Cheering for Mint 12

I've been trying out Ubuntu 11.10 and Mint 12 (the release candidate, which has been out a couple days). I'm no fan of Ubuntu, but I nevertheless like to test out new technologies. I am particularly interested in Mint's attempt at salvaging GNOME 3.

Hard as it is to believe, GNOME 3 is even worse than Unity. It's not just the fact that it's ugly, even though that is there. I'll take Windows 7 or Mac OS X over GNOME 3 in a second on the basis of looks. The fonts are hideous, the windows and buttons are worse, and there are few options to change it. Yuck. That's all I can say. GNOME 2 may not be pretty either, but it's not that ugly, and I'm able to change it.

The truly bad part of GNOME 3 is that the developers want to make choices for the user. For example, you don't have an option to shut down the computer, because the developers decided that suspend is better. You have to click on the Alt key to get an option to suspend. What if you're using a live CD to try Linux and you don't know that? But beyond that, what business is it of the developer if I want to restart my computer? This is way beyond any of the hoops that Mac users have to jump through.

Let me say it to you clearly. You're a Linux developer. Your job is to write software. Don't make design decisions for me. Linux developers are not normal. They're the guys that wear Spock ears when they code. If I don't want an applications menu, I'll get rid of the applications menu myself. I don't need some loser in his mom's garage to decide that I can't have an applications menu because he thinks it's cool to not have one.

If GNOME 3 is the meaning of FOSS, I'll happily run back to Microsoft in a second. The GNOME project is an insult to everyone who has ever contributed to FOSS. "If you don't like it don't use it" doesn't apply. GNOME is a popular project. It's prestigious to be a part of it, and they're giving us all a bad name.


My hope is that Mint will be able to rescue the GNOME project from the developers. So far it's not looking promising (GNOME 3 may be too far gone) but I'll use it at home for at least a month if I can handle it that long.