In the past few weeks I have tried many distributions of Linux, however the past few days I have tried many Ubuntu 11.10 based distros (Ubuntu included).
Not reviews, but just my thoughts on my brief time in Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu and Kubuntu, all version 11.10.
When I first tried 11.04, I can't begin to tell you how much I hated it. It was slow, unstable and too difficult to get use to.
Leading up to the release of 11.10, I read reviews from people talking about how much improved it was which made me quite excited!
When I first installed it, I went in with the idea I should hate Unity. I made sure I was not going to enjoy it, as I was far too use to gnome 2x.
After messing around and mucking things up, I tried another distro, as I kept telling myself Ubuntu 11.10 is not the way to go.
I decided to give Ubuntu another shot, this time going in with a different attitude...A more positive view.
To my surprise it ran fast, it was stable and I was actually starting to have fun doing things.
I have actually started to adapt to Unity, though will admit the "start-menu" part (dash I believe it's called?) is not my cup of tea.
I'm 90% sure I'll end up installing Ubuntu 11.10 (along side Win7) as my main Linux distro.
What I dislike with Ubuntu 11.10 however are the following:
Lack of customization with Unity bar/dock. Having a 24" I'd like to move it around.
Dual monitor support. More or less a gnome issue, but I'd like to choose different wallpapers for each monitor. Both Xfce & KDE offer this.
Add the system tray by default. Although it's a simple to get back, a system tray should be there by default.
Have by default, the option to right-click on the 'places' icon in the dock, and show folders inside...Again, easy fix though.
Include the synaptic package manager. This can be easily added also mind you.
All-in-all, my bitterness towards Unity and Ubuntu 11.10 in general came from my wanting it to fail. After giving it a fair shot, I find it quite usable for myself.
I was reluctant to try out Xubuntu, as I gave Xfce a shot a while ago and ran into issues with showing my NTFS partitions and get dual monitors to work properly.
The first thing I noticed with Xubuntu was the speed. I was blown away by how fast it was.
As for my NTFS partitions showing? Best Linux desktop yet! When booting they are automatically on the desktop! Of course this is optional to have.
After getting my dual monitors set-up, I had a few other tweaks to make.
I like having system notification sounds, which was missing. I actually came across this by pure accident, as I joined Ubuntu Forums, and one of the first posts I saw was the following:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1869787
It was a little confusing at first, but in the end took me no more then 5-10 minutes to complete.
After installing some programs (blazing fast installs), I noticed a feature I use often missing. One that was missing in KDE that I managed to add and one in gnome that has been there as long as I can remember..."Send To" for mail attachments when right clicking.
I happen to send a fair amount of files via mail, and I got use to in Windows, simply right click and send to mail. Ubuntu (gnome) made this just as easy (perhaps easier).
So I spent hours searching out a solution. I couldn't find a proper working solution anywhere. Then I decided to fool around with the KDE file I created, or rather the 'launch' command for Thunderbird and sending attachments.
In the Thunar file manager, there is the option to 'Configure Custom Actions'. So I created a new one and played around with the launch command from KDE. Not long in I did it! I finally can right-click a file and send it via Thunderbird!
I'll do a quick little step-by-step in the post following this on how to get Thunderbird as a right click option.
Xubuntu includes Ubuntu's new Software Centre. Although I like the new Software Centre, I do find in Ubutnu it loads kind of slow. In Xubuntu it loads about twice as fast!
Xubuntu also includes the synaptic package manager by default!
Since Windows 7, I have come to expect a search option in the start menu. Although I like to navigate via the mouse most of the time, sometimes I can't find a program this way, so it requires typing in the search field.
Xubuntu's start menu doesn't include a search box. What it does have is a program called Application Finder, which works just as well at finding installed programs.
When I said I was 90% sure Ubuntu is where I'll be heading, Xubuntu is that remaining 10%. I have fallen absolutely in love with Xfce, and can understand why many people (Linus Torvalds included) are going or have gone to Xfce.
IMO if I had to choose between going back to gnome 2x or Xfce, despite a bit more work involved, Xfce is my choice hands down!
First thing I should state is Lubuntu is the only distro I didn't install, but just ran off of a USB drive.
Before even downloading Lubuntu, I read that it was extremely fast. Faster then Xubuntu even.
After finally loading it, I was blown away even more so then Xubuntu by the speed. Everything just loaded instantly.
As with Xubuntu, I had to configure my dual monitors. Fortunately it was the same as in Xfce!
After strapping myself into my computer chair, I put Lubuntu's speed aside.
If one word comes to mind with Lubuntu (other then speed), it is 'basic'. Xubuntu had little installed, but Lubuntu seemed to have less.
The only package manager I could find was synaptic, not Ubuntu Software Centre.
I installed a few programs, and like Xubuntu they were quite quick.
To be fair to Lubuntu, I didn't spend too much time in it. I found many things to be similar to Xubuntu, however for myself it was a little too basic.
After having problems with Unity, Kubuntu was my first choice.
The last time I used a KDE distro was back on Mandrake (yes Mandrake). It was always my desktop of choice, when Mandrake gave the option between KDE & gnome.
The only issue I had with Kubuntu was after installing the updates, something called 'jocky' came up with a crash error. Nothing major (I assume), and after a reboot (for the updates) everything ran quite well.
I then discovered my treasured right-click to 'send mail' option was missing. It didn't take long to find a work around for this fortunately!
I found KDE to run quite well on my computer. It was easy to configure. The dual monitor options 'out of the box' were great!
I honestly can't say anything bad about Kubuntu of KDE 4.7. It worked well for me and the 'eye-candy' was quite nice (IMO).
If I had to rate the Ubuntu based distros in order of where I would go, it would probably look like this:
After giving them all an honest try, I have to say I really like all of them.
There was a comment on OMG Ubuntu that compared Ubuntu to a car and Kubuntu to a truck. I don't recall the context, but as some who rides a bicycle, I figured I'd throw the question out there, where would a bike fall into things.
The response I got was Xubuntu...which at this point I can't argue.
Xubuntu is an operating system system that is not only fun to use, but does what you need it to do!
Ubuntu based distros or not, what desktop environment are you using?
