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Ubuntu 13.04 – Basic Unity Interface / Desktop Tutorial

richardsplanet — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:26:35 +0000

This is a basic tutorial for the Unity Interface / Desktop which comes with Ubuntu 13.04 – it should help get you up and running.

Each new version of Unity (introduced in 11.04) improves on the functionality of the desktop.

This tutorial reflects the way I understand and use the Unity interface.

The Unity interface consists of four main parts:

Panel
Launcher
Dash
HUD

The Panel

The Panel is the strip at the top of the interface:

The menu bar that you are used to seeing near the top of an application’s window is now displayed in the panel:

There is a catch:

The menus displayed in the Panel are only for the active (topmost) application window.
The menus are only displayed when you hover your mouse over the Panel, otherwise, the Panel is empty.
If a window is maximized (full screen), the buttons (icons) for minimize, maximize, and close are hidden unless you hover your mouse over the panel.

This might seem like a step backward. Why hide the menu bar? Why make the user have to move the mouse all the way to the panel to access it? While it gives a little extra window space to the application, it is also inefficient – and this was the problem with Unity in Ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10.

Since Ubuntu 12.04, Unity has the HUD. The HUD makes mousing / navigating through menus obsolete (mostly).

Additional things displayed in the Panel include:

the name of the active (topmost) application (green)
various indicators (blue)
the time (yellow)
the system menu (red)

The Launcher

Despite being the most prominent feature of the Unity interface, it is the one I use the least.

This is the panel of buttons on the left hand side of the screen:

It serves 3 functions:

Application Launcher: clicking on an icon will launch the application associated with that icon. e.g. Clicking on the FireFox icon launches the FireFox browser.
Visual indicator of running applications: any running application has its icon placed in the Launcher and an indicator showing its status.
1. Two solid triangles: this is the active application (the one on top).
2. Single solid triangle: the application is running, but does not have focus (is not on top).
3. Single open triangle: the application is running in a different workspace (by default, Ubuntu 13.04 sets up only a single workspace. You can read how to enable workspaces here.).
Application Switcher: you can switch to an application (bring it to the front) by clicking on its icon in the Launcher.

Removing an Application from the Launcher

Note: removing an application from the Launcher does not uninstall the application.

The Launcher can become cluttered with applications (when you install an application using the Ubuntu Software Center, it is usually automatically placed in the Launcher).

1) Right-click on the application you want to remove from the launcher. This will display a popup menu.

2) Click on Unlock from Launcher in the popup menu:

Adding an Application to the Launcher

Sometimes, an application is not added to the Launcher, or you had previously removed it.

1) Start the application / program you want to add to the Launcher.

2) Find the application’s icon in the Launcher.

3) Right-click on the icon. This will display a popup menu.

4) Click on Lock to Launcher to add the program to the Launcher:

In general, only the most commonly used applications should be in the launcher.

Dash

The Dash replaces searching through menu hierarchies for applications.

Like anything new, it feels all wrong, but, I found it very easy to pick up and now prefer it over the traditional menu navigating paradigm.

Instead or navigating a hierarchy of menus, Dash provides a query field in which you type the name of the application or document you want to open.

Using the Dash interface is very much like searching with Google – as you type in what you are looking for, Dash displays possible results.

I think the greatest strength of Dash is that you can navigate it completely via the keyboard, so you never alternate between typing and reaching for the mouse.

Dash is activated by either:

1) Clicking on the Dash icon in the Launcher:

2) Tapping the Windows key on your keyboard

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

The Dash panel looks something like this (click for a larger image):

It is divided into upto 5 sections:

The query field (outlined in green) is where the keyboard focus goes when you activate the Dash.

Type the name of the application you want to run, or document you want to open. As you type, Dash will update the list of applications and documents.

It has improved greatly since 11.04, if you type in game you will get Mahjong, AisleRiot Solitaire and Freecell Solitaire, and Sudoku.

I suspect it may still miss certain applications because they are not listed in the “obvious” way. For example, previous versions of Unity would not display Sudoku if you typed in game – you needed to type in puzzle.

If you type in games it will only display AisleRiot Solitaire, but none of the other games.
A list of the most recently used applications (outlined in red) is displayed. If you type in the query field, the list of applications is modified to match your search.

