After about 8 years of screwing around with my window manager and whatnot I switched to Mac OS X and did not find that the lack of configurability was a significant detriment to my productivity. In fact, in some ways it was beneficial, because I spent fewer days trying out new window managers and configuring them. Going back to Linux with Ubuntu, I rather like Unity because it gets me past the hump of all that nonsense and is perfectly adequate at multiplexing browsers and terminals for me.

Back when Metacity was young, you could hardly move without hearing screams from people about how lame a window manager it was, especially compared to things like Sawfish and FVWM. It's really quite surreal to hear people decrying the lack of a built-in power user stuff like Metacity today. Of course we're talking about the whole desktop environment, but still, I hear what I hear.

In any event, if you're a power user, you're going to screw with these defaults until you're blue in the face and I see no evidence that Ubuntu is going to take away that luxury. But I'm back from OS X now because I feel that coming with Apple.

My reason for never trying Apple products (I hope I don't get buried in down votes) but end of the day ... here goes, I just thought they (Steve not Steve) had a smug attitude. That bothered me. I guess it still does. I don't want to hold that long term, but the more I read ... never mind this is about a good Linux distribution, Ubuntu (holding a candle out for Unity to improve ... a lot). (hint forget mobile, let Android and iOS have that). We desktop users are not feeling the love now, new users sure, the rest, nah.

It's a little gauche to whine about downvotes. If I were to downvote you, it would be for your style, not your sentiment.

But I think I see what you're getting at. I have a slight aversion to 37signals products for this same reason. We idolize people who do great work, and cut them too much slack. We have a few generations of people who want to be Steve-o simply so they can be abusive and anti-social while receiving praise.

Until recently I found Apple products to be excellent. They're still really good, but the equation used to be good versus great, and it's turning into good and free versus excellent and constrained. I don't know where the tipping point is, but I feel myself getting near it.

I'll grant you that Ubuntu is the best (at least one of the best) flavors of desktop Linux, but server Linux? Strongly disagree. Why not just use vanilla Debian?

Never tried vanilla Debian or not in years. Ubuntu sold me on apt or I might not have spent more then a few months at a time on Linux like I used to do with Red Hat, SuSE, Fedora, etc.

Canonical has specifically said that they're targetting the new users, and that if you're a power user, there are tons of other distros out there made just for you. There aren't a lot of choices for newbies, so that's the niche they're aiming for.

Out of curiosity, why do you say Ubuntu is a better server linux than it's daddy, Debian?

I tried an attempt at an answer for icedancer I think it was just now but here goes, I tried Debian years ago but the setup wasn't clicking for me. My first attempt at Linux was in 1994 with Slackware, I've tried Red Hat before the split, SuSE (liked YaST it made RPM palatable - hope I'm not repeating myself) anyway Ubuntu on the server in a CLI and on the Desktop clicks for me.

Unity works, it is still a lockout and I feel like a visitor to my Desktop since Unity. This was not how earlier Ubuntu felt with Gnome. For games (due to performance) Xfce is good and would be ok for general use I think.