Ever since I installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS for Intro to Unix and Applied Software, I have been trying to find alternatives to the default Desktop Environment, Unity. I gave Unity a chance for the first few weeks on installing the OS, but it felt like an awkward combination of Mac OSX and Linux fundamentals. Then I began researching for new desktop environments. While researching, I found into GNOME Desktop Environment. After I installed it from the Ubuntu Software Center, I logged out and went to select the GNOME interface. The selection menu, there were multiple options. GNOME Classic, GNOME, Ubuntu, Ubuntu 2D.

GNOME Classic is basically GNOME 3.0 with a the classic GNOME 2.0 interface. This was created for people who couldn’t adapt to the new interface.

GNOME 3.0 is the latest version of the desktop environment. It is similar to Unity in many ways, but the biggest difference is the way the GNOME 3.0 interface looks.Surprisingly, I found out that Ubuntu Unity was forked from the GNOME 3.0. Unlike Unity, many of the setting and apps are hidden away until you hit a hot corner on the left to reveal all of the running apps,app tray, and additional virtual desktop.

Overall, I found GNOME 3.0 to be a little annoying when it came to be productive because the desktop screens where set up on top to bottom, and in order to open any app it required going to the app tray. I’ll try to stick with it a little bit longer and see if I can look past these annoyances.

If anyone is interested check out the GNOME website: http://www.gnome.org/gnome-3/