Contributor SchwarzeKrause

I think more Windows users would try out Ubuntu if they could just double click an .exe file instead of going into a command prompt, browsing to the folder and then typing "wine *.exe" to install the program.

I like how Ubuntu adds shortcuts on the desktop and the "start menu" after you install the program making it easy to run but installing Windows software needs to be easier.

Most people aren't even aware of the existence of libsensors-applet-plugin, lm-sensors, hddtemp, libsensors4, smartmontools, etc. People who run Linux tend to be more likely than the average to be interested in the health of their hardware. Therefore these things should be available by default.

(Clarification regarding Hardware Sensor Monitor applet: *available* != *included+configured* in the default desktop)

Suggestion to interested readers:
((hit enter for prompts except for adding "yes" in install modules by default))
$ sudo apt-get install libsensors-applet-plugin0
$ sudo sensors-detect

Then right click on your gnome panel an select "Add to panel"->"Hardware Sensors Monitor" & "CPU Frequency scaling monitor".

My primary complaint is that this sensors monitoring applet is not even available unless you install the aforementioned packages.

The last version of Firefox 3 should be pre-installed in Hardy Heron.

Improve the handling of RSS feeds in Mozilla Firefox.
Currently Internet Explorer 7 have a better implementation of RSS feeds.

The RSS viewer in Internet Explorer 7 includes date/time, Firefox does not do this.

The RSS viewer in Internet Explorer 7 includes functionality to search, filter, categorize and sort by date and title.

Realtime kernel and low latencies do make the system more responsive and make it more useful. Defaulting to it would make it easier to start using systems for making music etc.

Slab is a replacement for the Applications-Places-System menu for the GNOME desktop. It puts all (the menus, options, applications, preferences and so) behind a unique button ("Computer"). OpenSUSE uses it by default, and I believe Fedora too.

There's a blueprint about that which was accepted for Feisty, but it was never be implemented.

To try it, install the gnome-main-menu package and add the applet in a GNOME panel.

An screenshot:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fullo/187305594/sizes/o/

It would be nice to see Ubuntu integrate global mouse gestures. Of course these would be optional and configurable, but in my opinion mouse gestures greatly improve productivity, and Ubuntu could pioneer their implementation in an out-of-the-box OS, putting it that much further ahead of Windows and Mac.

Ubuntu is the name chosen for a global project and a distro based on Gnome. Kubuntu is another distro based on kde from the very same project.
I believe they deserve the same support from the project since Gnome and Kde are the most popular desktop manager out there.
It seems quite obvious to me, the project is very much focused on one and only distro, its first baby : ubuntu.
And it shows. Kubuntu web site looks quite poor and unprofessional compared to ubuntu. Most graphic choices like the kdm default theme (even if it's supposed to be a matter of taste) look, again, unprofessional. And finally the whole distro doesn't seem to have the same amount of attention when it comes to details (one example among others: the little thing on ubuntu warning the user about the existence of proprietary drivers for display which does not exist on kubuntu).
I've been told once, like a year ago, by an ubuntu dev that the situation is such because the project doesn't feel like fragmenting its market share.
Whatever is the official position of the project, I don't think you should do things half way.
The Kde project is itself in full evolution with Kde 4. It does deserve full support from ubuntu.

Thank you for reading.

I love to use Google Earth. And I assume a lot of others too. It would be great to have this program automatically in Ubuntu without the need to install it after installing the OS like Open Office etc.

Easy to use piece of software to make photocopies.

- Just a simple contrast and luminance slider
- Only Buttons for copy and reset to default

Ubuntu, podria a medida que se popularice la opcion de bootear desde los usb, en casi todas las maquinas, seria muy interesante poner a un precio justo, pendrives de 1 a 4 gb, con todo un sistema operativo Ubuntu en su interior. esto va a hacer que sea mucho mas facil y mas extendido el uso de Ubuntu.

Una golazo contra microsoft.

It's easy for anyone who likes complicated interfaces to hit an "advanced interface" option and go to a desktop with multiple start bars at top and bottom and menus and desktop pagers.

It is not symmetrically easy for a basic computer user to find out how to make their interface more simple.

Thus, the initial interface for most installs should begin with a 10 foot, wii like, gOS style, matchbox like one window at a time, one task at a time interface that all users will find intuitive.

My favorite interface would blend some current genres to give them a taste of all.

Whatever app or screen they are on should fill the screen at all times, unless they specifically request to use it split screen with another app.

Any Modal box that pops up requiring them to do something to continue should be centered in a translucent grey haze covering what they were doing so they know they must address that issue first.

