Gnome user interface in Ubuntu 9.10 - Karmic Koala

I first started using the Ubuntu GNU Linux operating system in May 2007. Since then I have tried both desktop user interface alternatives: KDE and Gnome. Early on, I preferred Kubuntu’s KDE interface as it was easy to use and slightly reminiscent of Windows.

The only downside was that applications often crashed causing me to restart the computer many times. I never encountered the same trouble when I used the Gnome interface in Ubuntu.

So that was my problem. I didn’t like the Gnome interface but it was more stable and it seemed like it was the favoured interface by the Ubuntu team.

My last use of Kubuntu was in this year’s release in April of Jaunty Jackalope 9.04
KDE had changed a lot in that version. I never quite got used to it and on a couple of occasions I messed up the default interface layout. After that laptop got stolen I didn’t use Ubuntu again until the Karmic Koala 9.10 release.

This time I decided to try out the default Gnome interface. Now that I have used it a couple of times before (and it hasn’t changed much) I was very pleased with the way it worked. The fact that this is the latest Ubuntu release surely has something to do with that also.

Now I am happy to work with two panels and can navigate the menus with ease. I have gotten used to the default Gnome applications even though I don’t use many. My favourite and most used applications include: the open office suite, evolution email client and gwibber microblogging application. I am trialling tomboy notes and trying to find a use for ubuntu one cloud computing. I use google’s picasa instead of f-spot and I don’t bother listening to music or burning cds/dvds. I also don’t use instant messaging but there are various alternatives to try.

I hope to try Kubuntu again in 2010, I may actually become fond of the new look KDE. Until then, I am happy with Gnome. It doesn’t over-use my hardware resources and I don’t mind the simple and plain look it has.