But it is nice that Microsoft is understanding the power of this technology and develop it more. But it is not nice that technology actually went to Microsoft so it is patented..
It is the slogan and good time when distribution came out.
The first 4.04 version was bretty bad, because Gnome was not in so good shape, on 5.04 and speciality 6.07 became in good time because Gnome got desktop in good shape.
Only thing what Canonical did, was taunting "Ubuntu means..." slogan and had cleared menus for few applications so there was easy to find needed application.
And Linux got that time good hardware support up, so the monitors and 3D cards were easy to install.
Many Windows user was tried Linux few years before Ubuntu and were not satisfied but when they tried again first with this new distribution called Ubuntu, they believed that Ubuntu did something remarkable on that area, even that openSuse, Mandriva and so on were in exactly same shape, but actually even better because they has Yast and MCC what allows easier complete system management, what Ubuntu still lacks.
Then came XGL from Novell and soon it was running well on Ubuntu too. And because Ubuntu got first all 14-16 years old Windows users, they started to taunt it on forums etc, it was like plague trought internet. News corporations/sites noticed it too and believed it too...
And everything happens actually by false believing what novice computer users does, they believe that what you see, is what makes things happends.
Without Gnome's good development, Ubuntu would be nothing Without Linux good HW support, Ubuntu would be nothing Without clean menus, Ubuntu would be nothing Without nice slogan, Ubuntu would be nothing And last but most important thing, without great luck for releasing Ubuntu in that time when everything else in Linux community was correct, Ubuntu would not be so success.
So if Ubuntu would come up 2001 or 2002, it would be "forgotten" distribution like Xandros, but it came right time, with "correct" people trying it, it did success.
Now if you place Mandriva, Ubuntu and openSUSE to front of novice computer user, Ubuntu is last choise when it comes to system management and basic/advance usage. Only thing what is keeping now Ubuntu up is community size and it's "fame" what is actually like a soap bubble, what can collaps anytime...
Here's the interesting thing: many Americans would shit themselves if someone were arrested for exercising their freedom of speech, regardless of what's been said, or at least, as I've been discovering, as long as it conforms to their worldview. On the other hand, Chinese think very differently. Even my wife, and her friends, who are Taiwanese, not even Chinese, agree with the actions taken by the government. And these are people living in the US. They agree with the right to free speech and to be able to be critical of the government. But they believe that there's a line people shouldn't cross. My wife finds it troubling that a person in the US can say anything and everything even if it's socially disruptive.
And U.S has not stealed national securities from other countries? HAH... Even Sweden has big and great spy-network now coming but it is small when comparing to U.S spy network....
The Windows NT Operating Systems kernel is over 15 years, as the Windows NT Operating system is over 15 years old but complete Windows systems what use XX version of Windows NT, are bretty new ones, like Vista over year.
Linux OS is over 17 years old, but complete software systems build over it, are young, like Ubuntu is now 5 years, while the OS what keeps Ubuntu working, Linux is still over 17 years...
Windows Vista is just renamed Windows NT6 There comes the Windows 7 codename because it is 7th OS release of Windows NT.
Microsoft has done great job by rebranding Windows NT to years or new names like XP and Vista and people really believe that those are different OS's than Windows 2000 or Windows NT4, while they are just newest versions of same OS.
Just like Linux 2.6.x is same OS than Linux 2.4.x but just different version...
But, Vista (NT6) has be out only a over year now, Windows NT itself a much longer, since 1993 so it is now over 15 years old OS. Windows NT is not same as MS-DOS (MS-DOS 1.0 >> Windows ME) what would be now 27 years old OS if Microsoft would not end it's development 2000;) Windows is one brand what just has multiple different OS's under it, like Windows Mobile and Windows NT currently. So just saying Windows == Vista is wrong because Windows means other OS's too.
Linux is from in active development since 1991 so it is over 17 year old OS now, older than Windows NT;-)
Krhm... Linux is monolith kernel what makes it OS because Linux includes all the services what OS need to service to applications and hardware. microkernel is then different thing, you need other parts with microkernel to have a OS.
