Ubuntu’s New Unity User Interface

There was a lot of discussion last fall when Canonical announced that they would be using the Unity desktop shell in place of the familiar GNOME desktop shell. The full-scale release of Natty Narwhal as version 11.04 brought that announcement to fruition to both applause and some boos.

Meet the Unity Shell

The Unity interface was originally developed for the Ubuntu Netbook Edition. It shipped as the default user environment on version 10.10. From there, Ubuntu developers worked to adapt the shell to the desktop environment.

The idea behind the move to Unity is to improve Ubuntu’s ease of use and visual appeal. Ironically, the same goal was behind the redesign of the GNOME Shell interface that Ubuntu, and most other Linux vendors, used previously.  Canonical may have figured that if users are going to have to adjust to a new environment’s design and feel, they might as well adjust to a new environment developed in-house.

The result is a desktop that moves in the direction of interfaces like MacOS and Windows 7. The launcher bar on the left borrows heavily from Mac OS and the indicator menu bar at the top-right is a condensed version of the familiar Windows notification icons.

For users with powerful enough hardware and available graphics drivers, Unity runs in a satisfying 3D version. For users without the resources, or for whom no usable graphics display drivers can be found, there is a plainer 2D version that works much the same, but is nowhere near as pleasant to look at.

The Unity interface is, by default, at once both more visually appealing, and less cluttered. Its history as a netbook interface, where small screen sizes require maximizing the value of whatever receives precious screen real estate, shows through, as does the developer’s desire to make Ubuntu more accessible to mainstream computer users.

Ubuntu Unity Launcher

The launcher is the first thing most people notice. It has colorful and easy to distinguish icons that launch applications and features with a single click. Mac users will find it similar to the toolbar from that OS.

However, the idea of an always-on toolbar goes against the paradigm of less clutter and making the most of every inch of the display area, which is why the launcher automatically hides itself whenever a window is maximized. The launcher reappears when it would not be taking space away from a full-screen window or whenever the user moves the mouse pointer to the left edge of the screen. In all, the launcher seems to be there when you need it and out of the way when you don’t.

Applications, files and folders can be added or removed to the launcher, similar to Windows 7′s ability to “pin” and “unpin” applications on the task bar. Furthermore, the workspace switcher is incorporated into the launcher eliminating the need for a bottom panel.

Clicking the WorkSpaces icon pops up the active spaces. Switching is as easy as clicking the desired space. The really great thing, however, is that you can use the same screen to drag and drop windows from one space to another, allowing users to just move that needed application into the same space, rather than switching back and forth between WorkSpaces or re-launching the program in the desired space.

Ubuntu Unity Dash

One of the important pieces of the Unity interface isn’t visible until you click the home button. Clicking the home button brings up the dash, short for dashboard. When the dash is running, the launcher is grayed out and the buttons are locked. To get out of the dash quickly, users can just press the Escape key.

The dash is a built-in search interface, as well as a frequently used programs listing. Start typing and the dash updates based upon searches for possibilities that might match what is being entered. As soon as you see what you are looking for, you can stop typing.

Interface Quirks

There are several interesting things about the Unity interface that can make it frustrating or brilliant, depending upon your point of view and how well they end up working in a particular situation. For example, the menus are always displayed in the menu area of the interface, not the application. In other words, instead of a menu at the top of the application, there is a menu at the top of the screen.

Another quirk is that scrollbars appear outside of the application window rather than inside. Even more quirky, they don’t always display unless you put the mouse on the side of the application.

Reaction

As with any major software change, there has been some backlash. Some users have taken to forms and blogs to denounce the Unity interface with vitriol reminiscent of how so many people hated Windows Vista. Perhaps most intriguing are the numbers at DistroWatch, which show Ubuntu out of the number one spot for the first time in a very long time. However, Ubuntu has moved back up to #2 or #3 – depending upon the day — in the one month rankings from as low as #4, suggesting that the furor may have died down and users are coming back. Perhaps, Canonical has achieved their goal and the easier to use Unity interface is bringing new users to Ubuntu and Linux altogether.

One thing users should keep in mind, is that the familiar GNOME 2 interface is also in the past. Many complaints come from long-time users who feel put out that they have to learn how to use a new interface at all. On the other hand, the latest GNOME 3 release is a full departure from previous GNOME versions as well, so one way or another, you’ll be learning a new interface (or switching to a different distribution) sooner or later. However, users  can select the “classic” interface if now is not the time to make that transition.

Chances are that Canonical won’t be going back to GNOME any time soon, but users can be sure that the company is looking at the user community feedback and the features of other interfaces. Unity is likely to get better with each release; the question is whether it will be good enough to satisfy a very demanding user community.

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