Unity in 12.04 is impossible to use by a newbie because of the empty Dash at start

[Michel-Ekimia]

Sorry if this has been told several times, but I need to say it before 12.04 goes out.

1- Take a normal computer user and ask him to use Unity in 12.04

2- He understands that the have to hit the Ubuntu Button on Top left to launch an application.

3 - He expects then some links to find the application he's looking for ( maybe a bit like in 11.10 )

4- Instead he found an empty space and don't see the shortcuts at the Bottom that could lead him to categories of apps.

5 - he just close the lid of the laptop and ask me " install me a normal operating system"

Solution : Hitting the Dash should in less than 2 click enable the user to launch the application hes's looking for without typing its name.

12.04 will be a disaster without this. Maybe this is being worked on for beta2 ?

[Nekhelesh Ramananthan (nik90)]

Thank you for reporting this bug. However this is a duplicate of the bug report which can seen here. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ayatana-design/+bug/839485

Please continue your discussion in the other bug report. Only comment here if you think that the duplicate status is incorrect.

[Michel-Ekimia (michel.ekimia)]

I already explained to someone before you , that this is not a duplicate if this Bug .

the bug you mention say ' autosize dash" , I say "modify welcom dash page to guide the user.

this is pretty different. Pleas point me to a bug similar to mine.

[Nekhelesh Ramananthan (nik90)]

I understand and apologise for the confusion. The duplicate status has been removed. However this bug needs design. Hence marking incomplete.

[shane (shane-animail)]

One fairly simple (I assume) solution would be to populate the "Home" lens with applications by default but as applications are used, they are re-ordered by recently used?

[Rubén (cont3mpo)]

Idea: A simple and more direct use is is delete the home lens, and start with the apps lens.
With that the user see directly the apps, and start the scroll of apps.

Pros:
- Easy-to-view Apps for new users (and all users).
- Fast acces to all apps.
- The apps lens have a 'Recent apps' in the top like the home.

Cons:
- Not so easy view to recent files and Downloads.

[manny (estelar57)]

@cont3mpo

i like the home lens, files are also important, the issue is that its empty at start so user has no idea what it does.

- it could show some apps by default and have a permanent icon "more apps" at the end of the row, that switches to apps lens.

-permanent icon "more files" at the end of the row switches to files lens.

-permanent downloads folder icon at the end of the row to open downloads in nautilus.

[Nekhelesh Ramananthan (nik90)]

I like the home lens and with all the improments it has gone through this cycle, I hope it is not removed. Rather than have the home lens display some apps by default I propose a simple message is displayed "Recently installed, all your activity will populate as you use it". It is kind of similar to a chart where you need more info to display an accurate chart. If there is insufficient information a simple message will clear the confusion.

[Didier Roche-Tolomelli (didrocks)]

This bug was fixed in the package zeitgeist - 0.9.0-1

---------------
zeitgeist (0.9.0-1) unstable; urgency=low

  * New upstream release. Some of the changes are:
     - Updated MIME-type mappings.
     - Added a query result size limit.
     - Enhanced database/index corruption recovery.
     - Don't index events from Ubuntu One.

 -- Siegfried-Angel Gevatter Pujals <email address hidden> Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:44:19 +0200

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package zeitgeist-datahub - 0.8.2-1ubuntu2

---------------
zeitgeist-datahub (0.8.2-1ubuntu2) precise; urgency=low

  * debian/patches/pre_populator.patch:
    - prepopulate zeitgeist results in ubuntu to avoid having an empty unity
      home dash in a new session (LP: #962265)
 -- Didier Roche <email address hidden> Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:21:47 +0200

[Shanekpiper (shanekpiper)]

I would like to add that I have installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS beta 2 for family, friends and work colleges and all have no idea what to do when they click on the Dash Home. Least in Ubuntu 11.04 & 11.10 there was some icons to give suggestion. Some asked how to get to email other was where is the list of programs installed. Big mistake if this area is left blank. The new user will be lost. NOT very intuitive whoever come up with the idea of leaving the Home screen blank. At least have a link to the help section or explain how to navigate unity.

Having it blank makes it look unfinished. Broken.

[Michel-Ekimia (michel.ekimia)]

Where is the Fix ?

[Adolfo Jayme Barrientos (fitojb)]

The fix is in 12.04. When you start Unity for the first time, it is pre-populated with items. This bug was only closed recently because of an oversight, but it has been fixed for two years already.