Hardware | Operating System | Application Hardware | Linux | Application Hardware | Windows NT | Application
Operating System + Applications == Software system
Windows NT is not a kernel, it is Operating system what use a Microkernel as kernel, all other services has spread to kernel mode and user mode and all other applications are in user mode too. Windows NT + applications builds up a complete system what is called as "OS" by Micro$oft marketing because the OS is what is sold to users but applications what comes with the OS, are "Free" for users.
Do not spread that false believing that Linux is "just a kernel" like it would be a microkernel...
Keeping XP on the old machines, reusing licenses, using ubuntu, and a plethora of other options exist. Your assumption that linux is the only alternative reveals a bias.
What the....? Ubuntu IS THE Linux OS.... Ubuntu is not different OS than Linux. Ubuntu is just one distribution of Linux OS. Linux is the OS what is used by different complete software systems like Ubuntu, what includes OS + Software + support + brand
If you want other alternativies for Vista than Linux, you need to turn to look a Mac OSX, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD or OpenSolaris (and few others). Linux is one OS from many alternatives and we have ~400 different distributions of Linux OS.
Currently you have three mainstream OS's to choose, Windows NT (XP/Vista/7), Mac OSX and Linux. And you have then those *BSD OS's and OpenSolaris etc.
Ubuntu is not anykind "special OS" out there for to get a Windows alternative, it's samekind "OS" with same options and possibilities than other mainstream Linux distributions.
You should horry up, usually it is 2-3 years when the idea what you got and you tought you were smart to innovate it, it's on markets and in use.
There is companies what allows you to write game ideas etc, and game companies then look them trought there, if they find something intresting, you get profit from it.
You should find those companies site via google, I heard two years ago such companies exist.
First do a mockups from your game, write a short document what it is about (about a5 size letter, so not long) and then longer document how it's ideas works as complete game.
Look how movie industry does this kind things, ask about script writers how they protect their ideas and how they offer them to movie studios etc.
Seems that MediaSentry will loose DRM technology to china. Simple answer to protect your own business and technology is not bring it to china, they are professionals to copy and develop better versions (and cheaper etc versions too) of the technology....
The reason to want DRM to all olympic data can be youtube etc others mockups. They might be a fraid that the video or speaks are used as propaganda against them, so they lock users to use it for own purpose.
If you really want to learn Linux, grab two good distributions of it, like Mandriva and Ubuntu. Then use first few weeks other one first, and change middle time the desktop environment to other so you understand the difference of KDE and Gnome. Then after few weeks, install the other one and use it again with same way, with KDE and then with Gnome (or vice versa). You can take openSUSE and Mandriva or take all three distributions. Then you understand the difference of distributions how they like to offer you a Linux OS and you can then pick up the one what you like. And you dont need to install them to your computer either, just use live CD of those (you cant change the desktop environment so easily). Using LiveCD just makes things easier to jump back to Windows if problem comes and you dont have time/mind to solve it because you have already done it on Windows side, so you just boot easily to familiar Windows environment and stick there. The HD installation just "force" you to learn (you dont need to wipe Windows from your disk either;-))
So the market machine got now first numbers, what are still very low rated against the real amount of the Linux usage.
In Finland, I see mostly Windows machines with XP version on them, but the second OS what is used, is Linux. Apple has it own market share but there is no much those machines than Linux. By just viewing the market share, I would say that Windows has 70-75% market share (if not even under 60%!) when Linux has 15-20% and Apple has rest.
The problem is that Linux OS market is shared even for smaller pieces by every distribution what is used, Ubuntu might has almost 20-30% market share of Linux OS but Mandriva and OpenSuse is behind very tightly, if not even over Ubuntu. This does not reflect the hard evidence data (and other areas than southern Finland), but just what _I_ see on schools, companies and privat users, age range 15-85 (I have 52 privat customers from what only 13 has Windows XP and 7 has Vista, rest has Mandriva or OpenSuse). Almost every University what teach IT, will teach at least Linux basics. In my University, every new IT student on that year got Laptop (112 students) (Acer Travelmate 5720) what had first Vista Business installed on it. They leaved 20Gb un-partioned space to end for Linux installation, and gave permission to install owner wanted distribution if they wanted, but Mandriva was installed after few weeks when the new version came out. And the Windows is used on the Win32 coding lessons but when are on network/java/C++ etc lessons, almost all use just Linux on those because it is easier, those few who dont use, has deleted the Linux partitions for ganining more space for Windows side. Now new students who starts this year, they get same thing too.
