Contributor cardinals_fan

It would be nice if the standard dictionary included with Ubuntu could be spruced up a bit. Here are some ideas:

* Keep a copy of the dictionary database on the computer, so that you can access it offline. As of right now, I can't look up a word if I'm out on the lawn typing. It could be updated when the computer has an internet connection.
* Show results as you type. For example, if I typed "tre" in, I would get everything from 'treacherous' to 'trey' displayed in a list from which I could select the word I wanted. This would update as I continued typing.
* Have automatic hyperlinking from all the words in the definitions. If I look up "oxygen", and I don't know what a 'silicate' is, I should be able to double-click on that word and be taken to its definition (back and forward buttons would be useful here)
* Show the thesaurus by default.
* Have a more standard dictionary database. I'm not sure about licensing, but if we could access reference.com 's database, that would be great. Also, let the user select the databases they want to use.
* Tie in all other dictionaries (OpenOffice, Firefox) to one central database for spellchecking. Spellcheck should be a global feature, with every program using one database which would be editable through a GUI or the program you are using.
* Make an overall prettier GUI.

At the moment it's possible to manage traditional wired and WiFi connections using Network Manager. To connect via a modem, a 3G/GPRS card, over bluetooth to a cell phone or via USB to another device requires that the user installs extra packages, and does a fair amount of configuration that isn't found in Network Manager.

A single unified tool should be provided which allows the user to connect to a network (or internet) via any supported method. It would also be useful to provide an extension to this tool to manage firewall rules and network connection sharing.

Simply put:
Add RealPlayer for Linux to the multiverse repository, and prompt people (at least those from the USA) to install it when they go to play MP3s, AACs, or RealMedia files.

More Info:
Many people desire out-of-the-box, or seemingly out-of-the-box playback of MP3s, AAC (mpeg4 audio), and (sometimes) RealMedia audio and video files. Currently Ubuntu offers seemingly out-of-the-box support for MP3s by offering to install MP3 codecs that are open source but may violate patent laws in the US.
Suse has an easy solution to this: bundling RealPlayer. It supports the above-mentioned formats. Rather than bundling RealPlayer, Ubuntu should offer to install it from the multiverse. This would require that RealPlayer be added to the multiverse (Helix Player is insufficient because it does not support the proprietary formats.)

Include Compiz Fusion Manager by default

Mozilla-firefox-adblock (https://addons.mozilla.org/pl/firefox/addon/1865) should be replaced by Adblock Plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865)in Ubuntu's repositories because the Adblock isn't developed anymore (since 2004).

Ubuntu should include a way to add/remove fonts from a repository just like the add/remove program panel. When a user needs a new font, they could open up the window, and the program would download the latest repository fonts. The user could look through the fonts and choose which ones to install by simply checking a box and clicking "apply." A user could search for font keywords to find certain styles of fonts. For example, someone could search for keywords words "serif","sans serif","cursive", and the GUI would display fonts that match the search. This would be a killer tool for designers.

Furthermore, the GUI could be very helpful. When a user browses a font, a sample image of it could be automatically loaded so that the user can quickly find fonts that are appealing to them. A rating system or popularity gauge could be used so that the best fonts can be highlighted.

A tool like this would create inscentive for font designers to make their designs free/public. Credits could be given to designers in the font descriptions.

Linux is a great platform for software development. There are plenty of tools, languages and libraries which allow developing a wide range of applications. However, most of these tools and libraries are not integrated and a deep knowledge is required in order to use them properly. Therefore, having a fully integrated development environment to easily develop Linux applications (from project management -Version Control System, autotools, launchpad integration ...- to package creation) would be highly appreciated. An existing IDE must be modified/extended (plugins) to add the missing features. Some candidates are:
· anjuta
· kdevelop
· eclipse
· netbeans


An initial proposal:

• Unified way to access symbol information (when you add an existing library to a project you can have information of all their symbols)
∘ man
∘ devhelp
∘ doxygen
∘ library symbols -- using the -dbg packages --
∘ source code -- for scripting languages --
∘ ...
• Unified way to access documentation
∘ man
∘ devhelp
∘ doxygen
∘ ...
• Multi-language support
∘ C/C++
∘ Java

[....]