A big fat bar should go across the top of the screen, with the icon of their current application or window on the far left (clicking it provides the start menu, and options like "See Desktop (minimize)", and "Complicated Interface"). Then, along the top as you head right, large colorful icons of other, minimized active applications, then smaller grey icons of common applications not in use yet in a nice dock. Then a clock widget (and let them add others, like bluetooth) and finally a big bold X which gives a menu (Close current Window (default if they just hit and let go), Change User, Shut down, etc).

Wii and the EE prove there is a hunger for the simple and easy to use, even among people who can use the complicated.


The icon for the application they are currently using

Add a default shortcut or launcher in new accounts to run a terminal. I know new users want to avoid the terminal, but it's an rite of passage that all Linux users should eventually go through.

In practice, sometimes a command-line solution is preferable to a GUI solution. For example, when the choice is between copying and pasting a single command -vs- a lot of searching for the right buttons to click and still having to type some configuration details and possibly having the new configuration not persist across reboots.

There is Ctrl+Alt+F1, but I'd expect new users to be more scared of that than the gnome-terminal.

Meaning, she really likes it, but any programs that have names not ending in the actual purpose of said program, she won't click on. Like, synaptic package manager she won't click on. Movie player, she'll click on. Most everything in all the menus, she has no idea, so she won't click on it. "I don't want to break your computer, honey."

Me personally, I like to see the upstream name of a program in the menus when I click on it, cause upstream deserves that in my mind. But that only makes sense from my perspective, not wifey's. So, maybe the desktop should have an advanced mode and an easy mode.

I'd like to see an iTunes interface like to manage apt'ed software.
I mean the exact iTunes interface applied to synaptic with lots of attributes like: package screenshot, end-user description like klik or click'n run website catalogs.
I image to handle actual software rep/catalogs like I handle single songs into iTunes
I know this is crazy ;)
my 2cents,

Luca

Now days I don't see any advantages for Gnome.
On the other hand XFCE is much, really much , "lighter" and includes all functionality Gnome provides.
While KDE has very-very rich functionality while it's footprint is simply lower. And I am still not talking about KDE4 :-) which seems to be even more polished in footprint, architecture and look-and-fill.

For all Gnome advocates:
Yes once, Gnome was tiny DE. And person who willed to use simple taskbar and few buttons, would prefer Gnome.
But today it's not like that anymore. Gnome is still same "thin-client like" environment and simply far-far outdated by it's functionality and eats more resources then you ever dreamed of. Only one software product (the latest from famous blue-screen makers :-)) behaves similarly.

I am pretty sure Canonical developers has to re-invent the wheel every single day, while core technologies for their needs are just ready and waiting for the to use, and irony here that they are also maintained and located on same repository.

Can anyone provide me with reasonable explanation why Gnome is main stream in Ubuntu?
Can't Canonical just post a poll for that?
There are tons of code that waisted and duplicated when several DE are trying to sync functionality, is that rational?

Note:
I want to ask for forgivness in advance, from hard working Gnome developers who's feelings I might hurt.
I am developer my self, and I know the feeling when your creation has to die, but I believe that time, of natural causes.

P.S.
Strike me with your opinions, I'll be happy to discover new things or maybe even change my mind.

[....]

We all know that Ubuntu uses Gnome. But it doesn't avoid that KDE and XFCE come already installed in the operating system.

Whenever I install KDE libraries in Ubuntu, many files appear in the menu "Applications/Others", and is very annoying.

Besides, this would make easier the operating system to people who never used linux in their lives, because they don't know about different systems and desktops, they just want to Click n' install.

Well, i Hope this is useful for you, and all votes for this idea. :)

Have different modes of install. Normal - as is current, Easy and Cool - The coolest but maybe not the fastest theme and all the cool apps. With 3D acceleration enabled etc.

OK, as far as I like Ubuntu, I don't like what it's doing to the command line. It's not a special graphical distro like Fedora or Mandriva is. It's Debian with a few thing slapped on top. I'm not saying that's bad, I'm just stating the truth. Ubuntu is Debian made friendly. And Debian uses the command line heavily. And I think things like compiling software should be in the help. It will really help newbies to become more technical.

I don't know Linux whatsoever. For users like me, it would be excellent if we could easily install programs built for windows - even if this means a baked in or optional emulator. I would like to install programs such as World Community Grid (www.worldcommunitygrid.org) or Zone Alarm etc... and I can't because they aren't in a .tar .gz format or whatever

(please forgive my simple windows-brain)