Ubuntu 11.04 (x64): Unity sucks
| Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unity (Ubuntu) |
Opinion
|
Undecided
|
Unassigned | ||
Bug Description
Gosh, where to begin......
Attempting to run/find `ubuntu-bug` from Unity results in a big ZERO. The application is not run, and no suggestions are offered in the list of executables. Actually, the list size is 0.
Attempting to run/find `screen saver` from Unity results in a big ZERO. No suggestions are offered in the list of executables. Actually, the list size is 0.
Right clicking in the Unity launcher offers no context menu to do anything.
Right clicking a Unity launcher icon does not offer a 'properties' selection.
Running `unity` results in the attached menu. Notice there are no useful settings, and no "Remove this torture device" setting.
`alacarte` shows the previous menu structure is available. Its too bad we can't seem to access it from anywhere.
11.04 (x64) on a Dell S1555 laptop locks up after the screen saver kicks in and the machine 'bakes' for a while (more precisely, the lock occurs when trying to use the laptop sometime after the screen saver). The mouse moves and turns into a hand, but the screen never returns to a 'desktop'. Its too bad I can't find the screen saver application (not sure what its called). It sure would be nice if Unity knew what a screen saver is, and offer the damn app.
Perhaps it would be best to leave Unity for netbooks and similar devices might benefit from finger sized buttons with limited features. It sucks as a desktop component.
| Jeffrey Walton (noloader) wrote | #1 |
| Daniel Manrique (roadmr) wrote | #2 |
| Changed in unity (Ubuntu): | |
| status: | New → Opinion |
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks for your comments about Unity. I'm sorry you're finding it doesn't behave according to your needs. Hopefully my next comments about the behavior you're observing can help improve your experience, or even disable Unity if you feel like doing so.
When you press Super-a, you're invoking the Unity application lens. This searches for applications which have a .desktop file, and are indeed those you can see in the "alacarte" application. This behavior is by design, as it would be too slow to look for every single binary in your disk, so the app lens restricts itself to applications or programs which include a .desktop file.
Ubuntu-bug is a binary meant to be run from a terminal. As such, it doesn't include a .desktop file that can be accessed via Unity's app lens. This sort of executable can be run from a terminal, as I mentioned, or by pressing alt-f2, which runs a command by name, rather than searching for applications through the app lens. To use this, you need to type the entire command name, just like you would on a terminal.
As for the screensaver control panel, the app lens searches for whole words, and you'd be looking for "screensaver". Thus, if you type "screen saver" in two words as you mention, it will be find nothing. But if you type "screensaver" the first match should be the screensaver control panel, which I believe is what you're looking for.
As for the lack of context menu for Unity, or a properties menu for each of the icons, I believe this behavior is also by design. Perhaps if you let me know what you need to configure or modify, someone can point the way to achieve the results you want. There is a page with tips and tricks for Unity here:
http://
If you prefer not to use Unity, you can go back to the "classic" session with the top menu by first logging out of your session, and then, in the user selection and log in screen, selecting the "Ubuntu classic" session. This will be the default from now on.
Finally, if you continue to experience the problem where your system locks up after a while, I'd appreciate if you could file a separate bug report using the ubuntu-bug tool, as it provides useful information about your system, making the work of bug triagers and developers easy.
Unity is constantly evolving. Some of the behaviors you describe are by design, and some others are areas where functionality might change and expand in the future. Opinions and comments such as yours are valuable input for the Unity designers and developers. I'll mark this report as an Opinion to reflect this assessment, but please feel free to add comments to this report or reopen it if you feel none of the responses and resources I pointed to address your concerns.
Thanks again for your comments!
- Daniel
---
Ubuntu Bug Squad volunteer triager
http://