had to look trough forums to find it, while going to the flash website and downloading their "installation program" failed, its both stupid and very bad Userfriendliness

To be direct, flash can be a pain. However, you should be able to install it through Firefox itself. When you load a page that requires it, you'll get a little message saying a plugin is missing. When you click the install missing plugins button and choose flash, it should install and thats it. About this "big database" try using Synaptic. Search for whatever program you want, right click and click mark for installation then click apply. It should cover all dependencies for you and as long as youre running 32bit then architecture isnt a problem.

[markwolfe Veteran]

Ubuntu is good, but it'll never fully replace Windows. That's why I run it from VMware! :p

Ah! All the security of Windows, combined with the ease of configuration of Linux! :unsure:

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

I've been using Linux Mint for a while on a Netbook, it's adequate.

It's ugly as sin, but it works decent. :laugh: Everything worked out of the box.. I was surprised. Even Wireless LAN worked.

That used to be my MAJOR issue with Linux. WLAN drivers.. urrrrg! :]

[Mathiasdm]

Ah! All the security of Windows, combined with the ease of configuration of Linux! :unsure:

Heh, I recall saying a similar thing a long time ago: "Ah! The security of Windows, combined with the beauty of Gentoo!"

[Growled Member]

Hey, Happy Birthday Mathiasdm. :)

I've been using Linux Mint for a while on a Netbook, it's adequate.

It's ugly as sin, but it works decent. :laugh: Everything worked out of the box.. I was surprised. Even Wireless LAN worked.

That used to be my MAJOR issue with Linux. WLAN drivers.. urrrrg! :]

Yeah, MInt works well. I'm using KDE now and even it works well.

[itzwolf]

Can't really speak much about Ubuntu as I really haven't used it but a theme is surely not a reason to dislike Linux as an operating system. I've used probably 10 or more distributions over the years including LinuxFromScratch to build my own. Each distro has its own flavor of style and if thats all your looking for maybe testing others would have made you change your opinion sooner. I've been using Fedora for quite some time now and honestly using it on a VM, several laptops, and an old desktop it has literally worked "out of the box" everytime and I couldn't complain. I was a die hard console only guy for a several years, I tend to only use KDE now cause I can quickly do anything I really need as if I was in a Windows environment. Maybe I've gotten lazy after several years of IT support and personal tinkering...

With enough patience you could basically make any modern distro look exactly like Windows of any version if that was your fancy. Driver support also has really been pretty solid for years also.

Either way I commend you for continuing to be open minded to even try it a handful of times. :martini:

[Black Leopard]

Gentoo?

You must be trolling us..

Or crux, or better yet Linux from scratch.

I just got into Linux myself. I downloaded and installed Ubuntu 10.04 on my HP laptop and it runs great, wireless even works out of the box, which is something that definitely didn't work in previous versions.

I am like you though LiquidSolstice, I like the new look and feel of it. I want it to look more like Windows for me since that is what I have always used, but Linux is definitely making a rise now, and getting more and more press coverage too which is great.

You signature looks funny, it seems like the marine is pointing to the windows logo with his gun.

I actually like the old theme for Ubuntu. The new theme is nice, but what's up with the windows buttons? Why change that? Is there an easy way to change that back?

Yes. Open gconf-editor and in Apps>Metacity you find an option called "button positioning" or something like that. There you delete the contents of the textfield and input (w/o the quotes) "menu:minimize,maximize,close". That will put the buttons in the way they were in 9.10 and earlier.

[Mathiasdm]

Hey, Happy Birthday Mathiasdm. :)

Yeah, MInt works well. I'm using KDE now and even it works well.

Hey, thanks :)

[DavidM]

I guess you could say I'm a "minimalist" because I prefer the muddy and cruddy look of GNOME to Windows most of the time. I can't deny how pretty Windows has become, but it's just too distracting. I don't need transparent glass effects, open/minimize animations, or other visual effects. I like my desktop themed to be clean, simple and reasonably elegant. It's true the default Ubuntu themes are pretty boring and soulless, but there are some of them that I can't imagine being without (Dust). Besides, once you know your way around, you can get Linux to look pretty decent in a matter of minutes. I'd rather type "sudo apt-get <theme>" over UXTheme patching any day. ;)

You can disable those "distracting" effects faster than typing "sudo apt-get <anything>". If you want muddy and cruddy, you too can have that in Windows.....

Ah! All the security of Windows, combined with the ease of configuration of Linux! :unsure:

Now, Mark, Windows is just as secure as Linux... well almost ;)

[lamminium]

Ah.... this thread sends me straight to PCLOS forum. The 2010 version is still in beta 1.

:<

[Growled Member]

Ah.... this thread sends me straight to PCLOS forum. The 2010 version is still in beta 1.

I've been playing around with Beta 1 and 2010 is shaping up to be a big winner for PCLOS. There's still a bit too many annoyances yet for me to install it (and besides Mint is working perfectly) but I am seriously considered installing it when the final comes out.

[lamminium]

I've been playing around with Beta 1 and 2010 is shaping up to be a big winner for PCLOS. There's still a bit too many annoyances yet for me to install it (and besides Mint is working perfectly) but I am seriously considered installing it when the final comes out.

Yea. Glad to hear it from a beta tester. :D

KDE 4.x has finally matured and with PCLOS's repos, I think I can make the permanent switch to PCLOS from XP. I'm trying to keep my head cool about this release, though, because OpenSUSE 11.2 destroyed my heightened expectation of it. History must not repeat itself.

[Growled Member]

KDE 4.x has finally matured and with PCLOS's repos, I think I can make the permanent switch to PCLOS from XP. I'm trying to keep my head cool about this release, though, because OpenSUSE 11.2 destroyed my heightened expectation of it. History must not repeat itself.

Oh, Opensuse 11.2 is a sore subject with me as well. I was all hyped about it and bam, it hit me how terrible it turned out to be. I doubt if I ever try Opensuse again.