Some times ago, I read a blog post (I forgot the address) about a user’s complain on Ubuntu’s naming scheme. As we know, Ubuntu has some official derivatives using different desktop environment. Ubuntu it self using Gnome but modified a bit. Default Gnome desktop uses Gnome Shell but Ubuntu uses Unity Shell, a shell exclusively built by Canonical for Ubuntu. Shell is a layer of desktop which bring different flavor and personal experience within desktop.
The biggest derivative (based on the amount of its user) called Kubuntu. Kubuntu uses K Desktop Environment, a desktop environment meant to make the migration from Windows to Linux much easier. KDE brings the elegance of transparency of Windows Vista and Windows 7 and the freedom of FOSS. It also uses less memory (RAM) than Windows 7. But recently, Canonical dropped its financial support on Kubuntu as it doesn’t bring enough profit.
Next big derivative called Edubuntu. Edubuntu uses Gnome but comes with educational apps for children. I have no interest in Edubuntu so I won’t explain further.
Then comes Xubuntu with lightweight XFCE desktop. I use it for a while but have no further interest on it. XFCE designed for older machine which may not be able to run modern Gnome or KDE.
Next comes Lubuntu. The newest official derivative of Ubuntu. It uses lightweight LXDE desktop. Another option for old machines (of course! open source is all about freedom and choices). I personally prefer this one as LXDE’s bird is better than XFCE’s rat. But overall their performance are somehow equal.
As Gnome Shell’s popularity increased, I hope there will be a Gubuntu, Ubuntu with pure Gnome Shell as default desktop environment.
Nah, the complain of the blogger I mentioned above is mainly of the naming scheme. He suggested that Canonical should use Fedora’s naming scheme like Fedora Gnome Edition, Fedora KDE Edition, Fedora Spin (LXDE), and so on.
This sounds reasonable but I find it too mainstream. There are so many distros out there and we probably fed off with it (and probably the reason why Windows user afraid to migrate).
In food business, we have to differentiate the menus to make our foods more noticeable. And this is exactly how Ubuntu naming scheme comes from. With this scheme (and the nickname for every release such as Dapper Drake, Lucyd Lynx, Oneiric Ocelot) Ubuntu become the third position based on amount of user (after Windows and Mac). Just remember that Ubuntu born on 2004 and Linux Kernel born on 1991. What a wonderful powerful operating system.. So I think, there’s no reason Ubuntu have to change the naming scheme.
Sent using Sony Ericsson Elm
Notes of Belthsazar 