You can use your mouse to select an application, or you can use the arrow keys to navigate to the desired application (and then press Enter. I like using the arrow keys because my hands don’t have to leave the keyboard.
A list of the most recent viewed documents (outlined in blue) is displayed. If you type in the query field, the list of documents is modified to match your search.

You can use your mouse or the arrow keys to navigate and select the desired document. I like using the arrow keys because my hands don’t have to leave the keyboard.
Relevant search results from Amazon (outlined in yellow) . As you type your query, it is sent to Amazon (anonymously via Ubuntu) and relevant results are displayed.

Many people find this intrusive and disable this feature. Instructions to disable Amazon search results are here.

I don’t have a problem with it, but wish it was more customizable. For instance, I don’t want Amazon search results in my main Dash panel. I don’t mind them if I am using the music lens or movie lens (explained in more detail below). Unfortunately, there is no way to selectively enable Amazon search results.
At the very bottom of the Dash (shaded in green) are a number of icons. These are “lenses”. A lens is a specifically focussed (or themed) query. The five lenses at the bottom are:
1. Dash lens: this is the default lens – it searches everything you are possibly connected to which includes your computer as well as any cloud services you use.
2. Applications lens: this focuses searches only within applications.
3. Folders and Documents lens: this focuses searches only on folders and documents.
4. Music lens: focuses search on music.
5. Photos Lens: focuses search on photos.
6. Video lens: focuses search on videos.
You can navigate to the lenses using either the mouse or keyboard.

Typing Ctrl + Tab will navigate through the lenses.

Note: typing Ctrl + Tab means, “While holding down the Ctrl key, press the Tab key as though you intend to type it.”

If you hold the Windows (Super) key down for a few seconds, a cheat sheet of commands will be displayed (click for larger image):

Note: the cheat sheet only appears if your screen resolution is 1024×768 or greater.

HUD

The HUD was introduced in Ubuntu 12.04 and combined with Dash it provides a powerful way of interacting with your applications.

Just as Dash replaces navigating a hierarchy of menus to find applications and documents, HUD replaces navigating a hierarchy of menus in an application.

Like anything new, it feels all wrong, but, I found it very easy to pick up and now prefer it over the traditional menu navigating paradigm.

Instead or navigating a hierarchy of menus, HUD provides a query field in which you type the name of the action you want to perform with your applications.

Normally, to do something in a program you either use a keyboard shortcut (like Ctrl+B to bold text in a word processor), or you use the mouse to select an option from a menu or toolbar.

With HUD, you type in what you want to do. The HUD interface will then locate appropriate / matching menu entries and display them to you to select. Again, you can use the mouse to perform the selection or the arrow keys and the Enter key.

I think the greatest strength of HUD is that you can navigate it completely via the keyboard, so you never alternate between typing and reaching for the mouse.

The HUD is activated when you tap on the Alt key:

Note: tapping the Alt keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key.

If you hold the Alt key down for about 2 seconds, the application menu bar will display in the Panel. As soon as yo let go of the Alt key, it will disappear – thus encouraging use of the keyboard to select a menu option (e.g. Alt + F to open the File menu).

The HUD panel looks something like this:
1. The query field (outlined in red) is where you type the operation you want to perform in the application, e.g. open, new, auto white balance, etc.
  
  This is where the focus goes when you activate the HUD.
  
  As you type, a list of possible commands will be displayed below it. You can navigate those commands using the mouse and clicking to select or the keyboard (arrow keys) and pressing Enter to select. By default, the top command is always selected and will be executed if you press Enter. A nice thing is that you do not have to type the whole command.
  
  Note: if a command is not available (for example, it is greyed out), then it will not appear in the list of commands.
  
  For example, if you have just opened GIMP without any image, it is not possible to perform image operations on it (like unsharp mask, or auto color enhance, etc). So if you type unsharp into the query field, you will not receive any options.
  
  I think it would be better if the HUD somehow indicated that the operation is unavailable rather than just not showing it at all.
2. On the left, the icon (outlined in green) shows which application the command is for.
  
  The HUD may display commands for other programs (not just the active one). This can be confusing if you are not paying attention.
3. Below the query field is a list of matching commands (outlined in blue.
Note: HUD may not work with all applications – it depends on how the menus in an application were coded. Prior to Ubuntu 13.04, LibreOffice was an application that did not work with the HUD (there was a patch available to make it work, though).

Final Words

Unity is a new way of interacting with the computer: instead of navigating a hierarchy of menus, you type what you want to do.

