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I can not run unity 3d on my Chromebook but unity 2d in Ubuntu 12.04 works fine so is it possible to run unity low graphics mode on Ubuntu 14.04 as an alternative? If I can run low graphics mode as an alternative then how would I go about that? If I can not then what would be a good unity like alternative for Ubuntu 14.04?

I have tested these DE's on Ubuntu 14.04 on my Chromebook:

  • LXDE: works fine
  • XFCE: works fine
  • Gnome: does not work at all
  • Unity: does not work at all
  • KDE: Have not yet tested this DE

I am using crouton to install unity and according to the maker(s) of this script say that unity 3d will not work for me as it requires hardware acceleration that my Chromebook does not offer.

What happens when I run unity 3d is a black/gray screen followed by a complete lockup of Ubuntu that I must terminate from crosh (the Chromebooks developer console that Ubuntu is running in).

This is the modified target script that I am using with crouton to install unity 3d on samsung arm chromebook (Please note that it is not yet fully functional).

#!/bin/sh -e
# Copyright (c) 2014 The crouton Authors. All rights reserved.
# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
# found in the LICENSE file.
REQUIRES='gtk-extra'
DESCRIPTION='Installs the Unity desktop environment. (Approx. 700MB)'
HOSTBIN='startunity'
CHROOTBIN='startunity gnome-session-wrapper crouton-unity-autostart'
CHROOTETC='unity-autostart.desktop unity-profiled'
. "${TARGETSDIR:="$PWD"}/common"

### Append to prepare.sh:
install ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-artwork gnome-session nautilus \
        ubuntu-settings,ubuntu~precise= \
        ubuntu-session,ubuntu~precise+ubuntu~quantal+ubuntu~raring+ubuntu~saucy+ubuntu~trusty= \
        -- network-manager

# XDG autostart/profile.d additions only needed in saucy and later
if release -ge saucy; then
    autostartdir='/etc/xdg/autostart'
    # Remove previous indicator-only desktop file
    rm -f "$autostartdir"/crouton-unity-indicator.desktop

    # Set up global autostart script
    mkdir -p "$autostartdir"
    ln -sfT /etc/crouton/unity-autostart.desktop \
        "$autostartdir"/crouton-unity-autostart.desktop

    # Set up profile.d
    chmod 755 /etc/crouton/unity-profiled
    ln -sfT /etc/crouton/unity-profiled /etc/profile.d/crouton-unity-profiled.sh
fi

if release -ge trusty; then
    autostartdir='/etc/xdg/autostart'
    # Remove previous indicator-only desktop file
    rm -f "$autostartdir"/crouton-unity-indicator.desktop

    # Set up global autostart script
    mkdir -p "$autostartdir"
    ln -sfT /etc/crouton/unity-autostart.desktop \
        "$autostartdir"/crouton-unity-autostart.desktop

    # Set up profile.d
    chmod 755 /etc/crouton/unity-profiled
    ln -sfT /etc/crouton/unity-profiled /etc/profile.d/crouton-unity-profiled.sh
fi

TIPS="$TIPS
You can start Unity via the startunity host command: sudo startunity
"

The current problem with this script is that I need to implement unity low graphics mode right into it on install and I can not figure out how to do that.

If you would like to test the script with crouton then follow these steps:

Fist save the script as an extensionless file under the name "unitylowg" in the Downloads directory of chrome os.

Then meet its dependencies by running these scripts one by one:

sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t core -r trusty
sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t audio -r trusty -u
sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t xephyr -r trusty -u
sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t x11 -r trusty -u
sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t gtk-extra -r trusty -u

Then finally run the script with the following:

sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -T ~/Downloads/unitylowg -r trusty -u
dragonloverlord
  • 287
  • 2
    I believe Unity 2D was discontinued after 12.04, not 100% on that fact though. I do know, Unity 2D cannot be run in 14.04. Really, the only other Unity Like experience I can call to mind would be Gnome 3 or KDE tweaked to act and feel like Unity, both rather heavy desktops. – Jbuch14 Aug 19 '14 at 15:35
  • My Chromebook is unable to run unity 3d and my question involves the desire for an alternative which are both missing from the question you have suggested as a duplicate. – dragonloverlord Aug 19 '14 at 15:54
  • No it does not as my Chromebook does not have a graphics card capable of running unity 3d. even the makers of crouton (the script that installs Ubuntu) say that unity 3d is incompatible with my Chromebook model. a very sad thing indeed as I love unity and would love to try the 3d version but unfortunately I am stuck to using Google images to experience it. At least until I get a better computer for Ubuntu. – dragonloverlord Aug 19 '14 at 16:06
  • @Jbuch14 you said that KDE could be tweaked to act and feel like Unity? How would I go about that and if possible could you provide a link to a guide of some sort? – dragonloverlord Aug 19 '14 at 16:09
  • What happens when I run unity 3d is a black/gray screen followed by a complete lockup of Ubuntu that I must terminate from crosh (the Chromebooks developer console that Ubuntu is running in). – dragonloverlord Aug 19 '14 at 16:14
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    You can find a video Here to make KDE look and act like Unity – Jbuch14 Aug 19 '14 at 18:40
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    Oops apparently I miss-used the term unity 2d as what I was really trying to say was unity low graphics mode. I will update my question to match. – dragonloverlord Aug 21 '14 at 20:57
  • @EliahKagan I can not find a way to get to the terminal to try that method as the traditional ctrl + alt + f1,f2,f3,etc. does not work on the Chromebook for some reason and without unity loading it is not possible to get to its terminal. – dragonloverlord Aug 21 '14 at 22:51
  • I am going to try to add it to the install script and re-install Ubuntu 14.04 and unity – dragonloverlord Aug 21 '14 at 23:03
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    If you like you can boot to a command line with the text option: Press Space on the screen with keyboard & person icons, select your language and press F6. You'll see a menu; press Escape to close it. Moving the cursor with the left and right arrow keys, add text (with a space before and after) following quiet splash. Press Enter. After making your changes, start the GUI with sudo start lightdm. – Eliah Kagan Aug 21 '14 at 23:25
  • I am going to paste the script that I have modified to install ubuntu 14.04 unity. Please not that as of this moment it does not work as expected. – dragonloverlord Aug 23 '14 at 17:46
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    There is going to be a Ubuntu MATE released soon(ish) that is based on GNOME 2. Wait for that. – Rinzwind Aug 23 '14 at 17:51
  • @Rinzwind can you please post a link to some info on that I would like to check it out. – dragonloverlord Aug 23 '14 at 17:53
  • google+ for ubuntu mate: they are on the verge of completing the official requirements. https://plus.google.com/+Mate-desktopOrg/posts stmt from Mark Shuttleworth: https://plus.google.com/+MarkShuttleworthCanonical/posts/MpDMCeaUi3K – Rinzwind Aug 23 '14 at 18:16

1 Answers1

2

Unity 2D looks drab. Try the GNOME 2 desktop replacement MATE. MATE is a lightweight desktop environment, lighter than Xfce and a little heavier than LXDE. There is a full tutorial about how to install the MATE desktop environment in Ubuntu 14.04 in this answer.

To see how MATE looks visit the Ubuntu MATE screenshot tour.

karel
  • 114,770
  • And soon officially supported! I am not going to use it (I like Unity) but I understand the need for a GNOME2 spin-off. It will cater A LOT of Ubuntu users and all of them can find support on AU. We all win. – Rinzwind Aug 23 '14 at 18:43
  • It might not be exactly what I want but this seems to be the best solution around. – dragonloverlord Aug 23 '14 at 18:58