GNOME 3.0

[#1]

I've been following this thread with interest because I read about the Unity desktop in a Linux magazine.  It all looks a bit OTT to me - I like Gnome because it is clear, simple and to the point with no fancy graphics. That is why I'm not bothered about KDE. 
Anyway, I've lost the plot so has anyone got the patience to tell me what ppa is?  I thought that it was something like parallel port adapter but maybe not? 
Also, about this checksum business - I've tried out a number of distros and versions and not done it on any - they've  all worked.  Am I doing something wrong - should I check it (don't know how anyway).      Last one I did the other day was Mint Julia and I am tempted to install it instead of Ubuntu.

[#2]

Like Unity or not its in many ways academic, Gnome3 is far more like unity than its like Gnome2, the split between Canonical (the sponsors of Unity) and the Gnome developers hasn't been about look and feel, but about technical specs and development process.  I too would prefer a tidied up Gnome2 rather than either Unity or Gnome3.
A PPA is just a way to package and deliver software and subsequent updates.

[#3]

try typing

md5sum --help

in a terminal. You could run this program against a downloaded .iso file and compare the output with the character string in the appropriate web page.
The two strings should be identical.
I never normally bother - but it can cause weird happenings if it occurs, as I found out to my cost!
I don't like Gnome 3.0 either.

[#4]

Thanks to both of you for supplying the information.  Don't know how I've managed to get by with Linux sometimes! 

[#5]

Bit more information here.

[#6]

Quote from: fourfourdevon

Personally, having been following (loosely) the developments in GNOME, I have to say, I feel the GNOME developers have lost the plot, with minimise and maximise buttons being removed in an effort to teach users how to use the interface properly  I think they need to learn some humility and realise that people will use things the way they want to use them, and that may or may not be the way the developers intended, but good software just works for the users, rather than makes the users work.

That sounds not dissimilar to the criticism Canonical/Ubuntu received when they announced the decision to move the window control buttons from top right of windows to top left. GConf allowed users to change them back if they so chose.

$ gconftool-2 -s -t string /desktop/gnome/shell/windows/button_layout ":minimize,maximize,close"

 
will restore the minimise & maximise buttons for those who want them.

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I read some criticism of Unity (in terms of usability) but they seem no worse than those in GNOME3, so I'm looking forward to Unity and hope that it brings some much needed sanity to the Linux desktop.

I don't see any significant differences between the GNOME-Shell, Unity, and MeeGo user interfaces; all use Intel's clutter toolkit and mutter window manager.

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My favourite quote on this subject "KDE never saw an option they didn't like, GNOME never saw one they did." Just sit back and let that sink in, and realise what it means for both the future of KDE and GNOME.

Both will continue to have their adherents for those very reasons.
Some will look to Xfce or LXDE.
The weirdos will use ratpoison 

[#7]

Quote

The avoidance of exclusive application categories and nested sub-menus is a distinct advantage of application launching in the shell compared with the GNOME 2 desktop. Users do not have to guess which category an application is in, and the motor control demands of the application picker are lower than those of menus.

http://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/Design/#Activities_Overview
So they are doing away with a major advantage of Gnome 2.6 then. 

[#8]

Quote from: fourfourdevon

The next version of Ubuntu will ship with Unity by default, but will allow you to use GNOME.

Exactly. Ubuntu uses GNOME. In Ubuntu 11.04 GDM (GNOME Display Manager) will default to Ubuntu (using the Unity UI) but offers the option of Ubuntu Classic (using the Metacity window manager). The Ubuntu repos have a number of other window managers you could use.

[#9]

Quote from: fourfourdevon

[...] the problem with Debian for most is that their release schedule is... well... many years between releases, so you are left to perform upgrades yourself, which depending on the packages, its dependencies and what other packages you've chosen to upgrade or not may or may not be difficult.

Debian gives you choices; unstable, testing, and stable 'branches'. the unstable and testing branches are essentially rolling releases subject to frequent upgrades. Stable gets only bug-fixes and security upgrades.
Use apt-pinning and it's perfectly feasible to install packages from unstable and testing onto a stable installation (and jeopardise its stability in the process).
Linux Mint Debian Edition (to be renamed Linux Mint GNOME) and the recently released Xfce edition are both based on Debian Testing; the forthcoming Fluxbox edition is also to be based on Debian Testing. I wouldn't be surprised if future KDE & LXDE releases followed.
Both Crunchbang and Mepis distributions have moved from an Ubuntu base to a Debian Stable base.
Each of these distros have a very small developer base (compared to Ubuntu) and struggle to keep up with the six-month release cycle of Ubuntu.

[#10]

@EvilFox:
That's not any kind of advantage to me. All the apps I use on a daily basis are always open - grouped together on virtual desktops, windows sized as I find most convenient. Whenever I reboot the system I rely on gnome-session to open the same apps on the same virtual desktops in the same position as when the system was shut down.
Apps which don't play well with gnome-session or are less regularly used are launched from icons on the GNOME panel.
Making use of the menus / sub-menus is something I try to avoid.

[#11]

Depends how many applications you use. 

[#12]

Quote from: Waldo

Each of these distros have a very small developer base (compared to Ubuntu) and struggle to keep up with the six-month release cycle of Ubuntu.

Erm, that seems far more like a marketing problem than a technical one, it would be perfectly easy (i.e. as easy as using Debian) to start using the current Ubuntu and continue to use that until you release your distribution, but of course saying "based on Ubuntu 10.04" when 10.10 is out and Ubuntu are talking about 11.04.
All they are doing by switching distro as their base is hiding their relative slowness of development.

[#13]

Quote from: fourfourdevon

All they are doing by switching distro as their base is hiding their relative slowness of development.

Well the reason the Mint developers gave for using Debian was a growing unease with the way/direction that Ubuntu was moving in, hence the move to the parent distro. Slowness of development CAN be an advantage, take the large number of people who prefer the LTS or stable versions over the 6 month releases. I am in both camps, on my EEE I use Mint 9 but on this machine I have Mint 10 installed along with several bleeding edge ppa's.
I must admit I couldn't go back to vanilla Ubuntu now.
Re the back end, people don't care whether they are running GDM/KDE or what ever (E11 anyone?) all they see is the desktop - on my EEE I run GDM with the netbook launcher on it fine for the 7" screen but I don't want it on this PC I also use virtual desktops and the Avant WIndow Manager dock - I rarely need to go to the menus.

[#14]

Quote from: Waldo

The weirdos will use ratpoison

Guilty as charged

[#15]

I had a go on an ipad recently - not mine!!!
Virtually impossible to use - you use a silly gesture to go to the next page and shows you the previous page.
I don't know how you would resize a window, except it would be with great difficulty.
Possibly with a mouse plugged in, the whole thing would be just usable.
I've changed my mind about unity-style touch-screens - I predict that although Unity and Gnome 3.0 are similar, that people will say they hate Unity, whilst Gnome will retain most of decent design credibility. 
Unity is actually difficult on even a small touch-screen netbook and will remain even more so on a desktop monitor.