As an old timer (my first interactions with a computer were via a teletype), I never really liked the mouse / GUI way of doing things because it required me to take one hand off the keyboard. As a consequence, I have always configured shortcut keys to perform common tasks.

With Unity, I am able to keep my hands on the keyboard and easily perform the tasks I need. I still program my shortcut keys, but I know longer have to navigate through menus to find some lesser used operation.

Play with it. I think you will find it easy to learn. I have found it easier to adapt to than the Ribbon interface Microsoft introduced a few years ago.

I find the Dash and HUD work well when I am very familiar with the programs / applications I am working with and I know the command set.

I find the HUD awkward to work with when I am not familiar with an application. For example, perhaps I install Blender to try out some 3D graphics development. Not being familiar with Blender, it is very awkward to try typing commands into the HUD in the hope of finding the right one. This is definitely a case where being able to browse through a bunch of menus can be helpful.

Of course, I can always type help and hope a help file comes up.

It is with new or unfamiliar applications that I miss the menu bar at the top, but even if a menu bar was visible, there have been times when I could not find what I wanted and had to google to discover how it was named or where it was located.

Additional Resources

While these aren’t tutorials, they offer some insight into Canonical’s focus and direction (they are written by Mark Shuttleworth – Canonical’s CEO):

Introducing the HUD. Say hello to the future of the menu.

Dash takes shape for 11.10 Unity (note: the Dash panel has changed somewhat from the screen capture he presents)

This shows a side by side comparison between using the tradition menu driven way to perform a task and using HUD. While a number of commenters have complained that it isn’t an objective comparison, I think it shows very nicely the difference in working in both environments:

This is another video showing the HUD In action:

The post Ubuntu 13.04 – Basic Unity Interface / Desktop Tutorial appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 13.04 – How to Customize / Configure Unity

richardsplanet — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:21:49 +0000

These instructions are for Ubuntu 13.04 running the Unity Desktop.

They may be the same or similar for other versions, but no guarantee is made.

Ubuntu provides access to a few of the aspects of Unity that can be customized, but the majority are buried in configuration files that use pretty arcane shell commands to manipulate.

The Unity Tweak Tool provides easy access to the various bits of Unity and allow you to configure Unity to your heart’s content:

Best of all, if you you mess up or don’t like the changes you made, you can always restore the settings back to the original default settings:

The only shortcoming of the tool (that I see) is that there is no help file or manual describing in detail what each setting does. Sometimes it is a matter of trying something out to see what it does. Many times, you can probably figure out what something does from the parameter name and the popup info that appears if you hover your mouse over an option for a few seconds:

Installing from the Command Line

1) Enter the following command in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install unity-tweak-tool

Installing from the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to open the Dash panel.

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type ubuntu software center into the Dash search field (you can stop typing once the Ubuntu Software Center icon is the left most icon):

3) Press the Enter key to launch the Ubuntu Software Center application:

Note: pressing the Enter key will select the first Dash entry. If Ubuntu Software Center is not the first entry, then use the keyboard arrow keys or mouse to navigate to the appropriate icon.

If pressing Enter does not launch the Ubuntu Software Center, then click on the Ubuntu Software Center icon.

4) Type unity tweak tool into the Ubuntu Software Center search field:

5) Click on the search result Unity Tweak Tool:

6) Click on Install:

7) Enter your password and click on Authenticate:

An additional bonus with this application (although, maybe most users don’t think about it) is that it only installs one file. So, when you decide to remove / uninstall the application, cleanup is easy and straightforward. This is not the case with most packages.

The post Ubuntu 13.04 – How to Customize / Configure Unity appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop

richardsplanet — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:10:02 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Installing Xubuntu Core Desktop installs only the GUI part of Xubuntu Desktop without all the extra applications that are part of the Xubuntu Desktop package (the only extra application it installs is the Thunar file manager)

The Xubuntu Desktop is a custom configured version of the Xfce Desktop.

Xfce is smaller than Xubuntu Core Desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Xubuntu Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Xubuntu Core Desktop will install 111 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Compared to the Xubuntu Desktop, there are some minor differences.

Installing From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install xfce4 xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-default-settings

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

This requires you to install 3 separate packages, so a few more steps are required than usual.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

The following steps will install Xfce.

2) Enter xfce4 into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

The following steps will install the Xubuntu artwork (backgrounds, colours, etc).