I just dont believe at all those Linux 0.1-3% market shares studies because what I see, is totally different. I hope next year when I go to Brazil, I see even bigger adoption of Linux there than on Finland.
Sorry, you are late... it came when Linux got running on XBOX (1). See you on the next market area, because Servers, Desktops, WLAN's, Routers (networking) and Consoles "Year of the Linux on X" has already gone on those markets... Mayby next one is "Year of the Linux on Cars" or "Year of the Linux on Dildo"...
Because Ubuntu is snapshot of unstable, isn't a LTS version somekind "snapshot" from the "Stable"? Like now Canonical can maintain LTS version again longer when Debian's unstable where current LTS is, change to Stable?
Ubuntu does not need those, Linux does! There is difference, Linux is the OS, but Ubuntu is just one distribution among others. Dont be a fan of Ubuntu and promote it as the "special" "OS". We have LSB (Linux Standard Base) standard what makes it easy for closed source software makers to build a software what runs on all Linux distributions. If you promote only a Ubuntu, it is like wanting Canonical to replace Microsoft.
That "Install Applications" is not Ubuntu oriented. It is on all usual desktop environments and windowmanagers menu.
Mandriva has same, it just opens rpmdrake as normally would get opened. And rpmdrake does not show any application without GUI by default, but you can change it to show different kind packages, and you can search them very easily or browse catalog.
The actuall problem still exist, what is on all package managers or even google. User does not know is the application 1 good for him or application 2.
To help novice user, we add simple applications for every purpose, already installed to system, so user can start using computer without learning first something. If first thing is that user needs to install something, even it would be X on the package list, it is too much.
Ubuntu was not even first one to offer this kind usability, simple menus and one application for one purpose. Only difference was Ubuntu's brown theme and good timing when Gnome and Linux fitted to normal usage and there were applications for basic stuff.
Now, Ubuntu has nothing more difference against other distributions than fame and community. These are two things, community is actually even worse than few others, but it is easy enough to use (forums), even that some other distributions makes the forums usage even easier (mandriva, you get your login name and password while installing it). Now Ubuntu only rides with it's fame and marketing, what is the reason why it is so popular, what is reason why it gets so much packages to repositories and why there is so easy to install software on Ubuntu. Marketing makes Ubuntu as special and easy to install applications.
But if 3D effect tells user what has happend, when user has done something, is as important as the simple UI.
Example, you move mouse over icon, it can change color, gamma etc to give informative. When user clicks mouse, the icon can give a respond that it has be clicked, the users command is processed.
When you move the mouse over icon, the mouse icon can change shape from arrow to hand to tell "hey, this is link". When user clicks the icon, the mouse icon change itself to time-glass or watch, and start doing somekind animation to give information to user that something is done currently.
Those small things are effects, and very informative ones and needed very much. Think about UI what is just simple but has no effect at all. You dont get any respond from computer what is happening, you cant be sure is the mouse click being processing, does application start take long or is isn't it even being started.
Those are simple 2D effects what are usually shown as 3D (shadows on buttons, shadow under menu etc) but true 3D effect can be more informative, if it is just correclty done.
Effects makes UI more intuitive, and 3D makes more intuitive, but if it is over-done, 3D effects starts just distract the user. They add noise to real information.
Wisely used, 3D effects makes UI more intuitive than UI without (3D) effects.
Actually, all those effects are very informative for user who does not have "first level" information like those who has worked long times with computers. Like the wobling effect, you can control how much you "feel" the mouse when you move the window, make the window very hoppy and you notice you use your mouse hand very different way than when you make window very "sloppy" so you need to use more "force" on your arm to move the window.
Animations are informative unless those are made just for eye candy, example, if you put effect "explode" when closing window (only) and then "fade" effect to menu and other closing, you notice the difference. Then if you change window opening to "dream" and menu and other opening effect to "fade" too, you notice right away the difference when window is opening and closing.
