Linus Torvalds Likes Chrome OS More Than Gnome 3 Shell?

When Linus Torvalds sneezes the Linux world gets a cold. The father of Linux has praised Google Chrombooks for being more useful than Gnome 3 Shell.

It reminds me of a discussion that I had with him during LinuxCon about whether Google would succeed with Chrombook or not. I told him how my wife was a 100% Chromebook user. Linus has one of the early Chromebooks in their kitchen as the 'family calender' which was used to check Google Calender and occasionally to Google or get map directions. Today he found that the device updated itself to the latest version of ChromOS which comes with Aura Windows Manager. Linus was 'impressed' with Aura, he writes, "I haven't really played around with it all that much, but as a desktop it really doesn't look that bad. I could name worse desktops (cough cough)."

He then points out the problem desktops like Gnome (of Ubuntu Unity) are facing with their 'modern' approach. "It allows such radical notions as having easy mouse configurability for things like how to launch applications. Things Gnome removed because those kinds of things were "too confusing", and in the process made useless. And a auto-hide application dock at the bottom."

Linux found it to be "Revolutionary!"

What's Missing In Chrome OS?
Chromebook is a nice device if all you do is use a browser. I have never heard my wife complaining ever since she started using the Chromebook. Earlier when she was a Mac and then Ubuntu user she would often call me to fix a problem. But, as a power user there is not much that I can do on Chromebook. It leaves quite a lot to be desired, Linux also feels the same way. He says, "If that thing had a terminal window and you could install a development environment on it (and if it wasn't that dog-slow Atom thing - it's literally too slow to really be useful for even web games like Bejeweled - I'm not exactly talking Crysis here!) it really might be quite usable as a laptop."

Linux appreciated the 'traditional' and more 'useful' approach that Gooogle took with Chromebook. He says, "And I have to say, it also seems to improve on the experience even in the non-laptop mode. Making the calendar start as a "window" instead of as a browser tab also means that when you use it in the single-use mode that we traditionally did, the app takes up the whole screen, without the browser buttons etc."

"So the new Aura approach seems to work both as a traditional window manager and as a more limited "apps take up the whole screen." Maybe this whole "browser as an app" thing can really work," says Linus.

Kudos to Google for doing an excellent job with Chromebook. Are people at Gnome listening?

Also a Video on the website

[TK492]

You beat me to it! But I'll just add here his original post from Google+:

Interesting.

I have one of the early chromebooks - it has happily been used in our kitchen as the "family calendar" and most all it does is run google calendar with the occasional google info lookup and/or directions on maps.

Today it decided to update itself to the new chrome version with the Aura window manager. And I haven't really played around with it all that much, but as a desktop it really doesn't look that bad. I could name worse desktops (cough cough).

It allows such radical notions as having easy mouse configurability for things like how to launch applications. Things gnome removed because those kinds of things were "too confusing", and in the process made useless. And a auto-hide application dock at the bottom.

Revolutionary, I know.

If that thing had a terminal window and you could install a development environment on it (and if it wasn't that dog-slow Atom thing - it's literally too slow to really be useful for even web games like Bejeweled - I'm not exactly talking Chrysis here!) it really might be quite usable as a laptop.

And I have to say, it also seems to improve on the experience even in the non-laptop mode. Making the calendar start as a "window" instead of as a browser tab also means that when you use it in the single-use mode that we traditionally did, the app takes up the whole screen, without the browser buttons etc.

So the new Aura approach seems to work both as a traditional window manager and as a more limited "apps take up the whole screen". Maybe this whole "browser as an app" thing can really work.

[mmix]

well yeah, all your privacy belong to google.

[stevea]

The father of Linux has praised Google Chrombooks for being more useful than Gnome 3 Shell.

Not a high bar tho' ....

Things more useful than Gnome 3 Shell ....
A lightening bug in a jar,
An empty salt shaker,
a ballpoint pen out of ink,
spent coffee grounds

[ElderSnake]

I think with some exploring of extensions G3 Shell can be made fairly functional however what mainly turns me off it and Cinnamon is the Mutter/Muffin compositor. Always seems more laggy under load compared to compositors like Compiz and Kwin, but it might just be my machine(s). Unfortunately I'm way too much of a perfectionist on the desktop - I see one screen tear or jitter in a window animation and I get annoyed Although I'm okay in an environment without effects at all.. go figure.

[Gareth Jones]

Originally Posted by ElderSnake

what mainly turns me off it and Cinnamon is the Mutter/Muffin compositor. Always seems more laggy under load compared to compositors like Compiz and Kwin, but it might just be my machine(s). Unfortunately I'm way too much of a perfectionist on the desktop - I see one screen tear or jitter in a window animation and I get annoyed

I think different compositors work better with different video drivers. Over here I get far less tearing with Mutter than I used to with Compiz, but still enough for it to be annoying when watching DVDs etc. This is one of the problems that Wayland is intended to solve, when it eventually replaces the current XCompositor system.

