5 Things I Don’t Like About Ubuntu 7.10

You don’t need the terminal for a lot of those guides you are using. It’s just much quicker for the authors to write, also typically easier to cut and paste the commands too.

FYI: you can copy/paste into terminal using “shift-insert”. I also think that “control-shift-v” works but I’m nowhere near by Ubuntu box as we type this.

5. I agree. Default themes are quite ugly. But you can change that to your liking off course. This is not an issue but It helps to attract new users to Linux.

4. They are combined in one place aka Gnome Control Center. The Ubuntu developers decided that is better to keep it hidden. Fortuatelly in KDE this is in one place by default, and I am a proud KDE user.

3. I have never tried OSX so I dont know what is going on there. I think file management in Linux is good. You have many file managers to choose for Linux. Try some other and unstick from Nautilus.

2. I dont know about this but I am sure there is a solution.

1. I like terminal. It helps me do things in a more straightforward manner. As I have said many times till now… Ubuntu is not the only distro out there. Oh my God have you ever visited distrowatch.com? PCLinuxOS is a great distro. Mandriva, Opensuse as well. All these have “Control Centers” to do things graphically. I used PCLinuxOS for 6 months. I love it. It has everything an average user needs and its always up-to-date. Ubuntu’s community thinks that the best you can do to configure things is via command-line while there are more ways to do it. Some times you have to configure the *conf files in /etc by hand thats true. And I believe it is a good thing. I dont like Ubuntu. It is an over-hyped distro and beside the community and the packages it has nothing to show off as a good feature. I could easily say that at least Linux Mint is better - give it a try.

And I am an Arch user.

Hmm, i love the terminal. Most everything can be done without it, but the terminal is consistent from one machine to the next (unlike installed apps). When you read a HowTo which discusses the terminal, they are likely just copying files or editing files; this can be done without the terminal, at about 5x the amount of time needed. So for those who want the power, a terminal is a very fast, efficient way to work.

Wallpaper? Please. You should put Gnome on your list — try Kubuntu.

Any desktop I’ve used, and I’ve used them since 1977, needed customization to really “work just right”. Unfortunately, the Gnome developers have taken the approach of purposely limiting customization options. KDE does not impose such limits and I suspect most of your issues would be solved by moving to Kubuntu and configuring your desktop to your desires. Be sure to install the OS with a separate partition for your “home” directory, so your alterations can be sustained across distribution upgrades.

Well I just installed the Ubuntu Studio theme and I love it so I might stick with that! I am thinking about trying out KDE, sounds neat.

I also don’t like the Multi Monitor Support on Ubuntu…

[...] * 5 Things I Don’t Like About Ubuntu 7.10 - Matt has made the decision to move to Ubuntu, away from the world of Windows, which he has used for over 10 years. There are a lot of great things with Ubuntu and a few things he doesn’t like. The default themes and wallpapers that come with Ubuntu are not attractive to him. Why is the screen saver selection and the wallpaper selection in two different places? They should be in one easy-to-find menu. Innovate file management. While there is nothing wrong with the current setup, there is nothing special about either. Ubuntu, for some reason, doesn’t find his iMac on the network and it’s kind of an annoyance. He also hates the terminal. Matt suggests making it easier to do things and maybe be able to do it with a GUI. http://www.lockergnome.com/digged/2008/02/19/5-things-i-dont-like-about-ubuntu-710/ [...]

congratz matt

you’ve been featured in the oficial ubuntu weekly newsletter

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Issue79

i agree with the theme and this will be fixed in ubuntu 8.10 (the next release after the 8.04 TLS in april)

as far as using the terminal, i rarely use it.
But when i have to is really fast to do stuff (copy paste stuff, and a nice trick is you can paste highlited stuff with the middle button of the mouse).
I also prefer the gui since most of the time you can forget those quick commands.

also, head to http://www.getdeb.net
if u need more software for ubuntu.

hang on most things r getting fixed and it just gets better and better every 6 months

Thanks Manny for the heads up! I feel honored for this and I am glad that the Ubuntu community has found my voice.

bro, if you hate the terminal, then keep using the magnificent windows or
get an xbox and everything gonna be simple!
if you dont have the brain for linux, then leave it alone!
its not for kids who like the shiny colorful toys, but have no idea how things work!
sorry bro, but you aint a geek!