6) After installation is finished, enter xubuntu-artwork into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries:

7) Click on the entry Xubuntu themes and artwork – this will highlight it in orange:

8) Click on Install:

You should not be asked to enter a password again, but if you are, then enter it and press Authenticate

The following steps will install the settings necessary for Xfce to look like Xubuntu.

9) After installation is finished, enter xubuntu-default-settings into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries:

10) Click on the entry Default settings for the Xubuntu desktop – this will highlight it in orange:

11) Click on Install:

You should not be asked to enter a password again, but if you are, then enter it and press Authenticate

12) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

13) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

14) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

15) Select Xubuntu Session:

Xubuntu is a customized version of Xfce. This is why an Xfce session appears as well.

If you select Xfce Session then you will get the standard Xfce desktop.

16) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Lubuntu Core Desktop

richardsplanet — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:09:34 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Lubuntu Core Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Installing Lubuntu Core Desktop installs the GUI part of Lubuntu Desktop without all the extra applications that are part of the Lubuntu Desktop package.

This is a good option for those who are happy with the applications provided with Ubuntu, but simply want to change their desktop.

The Lubuntu Core Desktop is a custom configured version of the LXDE Desktop.

To install a very basic LXDE desktop without additional applications, I recommend installing the LXDE Core desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

There is also a version of the LXDE Desktop that includes a little more than the basic version. Installation instructions can be found here

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Lubuntu Core Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Lubuntu Core Desktop will install 66.3 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-core

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter lubuntu-core into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Lubuntu Desktop environment – minimal installation – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop setting for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select Lubuntu Desktop:

Lubuntu is a custom configured version of LXDE which is built on top of Openbox and GNOME/Openbox – that is why their entries also appear in the desktop menu. It is best to ignore them since they give you a completely blank desktop.

Lubuntu Netbook is a desktop designed for Netbooks. It looks like this:

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Lubuntu Core Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Desktop

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:17:05 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Desktop in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance. The mentioned tutorial is for Ubuntu 12.04, but should be the same or very similar for 12.10. Eventually, I will have an updated tutorial for 12.10.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Desktop is GNOME Shell bundled with a number of additional applications.

GNOME Shell is not the same as the classic or traditional desktop most users are familiar with. It is a desktop that requires 3D hardware capability (if it is not available, then the system loads the GNOME Fallback Session). GNOME states that most 3D graphics cards manufactured after 2007 (or so) should be suitable.

Who is it for?

This is for those users who want the GNOME 3 desktop along with all the extra program files bundled with it.

If you just want GNOME Shell without all the additional packages and programs, choose to install GNOME Shell instead.

If you are not interested in the GNOME 3 desktop and want a more traditional/classic desktop environment I recommend installing GNOME Session Fallback.

If you want a true GNOME 2 (traditional/classic) desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

Note: most people want GNOME Shell or GNOME Session Fallback. Installing GNOME Desktop will install a lot of extra applications that you will probably never use.

A better solution is to install GNOME Shell or GNOME Session Fallback and later install those additional applications you want.

What it looks like

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

While it might look similar to the traditional/classic desktop, it is not. Clicking on the Action item (or tapping the Windows or Super key) will bring up a Unity style pane with some decorations on the side:

GNOME Desktop will install 542 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Contrast this with 84.5 MB for GNOME Shell or 35.5 MB for GNOME Session Fallback. Do you really want those ~460 MB of extra programs installed?

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display manager you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

Note: if, for some reason, you switch focus or change focus from the search field, then pressing Enter will not work and you will need to select the icon using your mouse (or navigate using your keyboard). This is definitely an issue Ubuntu needs to address with the Dash.

4) Type gnome into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry The GNOME Desktop Environment, with extra components – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select GNOME (you also have the option of selecting GNOME Classic which is just the Session Fallback version):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Shell

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:00:04 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Shell in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Shell is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Shell is just the basic GNOME 3 desktop environment. It includes GNOME Session Fallback as part of the installation.

Who is it for?

GNOME Shell is for those users who want a GNOME 3 desktop without installing extra packages and programs.

GNOME Shell includes GNOME Session Fallback as part of the installation, if you are not interested in the GNOME 3 desktop and want a more traditional/classic desktop environment I recommend installing GNOME Session Fallback because it will save you some disk space.