Then you can do it wrong, just place "explode" to everything (windows, menus others) so what ever happens (get opened/closed, moved, resized etc), same effect comes up. Now you are tottally saturated with eye-candy what does not tell you anything more than "something just happend" and most of time, it just distrubrs normal user.
With correctly used, all the effects what compiz-fusion and Kwin offers, are very powerfull and informative. But if the way how they are used is wrong, they make more harm than good.
There is no "non eye-candy" and "eye-candy", black'n'whiteness. It is always about situation, how the effects have done and how they are used.
Seems to be so that all the videos on youtube about compiz-fusion, is configures mostly and almost to be pure "eye candy". 15 years old kid who laughs how the window explose away when get closed.
3D effects can be think as sound effects. No sound effects, you need to see what is happening, with small/low sound voice when every different action is with different effect (closed, maximised, opened, crashed etc), you dont need to see anymore, you understand what has happend when you hear. But if you change that small/low sound effect to something different, example of 30s heavy metal when window gets opened and 5min Ave Maria when application crash, everyone gets grazy expect the deaf.
Smallest effects are that when you press button, it get pressed and it change littlebit look or gives somekind respond to you. Or when you move the window, it shows at least a retancle what size and where you are moving it, if not the window itself is moved. All those small things are effects what helps to interact with the computer.
No one is not forced to use just those, those can be expand for more informative versions, 3D effects, and they stay very informative until, they are done/used wrong way, then they start spreading noise among information and usage level drops to same level than there would be zero (0) effects at all.
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What I found more intresting technology than Photosynth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=556FvXHLtAo
Everytime when I hear about photosynth, I just remember this http://www.sandcodex.com/
But it is nice that Microsoft is understanding the power of this technology and develop it more. But it is not nice that technology actually went to Microsoft so it is patented..
It is the slogan and good time when distribution came out.
The first 4.04 version was bretty bad, because Gnome was not in so good shape, on 5.04 and speciality 6.07 became in good time because Gnome got desktop in good shape.
Only thing what Canonical did, was taunting "Ubuntu means..." slogan and had cleared menus for few applications so there was easy to find needed application.
And Linux got that time good hardware support up, so the monitors and 3D cards were easy to install.
Many Windows user was tried Linux few years before Ubuntu and were not satisfied but when they tried again first with this new distribution called Ubuntu, they believed that Ubuntu did something remarkable on that area, even that openSuse, Mandriva and so on were in exactly same shape, but actually even better because they has Yast and MCC what allows easier complete system management, what Ubuntu still lacks.
Then came XGL from Novell and soon it was running well on Ubuntu too.
And because Ubuntu got first all 14-16 years old Windows users, they started to taunt it on forums etc, it was like plague trought internet. News corporations/sites noticed it too and believed it too...
And everything happens actually by false believing what novice computer users does, they believe that what you see, is what makes things happends.
Without Gnome's good development, Ubuntu would be nothing
Without Linux good HW support, Ubuntu would be nothing
Without clean menus, Ubuntu would be nothing
Without nice slogan, Ubuntu would be nothing
And last but most important thing, without great luck for releasing Ubuntu in that time when everything else in Linux community was correct, Ubuntu would not be so success.
So if Ubuntu would come up 2001 or 2002, it would be "forgotten" distribution like Xandros, but it came right time, with "correct" people trying it, it did success.
Now if you place Mandriva, Ubuntu and openSUSE to front of novice computer user, Ubuntu is last choise when it comes to system management and basic/advance usage. Only thing what is keeping now Ubuntu up is community size and it's "fame" what is actually like a soap bubble, what can collaps anytime...
Here's the interesting thing: many Americans would shit themselves if someone were arrested for exercising their freedom of speech, regardless of what's been said, or at least, as I've been discovering, as long as it conforms to their worldview.
On the other hand, Chinese think very differently. Even my wife, and her friends, who are Taiwanese, not even Chinese, agree with the actions taken by the government. And these are people living in the US. They agree with the right to free speech and to be able to be critical of the government. But they believe that there's a line people shouldn't cross. My wife finds it troubling that a person in the US can say anything and everything even if it's socially disruptive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCLuYvBeq40
And U.S has not stealed national securities from other countries? HAH... Even Sweden has big and great spy-network now coming but it is small when comparing to U.S spy network....
