This makes it quite efficient, especially when an application had a large menu system that made it challenging to find what you needed. Instead of selecting the text, and then clicking Format | Align | Center, you could select the text, hit the Super key, type Center, and hit Enter and the text would be centered. For example, you have LibreOffice open, and you want to center a line of text. Effectively, what this did was integrate application menus into the Dash such that you could (while an app was open) hit the Super key (aka the “Windows” key) and then search the app menus. The one feature of Ubuntu Unity that I loved was the HUD (Head-Up Display).
Fortunately, Ubuntu Unity nailed this feature. Of course, it’s not like other desktops don’t include such features, but Unity just always did it better (and looked better doing it). This was just one aspect of why Unity was such an efficient desktop. Now, when you search for the TechRepublic file in the Dash, it’ll appear in the results ( Figure C).įigure C Our file is there to quickly open from the Dash. The search results will come up with nothing.
Upon installing and logging into Ubuntu Unity for the first time, my immediate impression is that of nostalgia. My first impressions of Ubuntu Unity 22.04
If the distribution serves your needs, you can then install it on bare metal and enjoy the Unity desktop as your daily driver. I highly recommend deploying this as a virtual machine at first.
Let’s take a look at what Ubuntu Unity 22.04 has in store for you.įirst, you can download the ISO for Ubuntu Unity from the official download page.
Although it’s not quite the same Unity as was found back in its Canonical heyday (no HUD connected to application menus), it’s still a fantastic desktop. Fortunately, since this is open-source, a fork of the Unity Desktop was given birth in the form of a complete distribution (called Ubuntu Unity) and is still in active development. Ever since, I’ve felt Canonical made a big mistake by scrapping Unity. Master Linux and Docker before the next Linux adoption boomĬhecklist: Essential support sites for Linux adminsīut then Canonical did the unthinkable and jettisoned that desktop (and all the work the developers put into it) and returned to GNOME. Why your open-source project definitely should not be the next Kubernetes The future of Linux: Fedora project leader Matthew Miller weighs in SEE: Linux turns 30: Celebrating the open source operating system (free PDF) (TechRepublic) Open source: Must-read coverage With the Head-Up Display, powerful search, and highly configurable dashboard, I was able to work with a level of efficiency I had yet to experience. Not only was it beautifully designed, but it was also one of the most efficient and productive UIs available. Back when Canonical created its own desktop called Unity, I felt it was, hands down, the best desktop environment on the market.
This throwback to the glory days of Canonical's in-house desktop might easily usurp your daily driver as your Linux distribution of choice. Ubuntu Unity 22.04 is out, and it's better than ever. Ubuntu Unity 22.04 is a Linux desktop distribution that’s as productive as it is elegant