If you want a true GNOME 2 (traditional/classic) desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

Note: even if you install GNOME Shell only intending to use the GNOME Session Fallback, the extra files installed will not affect your systems performance except for the amount of disk space used.

In general, I think it is good practice to minimize the number of unneeded files on your system

What it looks like

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

GNOME Shell will install 84.5MB of files and data to your hard disk.

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display manager you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome-shell.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

4) Type gnome shell into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry GNOME Shell – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select GNOME (you also have the option of selecting GNOME Classic which is just the Session Fallback version):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Shell appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Session Fallback

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:02 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Session Fallback in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Session Fallback is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Session Fallback is the most basic version of GNOME you can install. The 3D features and requirements of the standard GNOME Shell are not present.

It is the closest you can get to the original GNOME 2 desktop. The GNOME 2 desktop is the one most users would recognize as the familiar or traditional desktop.

If you want a true GNOME 2 desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

GNOME 3 (aside from the Session Fallback) requires 3D hardware capability (according to GNOME, most 3D graphics cards manufactured after 2007 (or so) meet these requirements). However, the GNOME 3 desktop is different from the original or classic desktop most users are familiar with.

GNOME Session Fallback is automatically installed when you install GNOME Shell or GNOME. It is provided in the case that your graphics card does not meet the minimum 3D hardware requirements or drivers for your graphics cards do not support 3D hardware acceleration.

Who is it for?

GNOME Session Fallback is for those users that want a more or less traditional style desktop and don’t want to minimize the amount of extra files they install on their system.

While you can install GNOME Shell and GNOME, these will occupy more space on your hard drive. Installing them will not affect your systems performance except to where it comes down to free disk space.

In general, I think it is good practice to minimize the number of unneeded files on your system

What it looks like

There are two versions: GNOME Classic and GNOME Classic (No effects) – the difference between them is quite subtle.

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

Gnome Classic displays the four desktops in the lower right corner as a small grid.

GNOME Classic (No effects) displays the four desktops in the lower right bar as individual panes.

Otherwise, I don’t see any other differences between them.

GNOME Session Fallback will install 35.5MB of files and data to your hard disk.

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display amanger you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome-fallback-session.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

4) Type gnome-session-fallback into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry GNOME Session Manager – GNOME fallback session – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select either GNOME Classic or GNOME Classic (No effects):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Session Fallback appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

richardsplanet — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:32:12 +0000

NOTE: For Cinnamon to work, your system must provide 3D hardware acceleration. If your system does not have 3D hardware acceleration, you will only see the “traditional” GNOME desktop.

This is a limitation of GNOME 3 (on which Cinnamon is built). According to gnome.org:

GNOME Shell uses relatively primitive 3D capabilities that have been available from essentially all computing devices made in the last four or five years.

This seems to imply that the if your video card is pre-2007, there is a good chance Cinnamon (and GNOME) will not display as expected.

These instructions are for installing the Cinnamon Desktop v.1.4 on Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity interface.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other version combinations or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

The latest information about the Cinnamon Desktop can be found here.

The Cinnamon Desktop is one of the desktops provided with Linux Mint.

Linux Mint is derived from Ubuntu and it is possible to install Cinnamon under Ubuntu instead of installing Linux Mint. This is the closest we come to being able to upgrade from one distro of Linux to another.

The Cinnamon desktop is similar to the traditional Windows type of desktop, with a Start menu in the lower left hand corner (the same is true of LXDE). It opens up a rather nice large panel divided in 4 parts: (1) quick launch icons (red), (2) menu categories (green) and (3) applications (blue), (4) search (yellow):

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Cinnamon Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Cinnamon Desktop will install 63MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Quick Instructions

If you are comfortable using a terminal entering commands then open a terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon

Restart your system.

Note: it may be sufficient to simply logout and log back in, but I don’t think it hurts to restart.

Detailed Instructions

If you are not comfortable opening a terminal and entering commands, or have never done so before, these step by step directions should guide you through the process:

Opening a Terminal

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal. (Detailed instructions for opening a terminal can be found here.)

Pressing Ctrl+Alt+T means “While holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys, press the T key as though you intend to type it”. Do not press or hold down the Shift key. It does not matter if the Caps Lock key is on or off.

You should now have something that looks like this:

Adding Software Sources

Cinnamon Desktop is not part of the regular software sources used by Ubuntu, so you have to add the sources for Cinnamon.

