So as of around 8pm last night, I have had Linux installed for exactly one week! May sound odd but that is the longest time I've ever kept a Linux install on any of my systems.
Since I'm far from versed on Linux, there have been the odd thing I had to boot back into Windows for, but for the most part I have spent most of my time within Linux (Mint).
But this brings me to Ubuntu and choosing an OS.
Since I am still a Linux newbie, I do not want to dual boot between two Linux versions (Mint & Ubuntu) which is what I'm doing now (with Windows 7).
I'd rather have one fully customized to my liking while learning all the ins and outs of the OS.
So a week ago I installed Mint 11 and was quite content in sticking to it, but when the release of Ubuntu 11.10 alpha 3 was announced, Ubuntu once again peaked my interest.
I'm quite aware of the controversy surrounding the new Unity and gnome 3 in Ubuntu 11.04. Being relatively new I know I could adapt fairly easily to either.
I did find with Unity, it became an annoyance the launcher popping up every time you moved your mouse near the left side of the screen.
I don't mind gnome 3, unfortunately 11.04 doesn't come with it by default.
Something that did bother me was right clicking and adding files & folders to the desktop.
When editing videos, pictures and files I like to put them on my desktop for easy access.
For whatever reason both Unity and gnome 3 didn't allow this.
Fortunately the work around was to install a small program called Tweak Tool (gnome), which you should find in the package manager of Ubuntu.
I know that it works quite well within gnome 3, I can't say whether it works within Unity.
Back to Mint...I must say I really like Mint! Although I don't find Ubuntu all that slow, I do find it to be slightly slower then Mint.
I suppose my only real concerns regarding Mint are:
1. How is the community backing of Mint?
2. What desktop will Mint 12 have? I'm not sure of the release dates, so I probably wouldn't have to worry for some time.
I guess with #2, it's more or less why adapt to the gnome 2 look when they will go with gnome 3 in their next version.
Plus in October when Ubuntu 11.10 is released, I've read they will either include or give the download option for gnome 3 (shell).
So if you were in my position, a Linux newbie looking at Mint 11 or Ubuntu 11.04, where would you go?
Showing posts with label Unity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unity. Show all posts
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Ubuntu & Mint + ATI
I have an interesting week within Linux Mint as well as a couple of days within Ubuntu 11.04.
My computer's graphics card is an ATI card, and I've read many things about them not working well with linux.
Although not horrible, I did find some issues in Mint with the ATI driver. Fortunately I didn't actually need them in Mint!
With Ubuntu it was a different story. Again, not that I needed them but in Unity I actually found the drivers to work quite well.
However when I installed gnome3 (or shell), the graphics appeared all messed up. So naturally the first thing I did was remove the driver.
After a reboot gnome 3 worked like a charm!
So I guess just a heads up to anyone thinking of installing gnome 3 with ATI graphics driver installed, you might have to remove them in order for it to work properly.
My computer's graphics card is an ATI card, and I've read many things about them not working well with linux.
Although not horrible, I did find some issues in Mint with the ATI driver. Fortunately I didn't actually need them in Mint!
With Ubuntu it was a different story. Again, not that I needed them but in Unity I actually found the drivers to work quite well.
However when I installed gnome3 (or shell), the graphics appeared all messed up. So naturally the first thing I did was remove the driver.
After a reboot gnome 3 worked like a charm!
So I guess just a heads up to anyone thinking of installing gnome 3 with ATI graphics driver installed, you might have to remove them in order for it to work properly.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Installing gnome 3 on Ubuntu + video
Installing gnome 3:
gnome 3 now installed. Did have a little hick-up after reboot, but after a second restart it seemed okay, although I did have to remove my ATI drivers.
Gnome 3 in Ubuntu 11.04
Earlier I installed gnome 3 on my Ubuntu 11.04 system.
I'm actually surprised at how well it's working. It does sound as if it's using more CPU power, but it's far better then Unity.
I have dual monitors, so that's just a screen shot of one.
Unlike in the new KDE where I can set up different wallpapers on each monitor, gnome still only allows one across.
The bad?
Well I don't care for the minimize/maximize buttons being removed. You may right click and select to do either option.
Also, the options in the system settings appear more limited.
Overall gnome 3 isn't all that bad.
I'm actually surprised at how well it's working. It does sound as if it's using more CPU power, but it's far better then Unity.
Unlike in the new KDE where I can set up different wallpapers on each monitor, gnome still only allows one across.
The bad?
Well I don't care for the minimize/maximize buttons being removed. You may right click and select to do either option.
Also, the options in the system settings appear more limited.
Overall gnome 3 isn't all that bad.
Ubuntu 11.04 or Mint 11?
