A Month With Unity, Hmmmm
I started my experiment with going Linux-only (except on my work provided machine) about a month ago. My new laptop dual boots to Windows 7 and Ubuntu/Unity 11.10; I’ve been running Ubuntu 11.04 on a home server machine for over 6 months (before that a Gentoo distro) with Unity too, and Linux Mint on an old Compaq notebook. Being a platform whore, Linux is a good fit for me. I like Macs but . . I like PC hardware and love being in Linux with all its server type stuff. Linux on a PC is the best of all worlds for me.
I LOVE Unity. Its a great interface. Love it. The usability things like the trackpad features etc. are much, much better than Windows and the interface is in my opinion equivalent to a Mac.
Of course there’s been some issues, and its hardware related. Hardware is the reason I didn’t completely go to a Mac years ago (and so you know my career started on System 6 Macs). It’s this: Ubuntu’s power management and video driver management is lacking enough to make me think of staying on Windows 7 on my new HP Pavilion notebook. With my standard battery charged when I start up I get over 4 hours of time on this i7 quadcore, full 1080p screened up HP. Starting up Unity, turning down the screen etc. I only get 1.5 hours on the battery. In percentages, Unity only gives me 37.5% of my battery life; Windows 266% more time than Unity. this is significant. Just to get to this I spent 4 hours mucking around with the settings in Unity for my Radeon graphics card.
Having sprung for a better battery this is worry some and not acceptable. I am trying to think of usability cases — probably, I will work in Ubuntu when plugged in, but, in Windows 7 if I am without an outlet i.e. on a patio at a coffee shop. So I’ll wait and see.
Also my last platform-specific app is FL Studio. I would really like it to run better on Ubuntu (in Wine) but it’s OK at best. So, will work with that too.
Hmmmm. I REALLY REALLY want a good Unity machine, sooooo close.