Recs.
Updated
Specs
Pros
Pro Best keyboard bindings on desktop
Unity won a recent assessment of productivity for desktop users with the richest collection of keyboard shortcuts. Programs can be easily accessed by clicking on the Ubuntu symbol on the upper part of the launcher, or by pushing the "Windows" button found on most PCs. This opens up a box called the "dash" where users can search by typing in the name of desired programs to open them.
Cons
Con Official support by canonical has ceased
Canonical has ceased the development of the Unity desktop environment, along with the Mir display server. Future versions of Ubuntu will be shipping with Gnome 3. While branches of these are likely going to be maintained by the community, it's difficult to say how strongly these will last considering they were designed specifically for Ubuntu, they had never reached stable release, and more popular alternatives are already present (Wayland in the case of Mir).
Con Issues with PHPStorm
There was a version of PHPStorm which could not be run under Unity (version 6). It would run fine under any other desktop environment. My impression is that something about the way windows are handled in Unity caused the problem. Such problems are liable to appear if you are developing with a closed-source tool.
Con Deprecated
UBPorts, if they have not stopped developing it, have made it pretty much mobile-focused.
Con Files Manager lacks many features
The files manager based on gnome nautilus lacks too many features! With the removal of features such as compact view and split screen, newer versions of Nautilus File Manager are not as useful as they once were.
Recommendations
Comments
Flagged Pros + Cons
Con Dead
Canonical has ceased the development of the Unity desktop environment, along with the Mir display server. Future versions of Ubuntu will be shipping with Gnome 3. While branches of these are likely going to be maintained by the community, it's difficult to say how strongly these will last considering they were designed specifically for Ubuntu, they had never reached stable release, and more popular alternatives are already present (Wayland in the case of Mir).