A linux desktop that works well with Fusion Unity - does it exist?

[adrinux]

I'm sure everyone that runs a linux guest on Fusion is aware that whilst 3D acceleration works (at least in Ubuntu) vmware Fusion's unity window mode doesn't work alongside 3D. And that since every popular linux distribution is moving to 3D desktops we're pretty much forced into single window or full screen mode.

My question is: has anyone found a good 2D desktop for linux that works with Fusion Unity mode, and that is also on an up to date distribution?

There are some suggestions on an older thread http://communities.vmware.com/message/2139647#2139647 to use Mint with Mate, but that had serious issues for me.

I'm looking for two things basically.

Firstly the ability to use Unity window mode.

Secondly the ability to place multiple editable launch icons in a dock/taskbar etc within Linux guest so I can open two different documents side by side, very quickly (this was another failing of Mate).

Specifically I'm wanting to open two sets of accounts in Gnucash. This all worked wonderfully in Ubuntu 10.04, and although it's tempting to go back 10.04 reaches EOL in April 2013 - it's also packaging an older version of Gnucash than I'm used to using.

(btw another alternative, using the OSX package of Gnucash: works but the text rending is horrible, hence the desire to run it in a Linux VM. Macports/Fink is also out because it takes so long to compile every time there is an update. Want a binary.)

Any suggestions?

[adrinux]

After some experimentation with a couple of distros promising olde fashioned Gnome desktops namely Kiwi linux (based on ubuntu 12.04 and thus using an older version of Gnucash than I had been using) and SolusOS a7 (failed to boot after a slightly tricky install, well it is alpha) I reverted back to my existing ubuntu vm, which has been switched to lubuntu.

Lubuntu uses lxde which will work with vmware 3d acceleration turned off and that allows the use of Unity. lubuntu desktop also allows you to create desktop shortcuts, which means I have my custom gnucash launchers.

However it still exibits the problem I'd described in another issue: When switching between windows in Fusion unity mode the border and shadow of the original frontmost window are still visible on top of the focused window, although the window content drops behind as expected.

I'm increasingly thinking this artefact is actually a bug in Unity mode, rather than anything to do with linux per se. Just seems to happen no matter which window manager I use.

[Linjo]

You have posted this in the beta forums for Fusion Tech Preview 2012, that was the beta-program for the current release.

I would recommend to post this in the official Fusion forums instead for more traction and potentially more answers.

// Linjo

[adrinux]

A workaround for my problem with window border/shadow lingering where it shouldn't seems to be to use the dock icon to switch between the two gnucash windows. It only happens when using the mouse to bring a window into focus.

(Thanks Linjo, don't know how I manged that)

[vanRijn]

Xubuntu should work fine, as well as Kubuntu.

[adrinux]

kubuntu has exactly the same problem as lubuntu with the overlying window border/shadow. It's also very slow without 3D acceleration on, due to kde plasma, not a good choice at all. Remember it has to be a good 2D desktop to work with fusion unity mode. Unity 2D worked great but that's been dropped in 12.10. Ditto gnome classic, also dropped from recent releases.

xubuntu I think I tried a few months ago when I first saw this problem - judging by the fact that I didn't stick with it, and vague memories, I think I can say that it also had the border/shadow problem.

It's the fact that all these different window managers exhibit the same issue that made me comment before about there perhaps being a bug in Fusion's Unity mode.

[TomSoutherland · Accepted solution]

Confirmed working with xubuntu 14.04.  Note, you need to install vmware tools and reboot the VM for this to work.

[SvenGus]

BTW, is it technically possible to modify and update VMware's Unity view in order to be able, in the future, to work also with the modern 3D Linux desktops?

Parallels Desktop has the same problem, too.

It's a real pity that is doesn't currently work, for example, with Ubuntu 14.04...

[SvenGus]

Confirmed, here, too: works quite well, indeed, with Xubuntu 14.04 (a pleasant surprise, BTW: it has evolved quite a lot)...

[adrinux]

Tried upgrading my Ubuntu 13.04 desktop VM to 14.04 first, but that ended in a black screen...

Downloaded 14.04 and switched it to Xubuntu, and yes I can also confirm the detached window shadow bugginess I was seeing before is gone. It works well enough in Fusion Unity mode.

Personally I've already moved on though, now run the OSX build of GnuCash, even with its slightly off text rendering. And I dual boot Ubuntu, which makes it mildly annoying to use a different UI just to run the fusion unity mode.

Thanks for the heads up ladies and gentlemen. Will mark one of these correct just to close off the thread now.

[SvenGus]

After some experiments, I can confirm the bugs with Kubuntu and Lubuntu's Unity views...

No need, BTW, to turn off 3D acceleration in the VM Settings: Unity works with the default settings.

So, currently, Kubuntu, Lubuntu and Xubuntu (perhaps the best one, for Unity?) have essentially working Unity views, while Ubuntu and Ubuntu GNOME sadly not...