Trial Run

Poking around on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS on a pre release daily build I am pleased to find that there are many of my favourite apps that are integrated much better into the system, and become almost transparent. Pidgin integrates into the message menu with pop-ups notifying of friends and buddies signing on and off. The social networks are better supported and integrate very well through the use of Unity Lenses. Using Twitter and Facebook I can find tweets and posts and even reply and/or retweet directly from the unity lens... no need to log into the website. Although I can understand that to many, the ability to search on-line content from the dash is most useful, I feel it “loads” it up too much and opt out of that feature. The Unity Launchers icons size can now be easily set from the system settings and the UI has a setting to “scale” in relation to the screen resolution... meaning that you can adjust the User Interface for your particular needs without altering the actual monitor resolution... a very nice feature. There have been a number of tweaks added from the input of the community, some minor and not so noticeable, but they all add to the over-all smooth and well thought out design, I am becoming a bit more open to the Unity interface having given the default install of this still yet unpolished release a thorough test drive. I certainly feel that Trusty Tahr will be another outstanding Long Term Support release. I look forward to doing a full and permanent install of the finished product some 3 or so weeks from now.