The Discussion on Linux-based Phones.
In my short period of using it, I never stopped fumbling around for the desktop. I guess it's good, as it inspired me to close unused background apps.
On the flip side, once I returned to Android it took me ages to stop using the edge gestures. The UX of Ubuntu Touch is just wonderful.
So Ubuntu Touch is all gesture based? (I haven't looked into it since I don't have any supported devices)
It is focused a lot around edge gestures. Swipe from the right edge of the screen to change applications, swipe from the right to open the application menu. Swipe from the top for settings. Swiping from the bottom is reserved for the app that is currently running.
It means that apps have to be designed to avoid accidental triggering of edge gestures, but after a few days on Ubuntu Touch it feels really natural.
Well, maybe I'll hold out for something else then lol. Gesture navigation is my least favorite thing on any device (I disable it in Android right out of the box and go back to 3 button nav). I'm old and hate having to remember if I need to do the hokey pokey or the Macarena with my fingers to perform basic actions lol.
It's all edge gestures and just four of them, so not really anything fancy to remember. They all feel really intuitive by my experience. Of course you might not like it, but I would certainly not avoid trying Ubuntu Touch because of the gestures! :)
I also disabled gestures and stick to three buttons in Android, for what it's worth.
Fair enough. Definitely not for me, though. I want discrete controls without any ambiguity or potential for accidental invocation.
What I really want in a Linux phone is basically a palmtop computer with keyboard that can also do phone and SMS/MMS lol. So, Debian + an IMS stack, I guess? lol