Best touch-friendly Linux DE

[Alexeygridnev1993]

I've bought Microsoft Surface Pro 7 to turn it into the ultimate Linux tablet (I'm a pervert, I know ). Any Linux system I tried works on it just fine as long as you install a custom Kernel with drivers. However:

1) in GNOME, you cannot move windows with a touch for some apps (e.g. Firefox). The problem becomes even worse if you switch to Wayland, as even less apps can be moved with a finger.

2) Default Ubuntu on-screen keyboard is glitchy. On Ubuntu 20.04, backspace and enter keys are often stuck, and on Ubuntu 18.04, this keyboard does not work at all for some apps (such as Telegram). In addition, there are no arrow keys and no way to add them.

3) "Onboard" on-screen keyboard is a good alternative. However, by default, GNOME keyboard keeps appearing together with Onboard, and, if I disable it with a Gnome extension, it fails to appear even when it's needed (e.g. in Applications menu). In addition, Onboard only works on Ubuntu 18.04 and fails on 20.04.

 

Did any of you experiment with Linux on touch-only devices? What was the best setup you came up with?

[Nayr438]

In terms of Touch, GNOME was the best experience I have ever had and Ubuntu offered the best integrated Touch Screen Keyboard.

 

I did however come across a Distro not to long ago I have been meaning to try, it's a Chinese Distro that seems to primarily target Touch Screen Based Devices.

https://en.jingos.com/

[Alexeygridnev1993]

24 minutes ago, Nayr438 said:

In terms of Touch, GNOME was the best experience I have ever had and Ubuntu offered the best integrated Touch Screen Keyboard.

 

I did however come across a Distro not to long ago I have been meaning to try, it's a Chinese Distro that seems to primarily target Touch Screen Based Devices.

https://en.jingos.com/

Thank you! I've seen this distro; it kinda scared me off that they required to enter your email address before you are allowed to download it, but I can probably just use some burner email.

[Nayr438]

9 hours ago, Alexeygridnev1993 said:

Thank you! I've seen this distro; it kinda scared me off that they required to enter your email address before you are allowed to download it, but I can probably just use some burner email.

It has a direct link to the iso ( for v0.6 and v0.8 ) at the end of the unnecessary download/installation documentation.

I would be interested to know how it works out for you if you do try it. I only have 1 tablet and its a pita to install anything on it, so I have been putting it off.

[Alexeygridnev1993]

23 hours ago, Nayr438 said:

It has a direct link to the iso ( for v0.6 and v0.8 ) at the end of the unnecessary download/installation documentation.

I would be interested to know how it works out for you if you do try it. I only have 1 tablet and its a pita to install anything on it, so I have been putting it off.

Just tried that. Don't bother to install it, it works like absolute garbage. They made it so "touch-friendly" that keyboard and mouse controls do not work at all, I could not even install the custom kernel simply because I could not switch between browser and terminal with the keyboard and mouse (and, without this kernel, touch screen does not work). Plus, some things are in Chinese, with no simple way to switch it to another language.

 

Of course, I can find ways to troubleshoot it (prepare a bash scriptin advance to run it, or whatever), but I feel like it will be easier to go back to normal GNOME and work with that instead. Overall, the entire thing looks like a blunt ripoff of iPadOS, in the worst possible way; only form was preserved, with no function.

Edited June 20, 2021 by Alexeygridnev1993