I have a similar problem with Ubuntu.
I have Firefox installed but sometimes when I click on the icon in the Launcher, it’ll click like it’s loading but after a few minutes nothing. The browser doesn’t open up or anything. I click again same thing. Many times I’m forced to go to Midori to get things done.
The only thing is that Midori is very basic and doesn’t have all the cool features that I like in Firefox. The extensions, search engines, etc.
With Windows XP, if a program doesn’t load or is not responding I could always open up the taskmaster (?) manager(?), see if it’s listed as an open application, and force a close if it’s there and then re-open the application and it’ll work. I don’t even know how to do so in Ubuntu.
Though it might only be a problem with my USB flash drive and not my dual boot Ubuntu. Not certain now. Usually get frustrated and go back to Windows.
Another thing I don’t like is trying to find all the open windows in Ubuntu.
I multi-task so usually have many programs open at the same time. Many instances of Firefox windows with multiple tabs. Sometimes also the GoldenDict dictionary, CQuickTrans Chinese program, VLC media player, Foxit PDF viewer, several Wordpad files, etc. A lot of stuff.
With Windows XP, I’m able to easily find them because they’ve each got a little tab on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
It’s much harder looking for it on the launcher in Ubuntu. And sometimes the file isn’t even on the launcher.
Several times I’ve been listening to music on Rhythmbox and minimized the window and later tried to find it to shut it off but it’s not in the launcher. I don’t know if it’s because rhythmbox isn’t a program I haven’t pinned or what, but, it’s not there. I have to open that search icon at the upper left to type out rhythmbox to find it.
I also don’t like that the title bar thing at the top sometimes is not there when a program is open. Difficult to explain.
That said, I’ve been trying out Linux Mint and am quite enjoying it. It has the little tabs on the bottom showing me what applications and files are open and it’s the most like Windows XP of the Linuxes I’ve tried so far. Has a start menu close to but not quite like XP’s. More like Win 7. Certainly better than Windows 8 when it didn’t have any. Windows 8.1 upgrade was a total waste. Several hours to upgrade and all it did was bring back the start menu. Which I already had from a download at iobit. And also one I got from HP as an update.
Right now I’m downloading a torrent using the included torrent program Transmission. Very minimalist but seems to be getting the job done.
I’m thinking of adding Mint so it’ll be a triple boot with my XP/Ubuntu system.
Will the Linux Mint DVD do it automatically or will I need to partition the drive before I do it?
And do I really need to backup the hard drive before doing the install? Such a hassle doing backup.
I did the dual boot a while back when I replaced the original hard drive in my PC so forgot everything I did back then. My Ubuntu partition is 180 GB so I could reduce that to add Linux Mint.
What would be a good size partition for for any Linux install? Not just Mint? The operating system and some of the essential application programs?
What are some of the most essential applications for Linux?
Is there a better pdf viewer than the included document viewer?
And how would I update the Ubuntu when the new long term release comes out?
Is there an easy was to install and uninstall multi-boots? Sometimes its better to do a full install than to run off the CD or flash drive. To get a better idea of how the operating system really performs at it’s best not while it has to keep going back and forth between the flash drive or cd/dvd.
Kobo.
Edit: Oh, and I really like that all the minimize window, restore window, and close window buttons are on the right side like they’re supposed to be. I just hate that with Mac OS & Linux. I keep trying to close stuff on the right and then have to search and then do it on the left.