1) Enter the following line exactly in the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable

You can type it or cut and paste it.

To cut and paste the line into the terminal:

1) Select the line and press Ctrl+C.

2) Right-click on the terminal. This will pop up a menu. Select Paste from the menu:

Note: the traditional keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V will not work in the terminal.

It should look something like this when you are done:

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password (this is the password you use to log into Ubuntu) and press the Enter key:

Note: when you type your password, nothing will happen in the terminal. It gives no feedback as the password is typed in. This is normal.

When you are done, it will look like this:

Updating the Software Sources

Before Cinnamon can be installed it is necessary to update the software sources so Ubuntu knows where to fetch the required packages from.

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password and press the Enter key.

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this:

Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install cinnamon

2) Press the Enter key.

Some text will scroll across the screen showing exactly what is going to be installed. You will be prompted to continue with the installation:

3) Press the Enter key to proceed with installation. (You can also type y followed by Enter.) If you don’t want to install it, then press n followed by the Enter key.

Installation time will depend on your Internet connection speed (how quickly you can download the code) and computer speed (how quickly you can compile everything).

4) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

5) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

1) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

2) Select Cinnamon:

3) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a blank circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the MATE Desktop

richardsplanet — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:37:58 +0000

These instructions are for installing the MATE Desktop v.1.2 or v.1.4 on Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity interface.

Unless otherwise specified, all observations and screenshots are for v.1.2.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

The MATE website provides installation instructions for several different Linux distros (including Ubuntu).

Installing MATE Desktop is very much like going back to the original GNOME 2 desktop that was part of earlier version of Ubuntu.

GNOME 2 is now obsolete and had been replaced by GNOME 3. Not everyone was happy with this (including Canonical). Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu) decided to create a new desktop called Unity.

A developer named Perberos decided to fork GNOME 2 (i.e. create a new independent project based on GNOME 2) and continue development under name MATE.

While this is the “traditional” desktop, it has some issues. Some applications, like System Monitor, don’t work properly under MATE, so a MATE compatible version is provided.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of System Monitor shipped with Ubuntu 12.04 (on left) and the replacement System Monitor included with MATE (on right) (click for larger image):

Unlike other desktops which install alternate applications that function the same as existing applications (e.g. Thunar and Nautilus), MATE installs duplicate applications. This can be seen in the screen shot below:

Note the duplicate entries. One is the version installed with Ubuntu 12.04, the other the replacement installed with MATE. The original versions don’t quite work / look right under MATE.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then MATE Desktop is an alternative desktop.

MATE Desktop will install 316MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

While installing MATE will give you a true classic GNOME 2 desktop, there are potential problems and incompatibilities. Ubuntu 12.04 is built on top of GNOME 3, but with a customized interface Canonical calls Unity.

There is always the possibility that MATE and GNOME 3 may not coexist happily on the same system. One of the bug fixes to MATE was to change file names to avoid clashes with GNOME.

Note: Linux Mint provides MATE as one of their desktop environments. They claim that MATE and GNOME 3 can happily coexist on the same system.

As well, some applications may not look / function properly under MATE. I have not done exhaustive testing, but aside from the few applications MATE installs to replace the equivalent Ubuntu ones, I have not encountered any problems.

Quick Instructions

Open a terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu precise main"
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

Restart your system.

Note: it may be sufficient to simply logout and log back in, but I don’t think it hurts to restart.

Detailed Instructions

Opening a Terminal

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal.

You should now have something that looks like this:

Adding Software Sources

MATE Desktop is not part of the regular software sources used by Ubuntu, so you have to add the sources for MATE.

1) Enter the following line exactly in the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu precise main"

You can type it or cut and paste it.

To cut and paste the line into the terminal:

1) Select the line and press Ctrl+C.

2) Right-click on the terminal. This will pop up a menu. Select Paste from the menu:

Note: the traditional keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V will not work in the terminal.

It should look something like this when you are done:

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password (this is the password you use to log into Ubuntu) and press the Enter key:

Note: when you type your password, nothing will happen in the terminal. It gives no feedback as the password is typed in. This is normal.

When you are done, it will look like this:

Updating the Software Sources

Before MATE can be installed it is necessary to update the software sources so Ubuntu knows where to fetch the required packages from.

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password and press the Enter key.

