Anyone tried Wubuntu?

[ubuysa]

https://wubuntu.org/

I'm thinking of chucking it on a spare laptop just to see how similar it really Is to the Windows UI....

 

[Mnemonic]

I haven't. I don't understand why people would use this - if you want something that "looks and feels like Windows", then why not just use Windows? I just don't get it.

Also, I doubt this project will last long. We've all seen what happens to projects like this once Microsoft's lawyers get involved.

 

[SpyderTracks]

It's not one I've heard of, but do agree with @Mnemonic this was an issue I found on Nobara which was supposed to be a gaming focussed branch of fedora, but didn't have the widespread support and hence far more bugs than something more mainstay like Ubuntu

If though it is simply a themed Ubuntu, then that's an entirely different matter, as Ubuntu is hugely supported and extremely stable. But then I don't understand why it's not just a theme you can apply in a standard Ubuntu install?

If you want a Windows style desktop with strong support and standardisation, I would suggest Mint may be a better alternative, although it's obviously not anywhere near mimicking windows in this way.

It's really the support that's so important on Distros I've realised (after only trying 4 in my lifetime, 3 of them in the last 3 months)

 

[ubuysa]

I have a laptop that won't run Windows 11 and a wife who can only work with Windows 11. Asking her to also figure out a Linux desktop would be pushing things a bit. That's why a Linux that looks like Windows is interesting. I imagine Wubuntu will appeal to a great many people with non-Windows 11 capable computers who want to retain the look and feel of Windows.

I'll report back.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I have a laptop that won't run Windows 11 and a wife who can only work with Windows 11. Asking her to also figure out a Linux desktop would be pushing things a bit. That's why a Linux that looks like Windows is interesting. I imagine Wubuntu will appeal to a great many people with non-Windows 11 capable computers who want to retain the look and feel of Windows.

I'll report back.

Be very interested how you find it, I agree, I think since 24/H2, and from comments I'm seeing on forums and YouTube comments, a lot of people are investigating Linux distros as an option.

Something like this would be a no-brainer for someone new to Linux.

Mint is excellent though as well, extremely stable and IMHO, it's even easier to manage than windows as any software is managed by the package manager.

 

[ubuysa]

Well it's installed. First impression are good. Once it's setup my wife will find it exactly like Windows. Where it's different of course is when you want to change settings and configurations. Then you see Linux.

I've installed a couple of Windows apps as though this was Windows (so from the Windows .exe files) and Wine has handled it all seamlessly.

So far I've installed KeePass2, IrfanView, Converber, and even Revo Uninstaller. All installed normally and all functioned normally - even Revo.

OBS Studio (Windows version) installed and ran OK, but it couldn't capture the display (unsurprisingly).

I'll experiment some more but it's already clear that for someone used to Windows 11, and just using existing installed apps, it looks and feels like Windows 11. That for me is a good thing and I'm sure it will be for many others.

 

[_MJF_]

I haven't. I don't understand why people would use this - if you want something that "looks and feels like Windows", then why not just use Windows? I just don't get it.

One reason could be that you want the Windows-style user interface (which many would find easier to use than most Linux distributions) but you want all the advantages of Linux under-the-bonnet.

If you want a Windows style desktop with strong support and standardisation, I would suggest Mint may be a better alternative, although it's obviously not anywhere near mimicking windows in this way.

Absolutely, I settled on Mint many years ago because at the time the desktop experience for all the other Linux distributions seemed somewhat lacking in usability, and it was the most similar to Windows if you were used to it, e.g. single main menu button bottom-left, Control Centre, etc. In my opinion the Windows desktop was pretty good, it was everything else I preferred Linux for. Not sure quite how many years ago except to say that the last Windows OS I owned was Vista (I have used Windows 7/8/10 a bit though).

I'd used Mint MATE for years but installed Mint Cinnamon on my recently-purchased Lafite Pro 16 and Cinnamon is very much like Windows 10 out of the box, in the way the taskbar works etc. - even placing 'Show Desktop' to the right-hand end.

 

[Scott]

Am I not right in thinking that Windows 11 can be, *ahem*, persuaded to install on any non-compatible system with a bit of tweaking? Or did that change?

My only fear would be it running like a potato but I think you can turn off the processes that cause that also.

With that being said I guess it is a security/safety feature so possibly not the outcome required, just thought I would mention

 

[ubuysa]

Windows 11 can be installed on non-compatible systems but Microsoft have said that they will not be supported (so no updates).

I've abandoned Wubuntu because it's really neither one thing nor the other. IF you set it up with all the apps the users needs and all the user does is use those apps, then a user used to Windows 11 could use Wubuntu without seeing any real difference. And that's a good thing, so I'm not knocking Wubuntu at all, it's a neat idea.

The problems come when you need to modify the 'Windows' system at all - because it's not Windows of course. You quickly bump into Linux, or at least Linux-like actions in what looks like Windows, this kind of defeats the whole point of Wubuntu. Many basic Windows features, like changing desktop shortcut icons, for example, can't be done in Wubuntu (at least not in a Windows way).

It's a shame really, Wubuntu is kind of 50% there, but it's not Windows like enough to be a Linux platform that a Windows user (who is not very PC literate) could use without a lot of instruction.