News, tips and features on the Unity desktop environment, the default shell in Ubuntu.
Ubuntu 12.04 has been gaining more visible UI changes in recent updates due to the looming ‘freezes’ on features and interface changes. Below I present a handful of the more ‘prominent’ visual changes that have […]
Is Precise gearing up for another change to App Menu behaviour? Sort of. New code aimed at ‘the implementation of locally integrated menubars‘ has been proposed for ‘merging’ into Metacity, Unity, Light Themes and Compiz. […]
One feature you may be surprised (or relived) to find missing in Ubuntu 12.04 is the 'Dodge' effect of the Unity Launcher. A healthy pot of debate has been stirring on the Unity Design mailing list over the decision to remove it entirely and instead default the launcher to 'not hide'.
With Ubuntu 12.04 edging closer to its developmental deadlines many of the more visual features and changes are beginning to land in updates. Many of the latest changes, highlighted below, were expected, having previously been highlighted in […]
The Unity launcher is a shelf for managing and launching our favourite applications. But on smaller screens, such as those on netbooks, it's easy for it to become so stacked full of pinned and running apps that things become slightly unmanageable. If you find that that's the case for you then give one of these 'themed' category quick-lists a go. They group popular applications together in a handy right-click quick-list.
Unity 5.2 has arrived in Ubuntu 12.0, a day after the release of alpha 2. Unity 5.2 has under gone rigorously testing over the past weeks or so ahead of its deposit in Ubuntu 12.04. Along with much improved multi-monitor support come a handful of other notable changes.
The second alpha of Ubuntu 12.04 has been made available for download. As Ubuntu 12.04 is a 'Long Term Support' release development is focusing on creating a dependable stable experience. As such Ubuntu 12.04 Alpha 2 features only a handful of modest user-visible changes to the desktop. Check in for screenshots, video and the all important download link.
We previously mentioned that the 'Giant Shortcuts' in Unity's Dash were being given the ol' heave-ho in Ubuntu 12.04. That update has now landed in the Unity PPA ahead of its push to Ubuntu 12.04.
It's somewhat apt that Ubuntu's 'Lenses' feature has brought Unity into clearer focus for many of its initial critics. The search-orientated display windows - called 'Lenses' - make finding specific files, apps or information easy to do thanks to their tuned 'search backends' - called Scopes'. Inside we lost 10 of the best Lenses and Scopes available for Ubuntu 11.10.
The headline to this article might sound inflammatory but it's a question currently being debated on the Ubuntu Desktop mailing list. Ubuntu's Jorge Castro makes the case for 'jettisoning' the tool from the the Ubuntu Universe repositories (i.e. removing it from the Ubuntu Software Centre).
If you've upgraded Unity in Precise so you can play with Ubuntu's new 'HUD' feature then you also have another slick new update ready and waiting to be checked out...
A handful of new configuration options have landed in the Ubuntu 12.04 'User Interface' settings pane.