Make Ubuntu look a little bit more like Ubuntu (+ a few small things)

Main Contents
Ever since Ubuntu has transitioned from Unity, it has shipped with a customized Gnome desktop that sort of looks like Unity, but only partly. It works well, and I’d say that it improves the default Gnome desktop experience, and makes it accessible to more users. But I do think that it could be a little bit better by looking even more like Unity than it currently does:



First off, having the applications menu button on top makes it easier to reach it. On top of that, the current lack of an Ubuntu logo on the current dock is disappointing, because that’s part of Ubuntu’s identity. When people see the Windows logo on the start menu button they know they’re using Windows. It’s very recognizable. As such, I do think that having the Ubuntu logo return to the dock would be a nice addition and would make the desktop look better overall.
Second point (and some may not agree with it) is that the old Unity application launcher looked more familiar compared to Gnome’s full screen application launcher, the latter being a turnoff for some users. As such, I do think that adding an Unity-like menu (or at least a more familiar-looking menu to new users, such as the Gnome Classic applications menu) would be a better universal option that would fit most users. It could upset some existing users that like the default Gnome one, but adding an option in the settings that lets you switch between the two would solve the problem.
Finally, making it so that the user can minimize windows from the dock would be a nice QoL addition. And if there are multiple program windows grouped togheter (for example multiple Nautilus windows), instead of minimizing it would show the window previews.

I think that these tweaks would not only lead to a better user experience, but also to a better presentation overall.

Misc stuff that isn’t needed but it would be nice
The Yaru startup sound seems to only play on the live session. Would be nice if it was set to play even on an installed system.
If possible, bringing back the iconic bongo drums would be pretty cool.
Both of these could have options to disable them in the system settings, for the users that don’t like them.
The transparent topbar looks really nice, at least in my opinion. Having it added back with adjustable transparency would help with some extra eyecandy:
https://news-cdn.softpedia.com/images/news2/ubuntu-18-04-lts-bionic-beaver-final-beta-released-available-for-download-now-520571-2.jpg

Extensions used to achieve the look in the screenshots
ArcMenu: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3628/arcmenu/
Dash to Dock: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/307/dash-to-dock/
Transparent Top Bar (Adjustable transparency): https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3960/transparent-top-bar-adjustable-transparency/

In conclusion, the current Ubuntu desktop offers a good experience that, in my opinion, could be improved and made even more user-friendly by taking inspiration from the past. While the screenshots above may not be perfect, I do think they showcase the potential that the Ubuntu desktop has.

4 Likes