Ubuntu 11.04 Upgrade Or Change Distro

[Richard-BKK]

I was wondering what most of you going to do when Ubuntu is switching from Gnome to Unity graphical user interface in the upcoming version of Ubuntu...

What I read about Unity is that it doesn't need the Xserver layer, and therefore needs (very likely) new videocard drivers. Closed source manufacturers like Nvidia, ATI, and probably a few more are likely not very excited to create new drivers for a new graphical platform only supported by one Linux distribution...

So what most of you Ubuntu users will do?

[dave_boo]

Guess you don't know about derivatives.

[urandom]

I was wondering what most of you going to do when Ubuntu is switching from Gnome to Unity graphical user interface in the upcoming version of Ubuntu...

in fact, you'll still have the choice of what you want to use. plain gnome or unity or whatever DE/WM you want to use.

What I read about Unity is that it doesn't need the Xserver layer, and therefore needs (very likely) new videocard drivers.

wayland wont be ready yet so you'll be using X still. unity needs 3d support but there will be a 2d unity alternative so this is a non-issue. a lot of video cards support 3d anyway so it's very likely that you wont have any problem. a few OSS drivers dont fully (or even partially) support 3d (ATI I'm looking at you )

Closed source manufacturers like Nvidia, ATI, and probably a few more are likely not very excited to create new drivers for a new graphical platform only supported by one Linux distribution...

they wont have to, really. wayland support is another issue but unity is not (yet) concerned.

oh and btw, I'm not using ubuntu so I cant answer your question

[Richard-BKK]

I know about Ubuntu having other GUI supported, but we use Gnome in the office. Ubuntu 10.10 with Gnome GUI is currently installed on 15 computers, moving to another GUI will like result in user confusion.

Therefore we prefer to stay with Gnome and probably move to another distribution, a distribution who is more committed to Gnome... maybe even OpenSuse...

The property software we use VMware Workstation, Codeweavers Crossover Linux Pro, and Nero Linux CD-burner software come with both .bed and .rpm packages so not much problems with that..

Currently the problem is that VMware Workstation doesn't work with drivers we have installed, so no 3D support in the guest operating systems running in Vmware.

[urandom]

Richard, gnome will still be supported. You wont have to do anything to keep using gnome.

[dave_boo]

I know about Ubuntu having other GUI supported, but we use Gnome in the office. Ubuntu 10.10 with Gnome GUI is currently installed on 15 computers, moving to another GUI will like result in user confusion.

Therefore we prefer to stay with Gnome and probably move to another distribution, a distribution who is more committed to Gnome... maybe even OpenSuse...

The property software we use VMware Workstation, Codeweavers Crossover Linux Pro, and Nero Linux CD-burner software come with both .bed and .rpm packages so not much problems with that..

Currently the problem is that VMware Workstation doesn't work with drivers we have installed, so no 3D support in the guest operating systems running in Vmware.

There's always Linux Mint (which uses Gnome) or Ultimate Edition (also using Gnome). As mentioned further up the switch to Wayland is going to be a bigger issue...

[Cloggie]

Make your choise: http://distrowatch.com/

[kebabbaro]

>What I read about Unity is that it doesn't need the Xserver layer, and therefore needs (very likely) new videocard drivers. Closed source manufacturers like Nvidia, ATI, and probably a few more are likely not very > excited to create new drivers for a new graphical platform only supported by one Linux distribution...

Incorrect. Unity is just a Compiz plugin, it doesn't affect the graphical server in any way.

Edited March 12, 2011 by kebabbaro

[kebabbaro]

I know about Ubuntu having other GUI supported, but we use Gnome in the office. Ubuntu 10.10 with Gnome GUI is currently installed on 15 computers, moving to another GUI will like result in user confusion.

Therefore we prefer to stay with Gnome and probably move to another distribution, a distribution who is more committed to Gnome... maybe even OpenSuse...

You can stay with Gnome AND use Ubuntu at the same time, for at login you will be able to choose "classic gnome" as an option and you ll soon find yourself in the classic gnome2 environment.

But if you want to use the brand new Gnome3, you better switch to Linux Mint.

The property software we use VMware Workstation, Codeweavers Crossover Linux Pro, and Nero Linux CD-burner software come with both .bed and .rpm packages so not much problems with that..

Currently the problem is that VMware Workstation doesn't work with drivers we have installed, so no 3D support in the guest operating systems running in Vmware.

Again, you will be able to run Ubuntu in the classic Gnome2 environment, no need to worry.

Edited March 12, 2011 by kebabbaro