The 2012 GNOME User Survey Begins, Take It Now

[Vax456]

I miss when GNOME were usable.

GNOME Shell in GNOME 3 is just weird and stupid.
It forces me to work the way it wants me to instead of just let me do my thing.
It has too many clicks to get things done.

Also, I think the developers just want to make a weird new interface to write on their resumé that they pioneered innovative UI and UX research.

They throw out accepted UX patterns in favor of their own untested UX ideas that nobody want.

If you don't like Gnome 3, that's fine, but don't scrutinize people for wanting to test their own ideas. If they're wrong about their design ideas, then they found something that doesn't work. Time to try something different. Nothing's lost. If they're right, then maybe a new trend will catch on.

As for Gnome 3 forcing you to work the way it wants you to work, you're right, it is forced on the user. However, the way Gnome 3 is designed isn't inherently bad. Is it bad because it's flawed, or is it bad because it doesn't work the way you want it to work and/or are used to working?

And speaking of Gnome 3 forcing users to work the way it wants you to, nobody's forcing you to use Gnome 3. There's plenty of other desktop environments that stick with the used and proven user interface model. You're not losing anything. Nobody's walking into your house and beating you with a leather belt for using KDE, XFCE, LXDE, E17, MATE, Cinnamon, Busybox, or any of the other desktop environments.

Your post really pisses me off. Not because you don't like Gnome 3, that's perfectly fine. What pisses me off is you act like there's nothing else for you to use, and you're scrutinizing other people for wanting to design something other than the status quo.

[Kivada]

A survey by Gnome 3 haters for Gnome 3 haters... I wonder what the results will be?

Maybe we actually have a point to make and the Gnome-Shell devs are just to arrogant to accept when they are wrong?

The Gnome2 desktop wasn't broken and didn't need fixing.

If the designers where itching to try something new they should have started a new project, not taken over an existing one, gut it and push only what they wanted ignoring the users. Thats a Microsoft or Apple thing to do, not an OSS thing to do.

[Delgarde]

Then try gnome on a new laptop. Many have touch displays. Thats mouse+keyboard+touch now. Gnome is not a tablet OS it is an OS fitting 2012.

I know, and I'd like to try Shell on one, see how well it works. I'm very happy with how it works on a desktop system, but I suspect it would need some changes in order to work well on a device where a keyboard is either unavailable, or at least de-emphasized.

[cbamber85]

Well I really like Gnome 3, it really suits the way I work and I find it quite intuitive. I have to use Gnome 2 on a VM for my job, and I don't like it very much, in fact I prefer working on the host OS: Windows 7. It isn't 1998 anymore - UX designers should be trying new bold things.

[Delgarde]

Maybe we actually have a point to make and the Gnome-Shell devs are just to arrogant to accept when they are wrong?

That's nice, but it may come as a surprise to you to know that not everybody thinks they're wrong. Some of us think Shell is brilliant - it has a few annoyances, but overall it's a big improvement over it's predecessor. And I'd be very unhappy if they decided to change direction and go back to the old panel interface...

[BO$$]

That's nice, but it may come as a surprise to you to know that not everybody thinks they're wrong. Some of us think Shell is brilliant - it has a few annoyances, but overall it's a big improvement over it's predecessor. And I'd be very unhappy if they decided to change direction and go back to the old panel interface...

It's very good that you like it. Now for the others to like it they must add configuration options to make it like we like it. That is all. Don't change the desktop paradigm and expect all is well. Provide us with ways to make it look like we're used to. Why do you think microsoft still provides the classic desktop after all these years even though they keep changing the interface with every version?

[numasan]

The GNOME 3 (Shell) hate/FUD is getting old. Stop bitching and use something else - Linux is about choice.

I like using GNOME 3 and don't think it's slower to work in than GNOME 2. It's not perfect but I look forward to see where it's heading the next couple of years. I was reluctant to try GNOME 3 because of all the negative reactions, but now I'm glad I gave it a shot. It feels fresh and I prefer it over OSX (when I have to use that OS...).

Only other thing that makes me cringe besides the haters, are the GNOME 3 "UX designers" attitude. No themes and customizations? "Brand awareness"? Come on...

[cbamber85]

Why do you think microsoft still provides the classic desktop after all these years even though they keep changing the interface with every version?

Keep changing the interface? Apart from rounded edges and transparency, it barely changed between 1995 and 2012.

[finalzone]

Maybe we actually have a point to make and the Gnome-Shell devs are just to arrogant to accept when they are wrong?

How about Gnome-shell exposing the arrogance within the very whining users thinking they are the center universe?
Those reactions only mean Gnome Shell decision turned out be right after all.

[Vax456]

It's very good that you like it. Now for the others to like it they must add configuration options to make it like we like it. That is all. Don't change the desktop paradigm and expect all is well. Provide us with ways to make it look like we're used to. Why do you think microsoft still provides the classic desktop after all these years even though they keep changing the interface with every version?

I disagree. The Gnome guys have barely any manpower as it is. They should just stick with their current plan.

As is evident by just some the posters here, there are people that like Gnome 3 (including me). For the people that want a more traditional desktop environment that can be tweaked to their personal tastes, there's plenty of others that can do that. The Gnome 3 guys should just cater to the niche they have and the rest can just pick an environment that best suites their needs and tastes.