Ubuntu Unity still has one of my favorite PC interfaces of all time

Sometimes, learning something new can make things easier for you. Sure, you might have to take some time to get used to all this newness, but in the case of Ubuntu Unity, it’s worth the effort.

I remember when Canonical first brought this user interface to the market. It was a time when the company had some seriously grand plans to bring the mobile and desktop interfaces together for a single, unified purpose and it looked to be spectacular. Out of this came Ubuntu Unity, which, on the surface, looked very much like the Ubuntu we’ve all known and enjoyed. However, the second you started using the new-fangled desktop, you realized things were different. 

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Unfortunately, Canonical scrapped its plans and moved away from Unity. Since that untimely shift, a Linux distribution emerged that continues the development of Unity. Said distribution is Ubuntu Unity, and it’s fantastic. Here’s what makes it so effective. 

App Overview search 

Two of my favorite features of the Ubuntu Unity desktop were the HUD (Heads Up Display) and the App Overview, which included one of the most powerful desktop search tools ever. The HUD was essentially a global menu that shifted all app menus to the top bar. Couple that with the ability to easily search through a running app’s menu with keyboard shortcuts, and interacting with applications was a dream.

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Unfortunately, the Ubuntu Unity distribution eliminated the HUD. The reason is that, for the HUD to actually work, applications would have to be developed for it, and that’s no longer happening.

The good news is that the App Overview search tool is still intact.

What’s so handy about this App Overview search is that it includes all sorts of filters you can apply. For instance, you can go to the files & folders, search, and apply filters like “Last 7 days,” “Last 30 days,” or “Last year.” You can also filter by type and size. If you regularly search for files, folders, apps, and more, this feature will be your best friend.

Easy theme switching

I’m not a fan of dark themes. I find them too harsh to my eyes and not as easy to view as light themes. With the Ubuntu Unity distribution, you can easily switch between the dark and light themes by clicking the pen icon in the system tray and then clicking “Switch theme.” This toggles between the dark and light theme. You can also click “Switch accent color” and choose which color you’d like to use for subtle accents. 

By default, you only get two themes: Yaru-dark and Yaru, and the light theme isn’t exactly consistent. The light theme changes the top bar to an odd gray color, and the App Overview remains dark. It would be nice if the design/developer team would give the Yaru theme a bit of attention, but this problem affects many Linux distribution desktops; so many light themes fail to apply to the desktop menu and other bits. If you’re going to offer a light theme, make it consistent.

Installed applications

Out of the box, you get plenty of apps to get you started, including LibreOffice, Firefox, Pluma (text editor), Remmina (remote desktop connectivity), Rhythmbox (audio player), VLC (media player), and more. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, open the Synaptic Package Manager, search for what you need, and install it. 

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Unfortunately, Synaptic doesn’t include support for either Snap or Flatpak. Ubuntu Unity does ship with Snap installed, so to install apps with that universal package manager, you’ll have to go the command line route like so:

sudo snap install spotify 

From my perspective, Ubuntu Unity would be much better off using GNOME’s Software app and rolling in Snap support. There are simply too many apps that are moving toward either Snap or Flatpak to ignore this.

How Ubuntu Unity performs

First off, Ubuntu Unity does require a bit more power than some Linux distributions. You will not want to install this on an older machine, as it will frustrate you to no end. If, however, you install Ubuntu Unity on a newer machine with plenty of RAM and a modern CPU, you’ll find the distribution performs very well. 

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It’s no Linux Lite but it’ll certainly perform as well (if not better) than Windows 11.

Who is Ubuntu Unity for?

From my perspective, Ubuntu Unity is one of those distributions that could easily serve users of all types, but those with little Linux experience must understand that this is a different take on the desktop, so be prepared to spend a bit of time getting up to speed. If you want a desktop that is highly effective and can help make your daily life at the desktop a bit easier, this is a great option.

If I’ve tempted you in the slightest, download an ISO of Ubuntu Unity, install it, and find out why I believe this desktop to be one of the best on the market.