Currently it is very difficult to setup and control access to shared folders without editing conf files and reading detailed instructions on all the variables. I propose that sharing (specifically Samba) be given a well worked GUI and some real TLC to bring it up to standard with the experience on Windows or OS X.

"Make Desktop Linux Better than Apple" is the title of this article: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Shuttleworth-Make-Desktop-Linux- Better-than-Apple/. Well, if they want to make it better, it has to be user friendly. And the error messages in Ubuntu mostly aren't user friendly. They don't explain:

-How to fix the problem
-The reason of the problem in noob-understandable language

For complex and difficult problems, a link to a page in the Ubuntu User Guide would be nice.
Advanced users want to see the technical error message, so a details section should be added. The details section can be collapsed.

I think this can be done easily by using a common framework integrated into GNOME.

Merged from http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/13011/ :

When possible, a Revert button should be added to the message. This button will fix the error automatically, in case of an interrupted package install, for example.

I made a mockup for this:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9004/schermafdrukerrormessagov9.png

I did this in Glade.



[....]

When I select a music file, video file or picture in Nautilus I would like to get some basic information about them in the status bar:

- For video and music: Length and quality.
- For pictures: Size (in pixels)

I think it's annoying that I have to open a movie just to find out how long it is.

when you have used search to find a file in nautilus you can (like in WinXp) right click and open containing folder. as it stands i have to go in properties and find where it is then copy and paste this into the address bar.

Multiple pointer devices, e.g. one touchpad and one mouse, might require different sensitivity settings.

If mice report their model to the computer (they do, right?), reasonable default settings could be kept in a database and mabye adjusted according to how the user has adjusted the settings of other devices. Any changes the user makes should of course be remembered until next time the same mouse gets plugged in.

With or without a database, a window could pop up the first time a particular model is plugged in, allowing the user to adjust the settings.

== From merges ==
When can this be needed?

(paste from a duplicate idea)
Problem: I'm using a trackpad that I sometimes attach a USB mouse to, so I switch between using the trackpad and using the usb mouse, but when the movement and acceleration for the trackpad is sufficiently fast to move around the screen comfortably, it magnifies the usb mouse movement drastically, requiring careful cramped movement of the usb mouse to navigate because it's using the same movement speed and acceleration settings as the trackpad.

I think adding a "Quote" button on comments about an idea could be useful. When a brainstorm user quote a comment of another user and write below another comment, brainstorm should provide to send an email to that user who posted the first comment notifying that there's an answer of his comment.

E.G.

Whithout Quote Button:

I comment an idea. An user called Jake doesn't agree to my comment and post another comment to explain what's wrong with my opinion on that idea. I don't follow anymore the idea I commented so I can't read what Jake wrote.

With Quote button:

I comment an idea. An user called Jake doesn't agree to my comment and post another comment to explain what's wrong with my opinion on that idea. Brainstorm send me an Email that tells me that someone answered or quoted a comment of mine. That email provides me the link of the idea. I click on the link so I can read what Jake wrote and I answer to him. Then he answer again etc.

The email sending should be an option, and I suggest a creation of a new section in the user menu, something like this: "Your Messages been quoted or answered", and into this section there should be a list of all the messages been quoted or answered.

I hope you understood what I'm trying to say.

Create and include a 'Speakers and sound' graphical configuration tool that would be able to configure the system soundcards and speaker settings (from simple stereo to surround 5.1, 7.1)

It is sometimes difficult to find the post within a thread in the forums which actually solved a problem. Sometimes it is on the 1st page, then it is easy. What happen, when it is on the 12th out of 44? Then have fun reading all posts... you have to go through the whole thread looking for this entry.

What about implementing a function, where the post (or even multiple helpful posts) with the solution is highlighted by the thread author (or moderator). This/these post(s) could even moved to the top, below the initial post. This would save a lot of time hunting for a solution within the forums.

What do you think?

As an example, have a look at the PCWorld.com forums. Thanks to chipbennett.

Expansion of Add Remove Programs - show user-provided descriptions, feature lists, screenshots, comments, ratings, integration with launchpad. Initial page should be top-rated apps, or newest apps. Managed by a webapp?

Or... leave it as it is, but create a website displaying all the great software available for ubuntu including all the features mentioned above with apturl links to install.

From #4613 (merged):

It should be indicated how much I'll have to download to install something.

We have download limits here and well... quite often I exceed them. It would be useful to indicate how big the download is going to be.

A feature that's possible but not intuitive in Ubuntu today is the setting up of one PC as "multiple workstations" - i.e. connecting two keyboards, two mice and two monitors to one PC and having two users log in and work independently.

I would love to see this feature made simpler to set up, as it would be great for a lot of home users (e.g. buying a one powerful computer instead of 2 or 3 computers for the kids), as well as in schools, internet cafes etc.

Additional information:
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/42731
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=221174
http://netpatia.blogspot.com/2006/09/multiseat-computer-with-ubuntu.html
http://netpatia.blogspot.com/2008/01/coming-soon-multiseat-in-ubuntu-804.html
http://netpatia.blogspot.com/2008/02/multiseat-computer-with-ubuntu-804.html
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=707796
http://research.edm.uhasselt.be/~jori/page/index.php?n=Misc.DualSeatX

Work with fedora team who want to add this multiseat feature in fedora 11
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/Multiseat


[....]