I tested Rhino Linux's new Lomiri snapshot - and it took me back to the glory days of Unity
Rhino Linux's Lomiri snapshot revives Unity-style ideas for desktop-mobile convergence, but it's still too rough for daily use.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Rhino Linux is reshaping its desktop around Lomiri, a Unity-inspired interface built around convergence between mobile and desktop. The snapshot shows the direction is ambitious and familiar, but it's still early, buggy, and not ready for regular use.
Rhino Linux is trying to make its computer screen work a bit like a phone and a laptop at the same time. The first test version looks interesting, like an unfinished bike with a cool new frame, but it still has broken parts that keep it from being ridden every day.
Analysis
What Rhino Linux is trying to do
Rhino Linux is moving toward a major redesign centered on convergence, the idea of bridging desktop and mobile devices. The new interface, called Lomiri, is described as Rhino Linux's take on Unity, the desktop Canonical once used for Ubuntu during its convergence push.
What the snapshot feels like
The article says the snapshot immediately evoked the Unity era, with a top bar and side panel that resemble Ubuntu's old look. But the build is clearly unfinished. Apps open and then resize in ways that make them hard to use, titlebars are difficult to access, and even working apps like LibreOffice Writer can be unusable because parts of the toolbar are missing. App menus also barely function.
Where it stands now
The system settings show a mobile-first mindset, with items like Airplane Mode and Rotation Lock prominently placed. That fits the convergence goal, but it also shows the desktop side still needs work. There is little customization, no obvious way to set up peripherals such as printers, and the author notes that this snapshot is far from ready for general release.
What seems promising
Despite the rough edges, the article says Lomiri stays close to the Unity aesthetic. The menu is simple and resembles a mobile app drawer, and the distribution's overall visual style still looks polished in its existing Xfce form. The author also notes that the light mode is close to working well, even if a few details are still inconsistent.
Key points
- Rhino Linux is testing Lomiri, a Unity-inspired desktop built around convergence.
- The snapshot is unfinished and has major usability bugs, including broken app resizing and missing toolbars.
- The interface aims to blend desktop and mobile ideas, with settings like Airplane Mode and Rotation Lock visible up front.
- The current menu is simple and resembles a mobile app drawer more than a power-user desktop menu.
- The author says the visual style is promising, but the project needs much more work before general release.
If Rhino Linux keeps refining Lomiri, it could turn into a distinctive desktop that blends mobile and computer use in a way that feels simple and familiar. The article suggests the design direction is already close to Unity's look, which could attract users who liked that style.
The snapshot currently has serious usability problems, including broken app sizing, missing toolbar pieces, and weak menus. If those issues are not solved, the project could remain an interesting experiment rather than a practical desktop for everyday users.