First let me say, if you discovered this post in hopes of finding out which is better for you...then this probably won't be for you as this is what I'm looking for as well.
Also, if your an experienced Linux user, keep in mind I'm new to Linux so things I may find difficult or confusing, may come off as easy to you.
Since installing Mint 11 exactly one week ago today I have few complaints about it. Everything pretty much just worked after installing.
So then why did I last night bother to install along side Mint, Ubuntu 11.04? I suppose one of the reasons is that 11.10 Alpha 3 was released and it peaked my interest, but the larger community also drew me in.
Having not been in Ubuntu all that long yet, here are some of the differences or pros/cons I can note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Desktop & Menus:
Ubuntu comes by default with the new Unity desktop. At first I couldn't wait to get out of Ubuntu, but it is slowly growing on me.
With the left side launcher, I find some programs simply won't dock. I'm into video editing and use Kdenlive and for whatever reason Kdenlive won't stay there.
On Mint I can simply add Kdenlive to my favourites and it stays without issue.
One of my biggest peeves with the Unity interface is it's lack of customization. For whatever reason I can't simply right click on the panel on my second monitor and delete it.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stability:
Well I'm probably not the best person to talk about stability having only been in Mint for one week, and Ubuntu for a day.
I will say that I haven't had any major crashes while in Mint. The odd program would crash (kdenlive), but the system as a whole was quite good.
In Ubuntu however, I plugged a USB drive in and everything went black...Okay I should admit there is probably something wrong with the USB drive as I have had issues in Windows, so this isn't fair for Ubuntu.
Like in Mint, I had kdenlive crash on me...Unlike in Mint where it would crash while editing, kdenlive crashed while simply adding a clip to the project tree.
Of course a crashing Kdenlive shouldn't look negatively on either Mint or Ubuntu.
I have read that updates within Ubuntu are more prone to crash your system. Mint has a more user friendly update system that hides kernel updates and indicates ones that could be harmful.
Despite some more (minor) issues that I've encountered within Ubuntu, it feels more stable.
Winner: Draw
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed:
Let me get boot times out of the way. This has never been an issue for me, however I find both Ubuntu & Mint quite equal in start-up times.
Opening and loading videos does seem faster on Mint. Once you click to open a video file it starts playing pretty well right away.
In Ubuntu it takes perhaps an extra second or two, so nothing to lose any sleep over I guess.
I find that the flash player is faster on Mint. When loading a video it seems to load much smoother, unlike Ubuntu where it can be choppier.
Now in defense of Ubuntu, I am using the 64-bit version of flash which I couldn't get in Mint.
Opening applications initially is quite a but fast in Mint. I do find after you've opened a program at least once in Ubuntu, they open as fast or in some cases faster. It's just the initial start.
Processing a video did feel a bit faster in Ubuntu. Unfortunately I didn't render the same videos so again, another poor test on my part.
Loading of websites? Well they are fairly equal and of course browser and internet connection play a role.
I have found that sites load fast in Mint.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Customization (themes, menus, desktop):
Like I touched on briefly in the desktop/menu above, Ubuntu's Unity lacks customization.
I still haven't figured out how to add/delete panels, relocate the launcher to the bottom of my screen, change the 'close, minimize, maximize' to the right side.
In Mint however, it is quite easy to relocate the panels, add/delete them, place things in the favourites, change the 'close, minimize, maximize' to whichever side you prefer.
Adding shortcuts to the desktop are much easier in Mint, as all you have to do is right click and add to desktop.
Changing the wallpaper and themes are the same.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support/Community:
Although I haven't asked anything on either OSes forums, both appear to have solid and helpful communities.
Ubuntu of course is the larger of the two which probably means a bit more help. Of course while searching out help via Google, Mint's forums came up with a fair amount.
Winner: Draw
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Software & installation:
With Mint being based off of Ubuntu, 99% of the software out there for Ubuntu will work on Mint.
Mint does come with more pre-installed programs which is helpful. The most notable absence from Ubuntu is Gimp and Thunderbird. With Thunderbird however, you still have to download the newest version in Mint.
Where I did notice a difference is with flash. You can go to Adobe's website and download flash for Ubuntu without issue.
You cannot simply download and install with ease the Ubuntu release of flash for Mint. You must go through steps of compiling etc. which for me is still over my head for the most part.
Both come with LibreOffice, but again on both systems you'll have to update it yourself.
Winner: Ubuntu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite Mint 11 winning 3-1-2 (W-L-D), I am still drawn to Ubuntu. Over the next few days I will play around with both before deciding exactly which route I will take.
