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February 5th, 2009

GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market

Posted by Dana Blankenhorn @ 7:06 am

Categories: Development, General, Hardware, Linux, Linux Desktop OS, Linux Laptop, Strategy

Tags: Ubuntu, User Interface, GNOME, Netbook, Stormy, Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs, Linux, Open Source, Hardware, Operating Systems

Stormy Stormy
Stormy Stormy
Come back to me Stormy
Stormy Stormy

Bring back that sunny day

Ubuntu has a problem. Its user interface is tired, and Windows 7 is coming.

It should be game on in the Netbook space, but to many analysts it looks like game up.

So what’s with the Santana lyric? Stormy Peters (right) is the executive director at GNOME. That’s one of two major Linux user interface groups (KDE is the other) but I’ve interviewed her, she’s a Rice-person like me, and I don’t think KDE has an executive director. (Besides I couldn’t find a rhyme for Wade Olsen.)

Personally I don’t think the user interface is Ubuntu’s only problem. I’m far more concerned with making software additions and upgrades easier.

But if the UI is the problem it’s not one Ubuntu should be expected to solve alone.

Call in the specialists, the Pros from Dover. Stormy is one of those pros, or she knows their e-mail address.

How would you improve the desktop Linux interface?

Dana BlankenhornDana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 128 Talkback(s)
Xcfe can rescue Xubuntu in the netbook market
GNOME and KDE are great on powerful desktops which have the processing power to handle all of their bells and whistles.