Team Fortress 2 crashes on exit for me, every single time. Happened on XP, then on Vista 32, now on Vista 64. Meh, could be worse.
Yes, it could crash exit on my Linux too!
The Windows NT Operating Systems kernel is over 15 years, as the Windows NT Operating system is over 15 years old but complete Windows systems what use XX version of Windows NT, are bretty new ones, like Vista over year.
Linux OS is over 17 years old, but complete software systems build over it, are young, like Ubuntu is now 5 years, while the OS what keeps Ubuntu working, Linux is still over 17 years...
Windows Vista is just renamed Windows NT6
There comes the Windows 7 codename because it is 7th OS release of Windows NT.
Microsoft has done great job by rebranding Windows NT to years or new names like XP and Vista and people really believe that those are different OS's than Windows 2000 or Windows NT4, while they are just newest versions of same OS.
Just like Linux 2.6.x is same OS than Linux 2.4.x but just different version...
But, Vista (NT6) has be out only a over year now, Windows NT itself a much longer, since 1993 so it is now over 15 years old OS. ;)
Windows NT is not same as MS-DOS (MS-DOS 1.0 >> Windows ME) what would be now 27 years old OS if Microsoft would not end it's development 2000
Windows is one brand what just has multiple different OS's under it, like Windows Mobile and Windows NT currently. So just saying Windows == Vista is wrong because Windows means other OS's too.
Linux is from in active development since 1991 so it is over 17 year old OS now, older than Windows NT ;-)
Mayby we should build Linux from scratch ;-)
Krhm... Linux is monolith kernel what makes it OS because Linux includes all the services what OS need to service to applications and hardware. microkernel is then different thing, you need other parts with microkernel to have a OS.
Hardware | Operating System | Application
Hardware | Linux | Application
Hardware | Windows NT | Application
Operating System + Applications == Software system
Windows NT is not a kernel, it is Operating system what use a Microkernel as kernel, all other services has spread to kernel mode and user mode and all other applications are in user mode too. Windows NT + applications builds up a complete system what is called as "OS" by Micro$oft marketing because the OS is what is sold to users but applications what comes with the OS, are "Free" for users.
Do not spread that false believing that Linux is "just a kernel" like it would be a microkernel...
Keeping XP on the old machines, reusing licenses, using ubuntu, and a plethora of other options exist.
Your assumption that linux is the only alternative reveals a bias.
What the....? Ubuntu IS THE Linux OS....
Ubuntu is not different OS than Linux.
Ubuntu is just one distribution of Linux OS.
Linux is the OS what is used by different complete software systems like Ubuntu, what includes OS + Software + support + brand
If you want other alternativies for Vista than Linux, you need to turn to look a Mac OSX, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD or OpenSolaris (and few others). Linux is one OS from many alternatives and we have ~400 different distributions of Linux OS.
Currently you have three mainstream OS's to choose, Windows NT (XP/Vista/7), Mac OSX and Linux. And you have then those *BSD OS's and OpenSolaris etc.
Ubuntu is not anykind "special OS" out there for to get a Windows alternative, it's samekind "OS" with same options and possibilities than other mainstream Linux distributions.
You should horry up, usually it is 2-3 years when the idea what you got and you tought you were smart to innovate it, it's on markets and in use.
There is companies what allows you to write game ideas etc, and game companies then look them trought there, if they find something intresting, you get profit from it.
You should find those companies site via google, I heard two years ago such companies exist.
First do a mockups from your game, write a short document what it is about (about a5 size letter, so not long) and then longer document how it's ideas works as complete game.
Look how movie industry does this kind things, ask about script writers how they protect their ideas and how they offer them to movie studios etc.
Seems that MediaSentry will loose DRM technology to china. Simple answer to protect your own business and technology is not bring it to china, they are professionals to copy and develop better versions (and cheaper etc versions too) of the technology....
The reason to want DRM to all olympic data can be youtube etc others mockups. They might be a fraid that the video or speaks are used as propaganda against them, so they lock users to use it for own purpose.
