Ubuntu Unity is a flavour of Ubuntu featuring the Unity desktop environment (the default desktop environment developed and used by Ubuntu from 2010 to 2017). Unity debuted in the netbook edition of Ubuntu 10.10; it was initially designed to make more efficient use of space given the limited screen size of netbooks, including a vertical application switcher called "the launcher" and a space-saving horizontal multipurpose top menu bar. Ubuntu switched from Unity to GNOME in 2017, but the desktop was resurrected again as an unofficial "Ubuntu Unity Remix" in 2020. It became an official flavour of Ubuntu during the development cycle of Ubuntu 22.10 in 2022.
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Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
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Ubuntu Unity 22.04.1 LTS (Which does not appear as a reviewable option).
So glad to see the Unity shell back again, apparently with Canonical/Ubuntu official recognition.
Having used Ubuntu since 2007, occasionally LinuxMint, I switched to CrunchBang#!; but when Ubuntu with Unity was launched, I adopted it immediately. It was much easier to use that OpenBox, like having a cellphone interface on a laptop/desktop (I think that was the idea, because Ubuntu had the long since abandoned idea of an Ubuntu smartphone, although UBPorts are still working on it).
When Canonical/Ubuntu abandoned Unity, I went back to CrunchBang#!, until Corenominal Phil decided to abandon that project. So I adopted wattOS, until that project was put on hold, and distrohopped Debian LXDE (good if you know how to use OpenBox and write keyboard shortcuts in XML), to Mabox (even better), then BunsenLabs, which I found to get slower and had terrible menus, then SparkyLinux Minimal GUI, which while very good, nearly messed up my printer, and has a very inconsistent repository (there are a lot of 'ghost programmes' in there that do not have an 'installation candidate' (no disrespect to Pavroo: they work hard, maybe too hard, and deserve more support)).
So welcome home new-old friend, on my main machine again.
The sidebar Launcher is so convenient and easy to configure.
The (Super Key) Launcher, HUD (Head Up Display), and Menu Bar do actually 'just work'. Maybe I'm getting lazy, but they're a lot more convenient that having to go into OpenBox .config and manually edit XML files, much as I enjoy doing that.
(The problem with OpenBox is its lack of consistency. Every OpenBox-fronted distro has a different menu. wattOS, Mabox and SparkyLinux's menus are all pretty clean. BunsenLabs' is almost unnavigable, a 'horse created by a committee'. OpenBox needs some kind of consensus to be viable. Obmenu-Generator is apparently 'abandonware'. Why? It worked!)
IMHO, Unity keeps out of the way, and makes operation almost mouseless. Most operations can be performed via the keyboard.
The fact that the person who 'relaunched' Unity 'DE' was probably conceived around the same time as Unity makes it especially poignant.
Unity was a futuristic project, and now it is once again a present project for the future.
Please don't give up on this, unless you can make something even better.
Thank you to the Ubuntu Unity developers.
And thank you to DistroWatch.
Version: Rating: 9 Date: 2023-05-05 Votes: 127
Reviewing 22.04 LTS.
So good, it got me using Ubuntu again, and I am generally a Debian purist. I could install it on Debian, but I would make it look like how it comes by default, so there's really no need. It's quite rare for me to like how a GNU/Linux distro looks out of the box without it impeding actual usability, so that's a definite plus from me.
Aside from that, it's Unity. If you liked it then you'll love this, and if you hated it you'll hate this distro. I tend to have my own preferred programs, so I like that Unity is just a shell, and doesn't come with its own suite of programs. Still, Unity shines on smaller screens like laptops. I haven't tried it on a full monitor. The search is still good. Resource usage is comparable to modern GNOME with slightly better battery life.
Ubuntu itself is fine, it's easy enough to get rid of the things people dislike about it, people complain about snaps so much but getting rid of snaps takes literally 5 minutes. LTS releases of Ubuntu are just Debian that is easier to install proprietary software on after getting rid of snaps anyway. Ubuntu Pro is slightly off-putting but for your average desktop user it's free and changes very little.
Most of all, I am very excited for the future. Rudra Saraswat is extremely talented and I am looking forward to see where he takes Unity X once it's ready.
My first thought was, "oh no, Unity again?!" I wasn't a big fan of it back in the day, but I gave this a trial run to see if maybe my attitude had changed. I will say that this version looks quite nice, and I wasn't as put off as I thought I would be. That being said, it didn't win me back to Unity. If you were not a fan of Unity back then, I don't think this will convince you otherwise. Other than that, this is a good, solid distro I would not hesitate to use as a daily driver... The first thing I'd do after installing this is put a different desktop in it - which rather defeats the purpose..
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