Thanks for the tip. I disabled Unity and had no menu and no launcher. This saved me from having to reinstall!

Thx – I can opt out of unity for the time being. It lasted only 2 minutes on my desktop. I don’t purchase a 1600 euros laptop with a 18 inches screen and a 1920×1080 resolution to be inflicted an UI designed to conquer the smart phone market (with infinitesimal chances of success anyway).

OMG! How could they make the change to Unity without even a warning or an option on the upgrade to retain Gnome. Thank god we can change the default back. I can just about cope and might get used to it, but IMHO Gnome had just about reached perfection, and my wife would go ballistic! As in angry: “Why does everything have to change all the time?” Good question! Just as well I upgraded my machine first so I won’t have to try and answer it!

Ubuntu 11.04 look fine with unity desktop, but since the beta I prefer the clasic Gnome.. it’s more user friendly and simple..

Thanks for posting this update – I too had found the you-tube video a day or two after my original post. This method of changing the desktop deserves to be more widely known, but the impression I get is that Ubuntu/Canonical are deliberately trying to make it as hard as possible for people to escape Unity.

I hear that, in 11.10, the option to switch to the “classic” Gnome desktop will not be available. If we can have KUbuntu and XUbuntu, maybe someone will take up the challenge to give us GUbuntu! We can then quietly go our separate ways without a damaging “Gnome vs. Unity” debate.

The change to Unity is a particular kick-in-the-teeth for my efforts to persuade Windows users to migrate to open source – so far I have won the argument that Gnome/Ubuntu isn’t all that different from WindowsXP, but that approach has now flown out of the window (pun intended!).

I understand that many folks like the new toys. But some of us like the things the way they are.

I am still running 9.04 on this computer. I have un-installed the 10 series from my big computer.

I don’t like other folks deciding what is good for me by force. Suggestions are always welcomed.

With 9.4 my computers run fast. 10.04 bogged down everything.

So when I look at the 11 series of changes, it’s not for me.

I believe the direction Ubuntu should go is to make a fantastic base unit. Keep it clean sweet and fast.

Then for the folks who want the toys, they can be added, think of it as if it were a skin.

I know there is a strong debate on how Ubuntu should look. I like the 9.04 orange.

I like less Apple and less Microsoft look and the aggravations; so why is Ubuntu trying to be an Apple, me too, operating system?

I think Ubuntu has a good chance of taking over the computer world so let’s work together.

Let’s stop the two year new look and instead lock down the system and make it stronger, not obnoxious.

Too many times the big release is released when it’s not ready, something like Microsoft.

So instead of having folks fighting with things they don’t want, do what you do and do it well, then give the option for the toys.

Too many cute decisions can decide Ubuntu out of being the leading Linux distribution.

Let’s give one example: Dashboard, It’s a great idea as long as it’s not on my desktop so make it an add-on option not something to remove.

This comment is intended to make Ubuntu better, not a gripe.

This actually worked out for me very well. Just an FYI – you have to click on your login name before you see the “classic desktop” option menu at the bottom of the screen. Hope that helps.

Cannot figure out how perform these last 2 steps? Any help would be greatly appreciated…please and thanks!

John

2.) Right click on “main menu”, “global menu” at top left screen and uncheck “lock to panel”, then select to “remove from panel”

3.) Right click on top panel, choose “add to panel” and then add “menu bar”.

thanks for this.. as soon as i removed the menu bar from the top ‘task bar’, it appeared on all my windows.. Unity has been very irritating, give 10 different tasks and there would be more mouse clicks and typing before you would find what you’re looking for.

i guess unity is a ‘simplistic’ / ‘minimalist’ design that fits well on a smart phone or mobile device that has 1 main button.. but i want the power of my desktop! so classic ubuntu has to be the default..

My menu bar where time and date seems to have completely locked itself as in I can use the drop down Icon with the circle & straight line to go to settings – top right corner. It locked when I used the TV as a monitor via s-video cable.. Any ideas? Many thanks

[…] in natty, you could revert back to the traditional gnome desktop, by choosing gnome-classic session at start. You could move the windows controls to the right if you like, and even you could […]