Mayby they use Windowless bunker or bunker where the computer lab is windowless...
Question is, what meaning is windows on room where you are, or are they using other OS's than Microsoft Windows?
What I readed, it is bretty much what Hackers does, learn the security weakness and then fix them or even understand them so they can block them.
Those are Hackers, but not Crackers who would then use those... but wait... they DID seem to spam internet forums etc...
If you really want to learn Linux, grab two good distributions of it, like Mandriva and Ubuntu. ;-))
Then use first few weeks other one first, and change middle time the desktop environment to other so you understand the difference of KDE and Gnome. Then after few weeks, install the other one and use it again with same way, with KDE and then with Gnome (or vice versa).
You can take openSUSE and Mandriva or take all three distributions. Then you understand the difference of distributions how they like to offer you a Linux OS and you can then pick up the one what you like.
And you dont need to install them to your computer either, just use live CD of those (you cant change the desktop environment so easily). Using LiveCD just makes things easier to jump back to Windows if problem comes and you dont have time/mind to solve it because you have already done it on Windows side, so you just boot easily to familiar Windows environment and stick there. The HD installation just "force" you to learn (you dont need to wipe Windows from your disk either
So the market machine got now first numbers, what are still very low rated against the real amount of the Linux usage.
In Finland, I see mostly Windows machines with XP version on them, but the second OS what is used, is Linux. Apple has it own market share but there is no much those machines than Linux.
By just viewing the market share, I would say that Windows has 70-75% market share (if not even under 60%!) when Linux has 15-20% and Apple has rest.
The problem is that Linux OS market is shared even for smaller pieces by every distribution what is used, Ubuntu might has almost 20-30% market share of Linux OS but Mandriva and OpenSuse is behind very tightly, if not even over Ubuntu.
This does not reflect the hard evidence data (and other areas than southern Finland), but just what _I_ see on schools, companies and privat users, age range 15-85 (I have 52 privat customers from what only 13 has Windows XP and 7 has Vista, rest has Mandriva or OpenSuse).
Almost every University what teach IT, will teach at least Linux basics.
In my University, every new IT student on that year got Laptop (112 students) (Acer Travelmate 5720) what had first Vista Business installed on it. They leaved 20Gb un-partioned space to end for Linux installation, and gave permission to install owner wanted distribution if they wanted, but Mandriva was installed after few weeks when the new version came out. And the Windows is used on the Win32 coding lessons but when are on network/java/C++ etc lessons, almost all use just Linux on those because it is easier, those few who dont use, has deleted the Linux partitions for ganining more space for Windows side.
Now new students who starts this year, they get same thing too.
I just dont believe at all those Linux 0.1-3% market shares studies because what I see, is totally different. I hope next year when I go to Brazil, I see even bigger adoption of Linux there than on Finland.
Sorry, I were not late, I was just wrong on timeline;-)
Sorry, you are late... it came when Linux got running on XBOX (1). See you on the next market area, because Servers, Desktops, WLAN's, Routers (networking) and Consoles "Year of the Linux on X" has already gone on those markets... Mayby next one is "Year of the Linux on Cars" or "Year of the Linux on Dildo"...
Better than it was before. Better, stronger, harder, deeper, faster.
Ahhh... you mean skynet... right?
Because Ubuntu is snapshot of unstable, isn't a LTS version somekind "snapshot" from the "Stable"?
Like now Canonical can maintain LTS version again longer when Debian's unstable where current LTS is, change to Stable?
Just to mention, this is oddly enough that Mandriva get's called as GNU/Linux and Debian gets called as Linux.... :-)
Because no one anymore cares what does something mean and why it
Ubuntu does not need those, Linux does!
There is difference, Linux is the OS, but Ubuntu is just one distribution among others. Dont be a fan of Ubuntu and promote it as the "special" "OS". We have LSB (Linux Standard Base) standard what makes it easy for closed source software makers to build a software what runs on all Linux distributions. If you promote only a Ubuntu, it is like wanting Canonical to replace Microsoft.
That "Install Applications" is not Ubuntu oriented. It is on all usual desktop environments and windowmanagers menu.
