I just finished to install the latest Ubuntu desktop beta and it is always the same. I don’t like the look. Fonts are too big and so on. The same goes for OO and Symphony and other products. I just don’t like the look of them. I don’t want to fiddle around with settings until it looks a bit better.
The darn things do not look a lot better then what run on Windows 3.
I WANT A REAL COOL DESKTOP!
Mac is the best but it could be even better. Windows is better then all the Linux desktops I looked at.
Couldn’t somebody just take the time to build a real nice Linux desktop with some new ideas instead of adding features nobody needs?
If I could, I would. But until I get the grips how to do it, my design would be old again. Or probably not, since we haven’t made a lot of progress in the last twenty years in desktop design.
PS: I am a fan of Linux … as a server.
Well that is the problem with Open Source! It’s not really funded and if it is it’s usually not a priority for the company because it is free. I personally like Open Office, I think its very usable and looks fine. As far as operating systems, I agree. I have tried Linux as my primary desktop 3 different times in my career and they all failed within a month.
I agree! I think iOS has the best new GUI paradigm, but it doesn’t really work for general use desktop. Is there nothing out there except mouse+arrow+box? The movie „Johnnie Mnemonic“ shows a scene with a 3d fully immersive virtual interface. Excellently done and would be a very good direction.
@Bob. I think OO is a very good piece of software, I just don’t like the look.
So what would make it look better, beyond a smaller default font size? Ubuntu has a new font commissioned from the Dalton Maag type foundry. It was exhibited in the London design museum recently http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2011/shape-my-language – it is a major project covering a large number of languages, I doubt there is a more well funded font project short of Arial.
I know the Unity interface in Ubuntu Natty is a big departure from other user interfaces, and not everyone likes it, but I think it counts as a new idea!