Howto install gnome3 on Ubuntu 11.04 via ppa/source
To install gnome3 on Ubuntu via ppa is probably the easiest way, if you know what your doing(Click me) when installed and rebooted, you can only choose from gnome3, gnome classic, gnome classic (no effects). Before we begin:
This is the official warning on the gnome3 lanchpad page.
This package contains packages from GNOME3 and their dependencies so they can be used in Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty). This PPA is EXPERIMENTAL and MAY BREAK YOUR SYSTEM. There is no downgrade process.
Now lets begin copy this in to your gnome-terminal
- sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
- sudo apt-get install gnome-shell
- sudo apt-get install gnome-session*
- sudo apt-get install gnome-tweak-tool
- sudo apt-get remove gnome-accessibility-themes
- sudo apt-get install gnome-themes-standard
- sudo apt-get install -f
The gnome-accessibility-themes has some issues so that is being removed. The gnome-session* installs the option to choose gnome3 desktop. For some reason there is a "ubuntu" session available but when you choose it you get an error saying failed to load session ubuntu. I think that is still the ubuntu session from unity. Remember to first install your proprietary VGA driver(Intel/Nvidia/ATI) before you use the ppa.
For more information see this video
Gnome3 via ppa
Image gallery
Officialy there is no downgrade process, but this worked for me.
- sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
- sudo ppa-purge ppa:gnome3-team/gnome3
- sudo apt-get update
- sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
Reboot and then run update-manager. A few themes where still installed but gnome-shell and dependencies where removed.
Gnome3 compiling from source is a bit difficult but not impossible. Follow the tutorial from Web Upd8 and you will most likely succeed.