Mandriva has same, it just opens rpmdrake as normally would get opened. And rpmdrake does not show any application without GUI by default, but you can change it to show different kind packages, and you can search them very easily or browse catalog.
The actuall problem still exist, what is on all package managers or even google. User does not know is the application 1 good for him or application 2.
To help novice user, we add simple applications for every purpose, already installed to system, so user can start using computer without learning first something. If first thing is that user needs to install something, even it would be X on the package list, it is too much.
Ubuntu was not even first one to offer this kind usability, simple menus and one application for one purpose. Only difference was Ubuntu's brown theme and good timing when Gnome and Linux fitted to normal usage and there were applications for basic stuff.
Now, Ubuntu has nothing more difference against other distributions than fame and community. These are two things, community is actually even worse than few others, but it is easy enough to use (forums), even that some other distributions makes the forums usage even easier (mandriva, you get your login name and password while installing it).
Now Ubuntu only rides with it's fame and marketing, what is the reason why it is so popular, what is reason why it gets so much packages to repositories and why there is so easy to install software on Ubuntu. Marketing makes Ubuntu as special and easy to install applications.
But if 3D effect tells user what has happend, when user has done something, is as important as the simple UI.
Example, you move mouse over icon, it can change color, gamma etc to give informative. When user clicks mouse, the icon can give a respond that it has be clicked, the users command is processed.
When you move the mouse over icon, the mouse icon can change shape from arrow to hand to tell "hey, this is link". When user clicks the icon, the mouse icon change itself to time-glass or watch, and start doing somekind animation to give information to user that something is done currently.
Those small things are effects, and very informative ones and needed very much. Think about UI what is just simple but has no effect at all. You dont get any respond from computer what is happening, you cant be sure is the mouse click being processing, does application start take long or is isn't it even being started.
Those are simple 2D effects what are usually shown as 3D (shadows on buttons, shadow under menu etc) but true 3D effect can be more informative, if it is just correclty done.
Effects makes UI more intuitive, and 3D makes more intuitive, but if it is over-done, 3D effects starts just distract the user. They add noise to real information.
Wisely used, 3D effects makes UI more intuitive than UI without (3D) effects.
Actually, all those effects are very informative for user who does not have "first level" information like those who has worked long times with computers. Like the wobling effect, you can control how much you "feel" the mouse when you move the window, make the window very hoppy and you notice you use your mouse hand very different way than when you make window very "sloppy" so you need to use more "force" on your arm to move the window.
Animations are informative unless those are made just for eye candy, example, if you put effect "explode" when closing window (only) and then "fade" effect to menu and other closing, you notice the difference. Then if you change window opening to "dream" and menu and other opening effect to "fade" too, you notice right away the difference when window is opening and closing.
Then you can do it wrong, just place "explode" to everything (windows, menus others) so what ever happens (get opened/closed, moved, resized etc), same effect comes up. Now you are tottally saturated with eye-candy what does not tell you anything more than "something just happend" and most of time, it just distrubrs normal user.
With correctly used, all the effects what compiz-fusion and Kwin offers, are very powerfull and informative. But if the way how they are used is wrong, they make more harm than good.
There is no "non eye-candy" and "eye-candy", black'n'whiteness. It is always about situation, how the effects have done and how they are used.
Seems to be so that all the videos on youtube about compiz-fusion, is configures mostly and almost to be pure "eye candy". 15 years old kid who laughs how the window explose away when get closed.
3D effects can be think as sound effects. No sound effects, you need to see what is happening, with small/low sound voice when every different action is with different effect (closed, maximised, opened, crashed etc), you dont need to see anymore, you understand what has happend when you hear. But if you change that small/low sound effect to something different, example of 30s heavy metal when window gets opened and 5min Ave Maria when application crash, everyone gets grazy expect the deaf.
Smallest effects are that when you press button, it get pressed and it change littlebit look or gives somekind respond to you. Or when you move the window, it shows at least a retancle what size and where you are moving it, if not the window itself is moved. All those small things are effects what helps to interact with the computer.
No one is not forced to use just those, those can be expand for more informative versions, 3D effects, and they stay very informative until, they are done/used wrong way, then they start spreading noise among information and usage level drops to same level than there would be zero (0) effects at all.