Cubuntu Mini Review

Cubuntu 14.04.2 International - So close.

What does every Desktop Environment need? Yep, an Ubuntu variant. But Cubuntu is more than just Ubuntu with the Cinnamon DE, it’s got Unity and Mate too. Even a Gnome2 option. This is a review of Cubuntu, the belt and braces of Ubuntu variants.

First impressions of Cubuntu are good. The default Cinnamon desktop looks very good and the background is gorgeous. The range of software included is more than adequate. Alongside all the standard software of a full Ubuntu installation (Libreoffice, Firefox, Thunderbird, Rhythmbox, etc.) can be found Chrome, Skype, VLC, Spotify and Radiotray. If the developers had managed to squeeze GIMP and Kodi into the 1.8Gb disk image they’d be nothing left to install.

Unfortunately the gushing has to stop. There are problems. Attempting to download updates during installation is pointless, it simply doesn’t happen. Moreover, if you are not using the same keyboard as the default option you will have to change it, individually, for each desktop. These are both one-time fixes and not really a major problem. The problem with the Nemo file manager, default for both the Cinnamon and Unity options, is more permanent. The shortcuts for Documents, Pictures etc. in the sidebar are dead-ends that do not lead to the folders concerned.

Fortunately the Mate option does not suffer from the same problem. The Mate DE utilizes the Caja file manager and Cubuntu has kept it; its sidebar shortcuts works. The only possible criticism of the Mate setup is the absence of the Mate tweak tool which is included in the standard UbuntuMate. 

 

Overall Cubuntu’s not bad. The option of multiple DEs is nice, alowing the user to choose which suits them, and their hardware, best. The Mate option is fast, the Cinnamon option is pretty and the Unity option is, well, ... Unity. If the French developers sort out the little problems (and add the tweak tool to Mate) Cubuntu could become a major distro, even THE major distro.