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Linux Mint 12 Released Today
An anonymous reader writes "Linux Mint 12 was released today. It includes the new 'MGSE' (Mint Gnome Shell Extensions), a desktop layer on top of Gnome 3 that makes it possible for you to use Gnome 3 in a traditional way. MGSE's Gnome-2-Like experience includes features such as the bottom panel, the application menu, the window list, a task-centric desktop and visible system tray icons. MGSE is a 180-degree turn from the desktop experience the Gnome Team is developing with Gnome-Shell. At the heart of the Gnome-Shell is a feature called 'the Overview': 'The Shell is designed in order to minimize distraction and interruption and to enable users to focus on the task at hand. A persistent window list or dock would interfere with this goal, serving as a constant temptation to switch focus. The separation of window switching functionality into the overview means that an effective solution to switching is provided when it is desired by the user, but that it is hidden from view when it is not necessary.' The popularity of Mint 12 with MGSE may be an excellent barometer as to whether users prefer a task-centric or application-centric desktop."
It pains me to say this but out of OSX, Windows and Linux - Win7 has the most usable Desktop Interface. It has decent window management for multiple instances of a program, you can actually minimize windows and the start menu is the least annoying of the lot ( the search is near instantaneous).
KDE is perpetually almost ready. There is always some beyond annoying bug (In my case the window list randomly crashing) or some weird graphical glitch such as icons not showing up for a few seconds. The list of minor bugs goes on and on really...
I know i sound like a troll but i'm really not. I found myself enjoying desktop Linux less and less since GNOME3 and Unity, mere window management is a chore, i think most people are thinking the same way. Win7 is a pretty good, well thought out OS, a Linux user isn't going to get malware on the machine. UAC seems to have done it's job (Overall there are very few show stopping threats).
I constantly hear things like "I made do with xfce/lxde/fvwm" but the simple act of adding an entry to the panel for these environment involves editing a config file or digging through multiple layers of a configuration application. It's just not good enough for 2011, it's not as if i'm running ancient hardware. Using one of these DEs is compromise.