But what do you load onto an old Pentium 3 machine? Almost everyone would... (Read the rest)
Posted by: mheartwood Posted on: 04/16/09 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
What problem?  storm14k | 02/05/09
Stone Age  Mectron | 02/05/09
What the hell are you talking about???  wackoae | 02/05/09
Sounds like you never touched a Vista box...  wolf_z | 02/05/09
Sounds like YOU haven't touched a Vista machine (nt)  storm14k | 02/05/09
Well, I've touched them all...er...you know what I mean  fromthehip | 02/06/09
FTH - I Do Have To Agree With Those Who Have Issues w/Installing Software  drprodny | 02/10/09
Sounds LIke YOU'RE A Righttard Bushsucking Micro$haft Bigot!  drprodny | 02/10/09
I can vouch for the virus problem  Update victim | 02/05/09
Ubuntu very limited????  InAction Man | 02/05/09
The flaw in your logic...  TasteeWheat | 02/05/09
Nope, facts not in evidence.  TripleII | 02/05/09
Amen, to that!  CodeCurmudgeon | 04/16/09
You have uncovered a strange phenomonum  Ole Man | 02/05/09
Strange  bigpicture | 02/05/09
Well thats not exactly true....  storm14k | 02/05/09
Using car analogy differences introduced by Linux are only on the dashboard  InAction Man | 02/06/09
Actually, THIS is a Stupid Argument - and I'm Going To Drag Jeremy Clarkson  drprodny | 02/10/09
The flaw in your logic....  storm14k | 02/05/09
Can you be any more wrong?  TasteeWheat | 02/05/09
Start listing it...  storm14k | 02/06/09
Flawed Logic  Update victim | 02/05/09
That challenge might be over before it begins...  TasteeWheat | 02/05/09
So, hang on, hang on  Kaiwai | 02/05/09
And now the truth starts to come out....  storm14k | 02/06/09
RE: That challenge.....  bfilipiak@... | 02/06/09
windos is **NOT EASY** I struggled for years trying to make it useful and  InAction Man | 02/06/09
Must the stupidest person in the world if you can't use Windows...  transposeIT | 02/23/09
Windows is arbetrary  CodeCurmudgeon | 04/16/09
Maybe not limited, but difficult to use  tech_ed@... | 02/05/09
And what is the first thing you do?  Ole Man | 02/05/09
And this is exactly why I'd hire someone proclaiming to be a Windows admin  storm14k | 02/05/09
Wow  daengbo | 02/05/09
Run nautilus as sudo.  djchandler | 02/06/09
hard? confusing CLI?  pfyearwood | 02/06/09
You made it more difficult than it needed to be  fromthehip | 02/07/09
Thusly, you are annointed a SOFTIE. (NT)  SpikeyMike | 04/15/09
Just because your guru told you to use the command line. . .  CodeCurmudgeon | 04/16/09
well he's right! Let's see:  Azathothh | 02/06/09
Let's look at these one at a time  fromthehip | 02/07/09
well yeah let's see:  Azathothh | 02/23/09
stone age?  rcbarr83@... | 02/05/09
Seriously....  storm14k | 02/05/09
What a great post  happyjedi | 02/06/09
I am laughing at you right now (NT)  none none | 02/06/09
Have you seen HP's Ubuntu Remix?  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
HP's "interface" is just plain old Gnome ...  MisterMiester | 02/05/09
Exactly my point  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
Have Ubuntu 8.04 LTS?  MisterMiester | 02/05/09
Thanks!!!  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
"Just plain old Gnome"  Ole Man | 02/05/09
Preaching to the Choir, Ole Man ...  MisterMiester | 02/05/09
And then...  djchandler | 02/06/09
It IS Easily Customized  daengbo | 02/05/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  OttawaNoob | 02/05/09
They try  daengbo | 02/05/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  bernardotech | 02/05/09
CLI-hell  tech_ed@... | 02/05/09
Did you take off down the freeway the first time  Ole Man | 02/05/09
If updates need permissions...  DevJonny | 02/05/09
It has been doing that all along...  storm14k | 02/05/09
Maybe not  daengbo | 02/05/09
I did that once too  Ole Man | 02/05/09
That's what all the rest do, too  Ole Man | 02/05/09
It's been that way at least since 6.06  CodeCurmudgeon | 04/16/09
WHAT PROBLEM? How about ease of install  hornkt@... | 02/06/09
Sure....I'll help  storm14k | 02/06/09
RE: Sure....I'll help  NetAdmin1178 | 02/06/09
Still not working  hornkt@... | 02/06/09
RE: Ease of Install - Hardware Support  NetAdmin1178 | 02/06/09
Backward compatibility  DanaBlankenhornZDNet Moderator | 02/06/09
Santana or Classics IV?  Johnny Vegas | 02/05/09
I guess it was a cover...  DanaBlankenhornZDNet Moderator | 02/05/09
I was thinking Classics IV, too  TranMan | 04/15/09
I want it to be able to read my mind  no_zd_user_name | 02/05/09
They're working on that.  Henrik Moller | 02/05/09
Well apparently....  storm14k | 02/06/09
Gnome's improving  eMJayy | 02/05/09
"I currently use the Mac4Lin gtk+ theme"  Ole Man | 02/05/09
Sigh, Ubuntu != Linux  TripleII | 02/05/09
Regarding KDE 4.2  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
My own take...  DanaBlankenhornZDNet Moderator | 02/05/09
No reason you can't  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
Maybe the new Qt licenses.  TripleII | 02/05/09
They work well enough in Gentoo  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
I'm just the opposite  Ole Man | 02/05/09
Gnome and KDE?  daengbo | 02/05/09
The OpenSuse version?  TripleII | 02/05/09
Gentoo  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
Another KDE 3.5 whiner?  bigpicture | 02/05/09
The laptop is about seven months old  Michael Kelly | 02/05/09
Ever thought about using an older version?  Ole Man | 02/05/09
I have used Gnome over two years  Ole Man | 02/05/09
GNOME, dumb-down less!  lefty.crupps | 02/05/09
Some observations I have.  TripleII | 02/05/09
Unassumify!  DanaBlankenhornZDNet Moderator | 02/05/09
No idea, but great thinks mind alike!  TripleII | 02/05/09
The system menu  storm14k | 02/05/09
Well, there is a lot.  TripleII | 02/05/09
Ahhh now I see somewhat...  storm14k | 02/05/09
Clarification  daengbo | 02/05/09
Clairfied.  TripleII | 02/05/09
"that is how GNOME wants it to be"  Ole Man | 02/05/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  goldston | 02/05/09
Check you HP's MEI.  TripleII | 02/05/09
People have no idea!  patbot | 02/05/09
Gnome is resource intensive, compared to other  jvin248 | 02/05/09
Another vote for KDE 4.1  TripleII | 02/05/09
Look at LXDE  daengbo | 02/05/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  zdnetreader100 | 02/05/09
Well...  AndyCee | 02/05/09
What problem?  GOTBO | 02/06/09
Ubuntu is much easier than windows, PERIOD!  InAction Man | 02/06/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  dbarr@... | 02/06/09
I was writing about the mass market  DanaBlankenhornZDNet Moderator | 02/06/09
And in that you are right.  TripleII | 02/06/09
So, why don't you submit your customizations?  CodeCurmudgeon | 04/16/09
GNOME (KDE) can do what?!?!  Olderdan | 02/06/09
Maybe KDE was looking.  TripleII | 02/06/09
Simplicity, not pizzazz, is the key  hamobu | 02/06/09
Ubuntu Gnome - Video Tutorials  PCWizKid | 02/06/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  ribas | 02/06/09
You made it more difficult than it needed to be  fromthehip | 02/07/09
Apples to apples, I agree but.....  Open means Good | 02/07/09
Keeping in mind that I've never used Ubuntu...  roystonlodge | 02/09/09
Are you serious about software installation and  devlin_X | 02/24/09
RE: GNOME can rescue Ubuntu in netbook market  d_handler@... | 04/16/09
Xcfe can rescue Xubuntu in the netbook market  mheartwood | 04/16/09

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