For a newbie such as myself, dual booting Mint/Ubuntu isn't worth it as I'd rather learn and get to know just one.
Also, if your an experienced Linux user, keep in mind I'm new to Linux so things I may find difficult or confusing, may come off as easy to you.
Since installing Mint 11 exactly one week ago today I have few complaints about it. Everything pretty much just worked after installing.
So then why did I last night bother to install along side Mint, Ubuntu 11.04? I suppose one of the reasons is that 11.10 Alpha 3 was released and it peaked my interest, but the larger community also drew me in.
Having not been in Ubuntu all that long yet, here are some of the differences or pros/cons I can note:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Desktop & Menus:
Ubuntu comes by default with the new Unity desktop. At first I couldn't wait to get out of Ubuntu, but it is slowly growing on me.
With the left side launcher, I find some programs simply won't dock. I'm into video editing and use Kdenlive and for whatever reason Kdenlive won't stay there.
On Mint I can simply add Kdenlive to my favourites and it stays without issue.
One of my biggest peeves with the Unity interface is it's lack of customization. For whatever reason I can't simply right click on the panel on my second monitor and delete it.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stability:
Well I'm probably not the best person to talk about stability having only been in Mint for one week, and Ubuntu for a day.
I will say that I haven't had any major crashes while in Mint. The odd program would crash (kdenlive), but the system as a whole was quite good.
In Ubuntu however, I plugged a USB drive in and everything went black...Okay I should admit there is probably something wrong with the USB drive as I have had issues in Windows, so this isn't fair for Ubuntu.
Like in Mint, I had kdenlive crash on me...Unlike in Mint where it would crash while editing, kdenlive crashed while simply adding a clip to the project tree.
Of course a crashing Kdenlive shouldn't look negatively on either Mint or Ubuntu.
I have read that updates within Ubuntu are more prone to crash your system. Mint has a more user friendly update system that hides kernel updates and indicates ones that could be harmful.
Despite some more (minor) issues that I've encountered within Ubuntu, it feels more stable.
Winner: Draw
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed:
Let me get boot times out of the way. This has never been an issue for me, however I find both Ubuntu & Mint quite equal in start-up times.
Opening and loading videos does seem faster on Mint. Once you click to open a video file it starts playing pretty well right away.
In Ubuntu it takes perhaps an extra second or two, so nothing to lose any sleep over I guess.
I find that the flash player is faster on Mint. When loading a video it seems to load much smoother, unlike Ubuntu where it can be choppier.
Now in defense of Ubuntu, I am using the 64-bit version of flash which I couldn't get in Mint.
Opening applications initially is quite a but fast in Mint. I do find after you've opened a program at least once in Ubuntu, they open as fast or in some cases faster. It's just the initial start.
Processing a video did feel a bit faster in Ubuntu. Unfortunately I didn't render the same videos so again, another poor test on my part.
Loading of websites? Well they are fairly equal and of course browser and internet connection play a role.
I have found that sites load fast in Mint.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Customization (themes, menus, desktop):
Like I touched on briefly in the desktop/menu above, Ubuntu's Unity lacks customization.
I still haven't figured out how to add/delete panels, relocate the launcher to the bottom of my screen, change the 'close, minimize, maximize' to the right side.
In Mint however, it is quite easy to relocate the panels, add/delete them, place things in the favourites, change the 'close, minimize, maximize' to whichever side you prefer.
Adding shortcuts to the desktop are much easier in Mint, as all you have to do is right click and add to desktop.
Changing the wallpaper and themes are the same.
Winner: Mint
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support/Community:
Although I haven't asked anything on either OSes forums, both appear to have solid and helpful communities.
Ubuntu of course is the larger of the two which probably means a bit more help. Of course while searching out help via Google, Mint's forums came up with a fair amount.
Winner: Draw
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Software & installation:
With Mint being based off of Ubuntu, 99% of the software out there for Ubuntu will work on Mint.
Mint does come with more pre-installed programs which is helpful. The most notable absence from Ubuntu is Gimp and Thunderbird. With Thunderbird however, you still have to download the newest version in Mint.
Where I did notice a difference is with flash. You can go to Adobe's website and download flash for Ubuntu without issue.
You cannot simply download and install with ease the Ubuntu release of flash for Mint. You must go through steps of compiling etc. which for me is still over my head for the most part.
Both come with LibreOffice, but again on both systems you'll have to update it yourself.
Winner: Ubuntu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite Mint 11 winning 3-1-2 (W-L-D), I am still drawn to Ubuntu. Over the next few days I will play around with both before deciding exactly which route I will take.
For a newbie such as myself, dual booting Mint/Ubuntu isn't worth it as I'd rather learn and get to know just one.
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