The box that pops up when the admin password is required doesn't integrate with compiz and is pretty hideous and intrusive by default. It's pretty pointless for it to take over the whole screen and it could use some styling.

This is probably going to be voted into oblivion. But here goes.

Coming from a mac, I like to have the close,min,max buttons on the left side of my window. Yes, I know I can change it in Gconf editor.

But wouldn't it be nicer if I could do it graphically?

Also, this might be a bad idea to say this but, last time I checked, this could be configured graphically in kde...

I use xfce because I like it better, but most people who use ubuntu use the default gnome desktop. Most forum help show menu commands only applicable to gnome. These menus should be added to xubuntu. It's a lot easier than telling everyone to show help that can be done in cli, even though cli is better than gui.

Some Brainstorm ideas get a lot of votes in both directions. Having a link to see the ideas that have the most total votes (positive+negative) would let users see a list containing the most popular ideas as well as the most controversial ideas. This way, the ones that are controversial will receive even more exposure. Perhaps even a "most controversial" list could be made, one which takes the "most total votes" list and removes those on the "most popular" list.

I love the calculator that ships with Ubuntu. I think so many people use it all the time that it might be nice to have it preload many of its libraries into memory so that it loads faster. I want to click the Calculator icon and -bam- it opens with no wait.

Linux and opensource has a long history of giving names to applications that make no sense to new users and are difficult to remember. Examples range from Synaptic whose name bares little to no connection to how is functions as an application downloader". Grub, compiz fusion, K"whatever", Gimp, etc. are all examples of poorly named and branded programs that do more to confuse humans than inform them.

Similarly Linux uses terms such as "Root" (compared to "Admin") represent a new vocabulary that users must learn in order to feel comfortable with the system. Similarly the folder structure uses abbreviated forms of words that while make it faster to type when in the command prompt confuse users who can't understand their meaning. Examples are plentiful here: /bin, /sbin, /etc, /root, /dev, /mnt, /lib, /boot, /tmp

Obviously this is a "hard" problem with the structure of the OS, Renaming folders isn't an easy thing to do. But the fact that these folders and many programs don't use "natural language" makes the OS and experience inhumane and provides another learning curve.

My proposal would be to give natural language names to all parts of the OS and to also support abbreviated forms when in the command line.

I would also propose changing application names that are ambiguous and confusing in favor of sexier natural language versions (preferably single words). Applications that have their names changed could have a footnote stating the original name in an About/Info dialogue box.

linux desktop should be reconsidered and rebuild around a fast light gui environment such as xfce.
- we need speed and simpleness
- good , standard comprehensive tools
- not a separate configuration tool for every aspect of the system
- get rid of unneeded services
- get a good -standard in every linux distro - search tool
- the menu of linux daryna is nice but still buggy
- better hardware driver support especially for laptops wi-fi ,printers ,scanners
- one small sure step forward is better than a large step forward and several steps backward.I 've seen many times linux distros loosing what they already got. Hardware supported in previous releases is not in later ones.
- let's not be so protective with our beloved child. lets start wanting more out of it . as linux is becoming more popular more people more and more will say it sucks and this is good - it means they use it and they want more out of it.

Goal: De-geek compiling source-code.

Some users are savvy enough to navigate to a 'Download' section of a website for software XYZ but are unsure of what to do next after downloading source-code.

Manually compiling source-code should be a choice, not a requirement. :)

Scenario:
I choose "Open" versus "Save" to Download source-code from a website and Ubuntu automatically compiles and executes the source-code. ("it just works")

* Perhaps some sort of "Install and Run" option via Right-Click Menu for previously downloaded source-code.

That would rock, basically.

HAVE AN APPLE MAC OS X DOCK AS AN AVAILABLE OPTION.

I am a OS X Apple, Mac person. I love linux and particularly love Ubuntu. However, as a Mac User I am grown accustomed to and particularly love the "DOCK" that is the most visibly obvious characteristic of OS X.

I switched from lame-ass MS Windows based PCs to Macs about two yrs. ago. Even when I was still using Windows PCs I hated the standard Windows Desktop with its "Task Bar or Task Panel" and all the Application Icons on the desktop, etc. Lame!!!

The "Dock" should be an Option for people to install and use. I know and realize that there are people out there that probably hate the Dock and love the standard Windows Desktop "Look." That's fine. How about giving people the choice, the option.