Ubuntu Productivity

If Ubuntu Linux had not won me over yet then it certainly has now. Ubuntu Netbook Remix is a fantastic set of tools for running Linux on small screens and boosting productivity in a limited workspace. The official description of the project says:

Ubuntu Netbook Remix is a ‘remix’ of the standard Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 release to enable it to work better on devices with small screens, such as Netbooks (sub-notebooks), although these packages will work on any 8.04 installation.

The Remix instantly captured my attention because of its focus on small screens. I have a 13″ MacBook laptop. Its 1280 x 800 screen can feel cramped sometimes, especially compared to my dual-scren iMac setup at work.

Given that my entire Ubuntu experiment is about productivity I had to give it a go. I have grown fond of how easy Linux makes experimentation. I knew that I could very easily install the Remix, test it, and just as easily uninstall it when I was done. But I’m keeping it. Here’s why.

1. More screen real estate thanks to creative maximization of windows into the Gnome panel
2. Window switching analogous to tabs
3. Access to every open app & window in the Gnome Panel
4. A more functional desktop thanks to the UME Launcher
5. A very cohesive and clean dark theme

Focused Workflow

Thanks to an ingenious app called Maximus every window in the Ubuntu Remix is maximized. At first I thought this might get annoying, but actually it serves to focus my attention quite well. Almost everything I use my laptop for involves text editing. Emails, this blog, writing code, etc. It’s all writing. So the full-screen workflow focuses on the task at hand. But how do you get to the other windows and apps that are behind the active one?

Thankfully Canonical really thought this Remix through. The window picker applet, seen at the very top-center of the screenshot below, offers alot of very useful information and functionality. It gives a tabbed-like interface to every open application and window, using icons as identifiers. And it focuses the active application by spreading a large bar across the empty space displaying its icon, title, and a close button. This makes it remarkably easy to navigate between open windows.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix improves productivity by focusing attention. Here is my Wordpress admin interface on a 1280 x 800 screen.

An added benefit of the Remix is the location of the application menus. Because every window gets maximized the menus are always on the top-left corner of the screen, very similar to the Mac OS. I realize this is personal preference, but I am loving it

All-inclusive Launcher

The Netbook Remix launcher is awesome. Besides not having to worry about a cluttered desktop (because it’s always hidden) the launcher gives ready access to every app, file, and folder in Ubuntu. Coupled with GnomeDo I can get at anything on my computer with minimal effort.

The launcher fully supports keyboard navigation. Tabbing will rotate focus between the left, center, and right columns. The arrow keys focus the items within each column. And enter will perform the item’s action, such as launching the application or opening the folder.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix Desktop launcher running on my 13" MacBook

What are the negatives?

Well, it does not play well with Compiz or Metacity’s compositing manager, so there are no drop-shadows or other advanced effects (this appears to be a bug in the Intel driver and not the Remix.) I actually do not miss the effects like I anticipated. The new workflow established by the Remix negates the need for most things I used Compiz for. The only thing I miss is using the keyboard to tab through active apps and windows.

More Information

All the instructions for installing the Netbook Remix can be found on the Remix Launchpad site.

For more information check out these reviews:

• Free Software Magazine
• Ars Technica
• Mark Shuttleworth’s Comments