EDIT: Of course, I also switched from the nVidia blob to Nouveau, which may also be a factor.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by ElderSnake

I think with some exploring of extensions G3 Shell can be made fairly functional ...

True - it's a pun. G3 is not useless. If there was no other DEs - then it would be the best around.
Sadly for the G3 developers there are several better desktops around - for MY needs.

[Dan]

... there are several better desktops around -

Ayup.

[Evil_Bert]

I kinda like my DE ... or maybe it's just the wallpaper ... you can see it on my laptop here.

[ElderSnake]

Originally Posted by Gareth Jones

I think different compositors work better with different video drivers. Over here I get far less tearing with Mutter than I used to with Compiz, but still enough for it to be annoying when watching DVDs etc. This is one of the problems that Wayland is intended to solve, when it eventually replaces the current XCompositor system.

EDIT: Of course, I also switched from the nVidia blob to Nouveau, which may also be a factor.

True, it really can depend on a variety of factors, but particularly drivers/different graphics cards.

Mutter for me has always been the smoothest in terms of window resizing and video playback - in fact, I've never seen any screen tearing using it, but the other performance factors have bothered me. But again, I guess Your Mileage May Vary and all that.

In general though I find for instance with Catalyst vs OSS ATi drivers: Catalyst = tearing hell. OSS ATI/Radeon driver = surprisingly smooth. But then there's all the other problems with power management etc (and lack of suspend!). Gah I really hope AMD/ATI get their act together with drivers

Also nice one Bert, lol.

[Dutchy]

The comparison is a bit unfair.
It's like saying that I like my bike more than my car to drive around in the yard and jumping over little ramps.
Yah Duh.

Why is everybody mocking my favourite DE?

[Misfit138]

I stopped reading after the twenty-third error in grammar. The spelling is also atrocious.

[smr54]

Dutchy, if you're serious, then the answer is (probably) that a lot of people got used to one way of doing things and Gnome 3 was a total change. However, someone on the forums created a poll, and the majority of respondents said that they like Gnome 3. So, the folks who don't like it just tend to be a bit more vocal--something is always more noticeable when it aggravates you. For example, my knees are there. But, if I injure it, suddenly I notice it. Otherwise, it just helps my legs bend, and I don't mention it.

So, those who like Gnome 3 seldom make that much noise about it.
And...of course, don't take too much that you read on the Internet that seriously. Think about it--if you like Gnome 3, and 100 or 200 complete strangers, who have no idea of how you work, what you need in a desktop, and so on, tell you that what you're doing is wrong, will you really care?

So, if you were really upset about the general Gnome 3 bashing, don't be. It's just that those who dislike it are more vocal about it than those who do like it. (I guess, anyway, I've only used both versions of Gnome very infrequently, so, to me it's all irrelevant.

Note stevea's post--he writes, "For MY needs." In other words, not necessarily for anyone else's.

[ElderSnake]

Originally Posted by Dutchy

The comparison is a bit unfair.
It's like saying that I like my bike more than my car to drive around in the yard and jumping over little ramps.
Yah Duh.

Why is everybody mocking my favourite DE?

Don't worry Dutchy, have a look around the general internet and once you get past the very vocal (as smr54 said) guys who are very unhappy in the change with their workflow and customization options, you'll find a lot of people actually do like Gnome Shell. And you can be sure a lot of new users will find it rather nice to look at and easy to use

Me personally, I have love/dislike relationship with it. A new release comes out, I apply some extensions and I think gee, this is pretty nice. But then inevitably the power user in me gets sick of something that gets in my way or Mutters performance disappoints me..etc.

I actually like the idea of G3 Shell... I just think some of the execution is lacking. And the Gnome guys probably could have made the switch a little smoother for those who love(d) Gnome2, I'm not entirely sure how, but that's just my opinion.

But no doubt, it works great for a lot of people and that's good.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Dutchy

The comparison is a bit unfair.
It's like saying that I like my bike more than my car to drive around in the yard and jumping over little ramps.
Yah Duh.

Why is everybody mocking my favourite DE?

Because it is your favorite ... and they can get a rise out of you. <....>

Seriously, the whole debate is genuinely silly. It rates right up there with the old xvs.y threads we used to get about Gnome vs KDE, fedora vs. Ubuntu, Windows vs. anything. <....>

Bottom line? Use what you like, and enjoy the blathering for what it is ... casual entertainment.