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this (ending with an error):

The error occurs because, for security reasons, Ubuntu requires various software sources to be authorized. The next steps add the necessary authorization.

4) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring

5) Press the Enter key.

You will be warned about trying to install an unauthenticated package. This is normal.

6) Type y and press the Enter key:

When it is done, it should look something like this:

We will need to update the software sources again.

7) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this (without errors):

Installing the MATE Desktop

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment:

2) Press the Enter key.

Some text will scroll across the screen showing exactly what is going to be installed. You will be prompted to continue with the installation:

3) Press the Enter key to proceed with installation. (You can also type y followed by Enter.) If you don’t want to install it, then press n followed by the Enter key.

Installation time will depend on your Internet connection speed (how quickly you can download the code) and computer speed (how quickly you can compile everything).

Part way through the installation, you will get this screen:

4) Press the Enter key.

5) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

6) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them. Although, I am not sure if MATE and GNOME can exist happily together on the same system.

1) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

2) Select MATE:

3) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a blank circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the MATE Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE-Core Desktop

richardsplanet — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment (LXDE) core in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

The core files give you the basic LXDE desktop environment.

There is also the LXDE Desktop environment. In addition to installing the core LXDE desktop, it also installs some applications. Some of those applications perform the same or similar functions to applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

For a complete “Ubuntu” experience using the LXDE desktop consider installing the Lubuntu Desktop. This is the core Ubuntu system configured to use LXDE as its desktop. On the negative side, it also installs many applications that perform the same or similar functions as applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then LXDE is an alternative desktop.

LXDE Core will install 19.7MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install lxde-core

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter lxde-core into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Meta-package for the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment Core – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select LXDE:

LXDE is built on top of Openbox and GNOME/Openbox, which is why their entries also appear in the desktop menu. It is best to ignore them since they log into a completely blank desktop.

10) Login

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will place an icon there.

If an icon is present, it provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE-Core Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE Desktop

richardsplanet — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment (LXDE) in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

LXDE includes the desktop environment as well as a number of applications. Some of these applications perform the same or similar functions as applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04.

To install just the desktop without additional applications, I recommend installing the LXDE Core desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

For a complete “Ubuntu” experience using the LXDE desktop consider installing the Lubuntu Desktop. This is the core Ubuntu system configured to use LXDE as its desktop. It also includes many applications that perform the same or similar functions as applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then LXDE is an alternative desktop.

LXDE will install 46.9MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install lxde

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter lxde into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry LXDE (the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select LXDE:

LXDE is built on top of Openbox and GNOME/Openbox, which is why their entries also appear in the desktop menu.

They can be safely ignored.

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Xfce Desktop

richardsplanet — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Xfce Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

An alternative to Xfce is Xubuntu Desktop.

Xubuntu Desktop is Ubuntu with a customized Xfce desktop. It also installs a number of applications. Some of these applications duplicate the functionality of applications already installed in Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Xfce is an alternative desktop.

Xfce will install 67.8MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Installing From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install xfce4

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter xfce4 into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select Xfce Session:

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

First Login

The first time you login to Xfce, you will receive the following message:

Click on Use default config.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Xfce Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

unity Archives - Complete, Concrete, Concise

Ubuntu 13.04 – Basic Unity Interface / Desktop Tutorial

The Panel

The Launcher

Removing an Application from the Launcher

Adding an Application to the Launcher

Dash

HUD

Final Words

Additional Resources

Ubuntu 13.04 – How to Customize / Configure Unity

Installing from the Command Line

Installing from the Ubuntu Software Center

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop

What it Looks Like

Installing From the Command Line

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Lubuntu Core Desktop

What it Looks Like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Desktop

What is it?

Who is it for?

What it looks like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Shell

What is it?

Who is it for?

What it looks like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Session Fallback

What is it?

Who is it for?

What it looks like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

What it Looks Like

Quick Instructions

Detailed Instructions

Opening a Terminal

Adding Software Sources

Updating the Software Sources

Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the MATE Desktop

What it Looks Like

Quick Instructions

Detailed Instructions

Opening a Terminal

Adding Software Sources

Updating the Software Sources

Installing the MATE Desktop

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE-Core Desktop

What it Looks Like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE Desktop

What it Looks Like

From the Command Line

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Xfce Desktop

What it Looks Like

Installing From the Command Line

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Selecting the Desktop