Its not that the Terminal is “bad” or anything like that but in the modern computing world most things should be fixable through the GUI. Yes I know how to identify and fix problems via the Termnial but like I said why should I resort to it?

And yes I have an Xbox 360, and if you have read my blog at all you should know that I am a not a huge fan of Windows at all, I just grew up on it.

Thanks for the comment

Matt buddy i’m sorry but if you want everything in linux to be done with a gui then go back to windows man!!.. the terminal amongst other aspects of linux such as the screensaver and wallpaper bein in so called 2 places is what makes linux different form windows. Period.

Linux users want to feel and learn what makes everything tick, they dont need it done for them … if linux became all point-n-click it would be windows.

Linux users want to feel and learn what makes everything tick, they dont need it done for them … if linux became all point-n-click it would be windows.

Speak for yourself, friend.

Full time Linux user, been an advocate for a number of years. The notion that Linux users want to know what makes things tick has been largely exaggerated by purists.

It’s wild I realize, but there are a growing number of users who want to use their OS as….wait for it….and operating system. You know, a tool to help them accomplish tasks.

The better comparison is those using Slackware or even Debian pure, are more interested in a customized, home grown experience. Ubuntu users are much like PCLinuxOS users - they want it to provide a cost effective alternative to the bloated mess known as Vista.

meant for the first part of the comment to be a quote of Christoph’s comments. But the html did not take.

Matt, here is a good place to start when looking for a common sense mindset.

Scroll down for the good stuff:
http://www.lockergnome.com/linux/author/matt-hartley/

My approach is using the terminal by choice, as for me, it is easier. For new users, this is insane to expect and therefore, I ask newbies to use it as little as possible.

I have hacks and approaches you will not likely find easily elsewhere. The facts about Broadcom wireless chipsets and why they are not to be used by any means, how to overcome other networking obstacles among other little tidbits.

Thanks Matt, I agree with you 100%. Your site has been added to my RSS feed, thanks for all the heads up!

Matt Hartley your blog is excellent and its in my bookmarks along side this one!

And Matt, no disrespect eh bro

on the contrary I do encourage the use of the terminal. Even as a newbie i tackled the terminal, used google alot, found many helpfull tuts and tips form many sources and very quickly became comfortable using it.

I am a fulltime linux user, i use ubuntu, it is custom to my taste and there is nothing I can’t accomplish with ubuntu that i could on windows etc… guess my point is, anyone can learn it their own way, custom it their way and accomplish what they need to in their own way unlike that other OS…

using the terminal and learning it lets you accomplish things in your own way, a gui is something that is telling you how you will accomplish it, like windblows does… thats just my opinion

Christoph: No worries. I would agree that it is my choice for troubleshooting or for application installation. Aptitude is what I am all about.

[...] 5 choses que je n’aime pas à propos d’Ubuntu 7.10 - Matt a pris la décision de passer à Ubuntu, loin du monde de Windows qu’il a utilisé pendant plus de 10 ans. Il y a beaucoup de bonnes choses avec Ubuntu mais quelques unes l’incommodent. Le thème et le fond d’écran fournis par défaut avec Ubuntu ne lui plaisent pas. Pourquoi la sélection de l’écran de veille et la sélection du fond d’écran se font dans deux endroits différents ? Elles devraient être dans un menu unique et facile à trouver. Il faut innover dans la gestion des fichiers. Bien qu’il n’y ait rien de mauvais dans la configuration actuelle, il n’y a rien de spécial non plus. Pour une raison quelconque, Ubuntu ne trouve pas son iMac sur le réseau et c’est plutôt agaçant. Il déteste également le terminal. Matt suggère de faciliter les choses, voire de pouvoir les faire avec une interface graphique. [...]

If you are having problems conecting to your mac computer, I recomend using ssh to transfer files. Just install the meta-package ssh
in the ubuntu machine, and connect through ssh from the mac machine using the IP on the ubuntu machine.
Hope this helps.

Just stick to windows dude…if you dont like the terminal