Contributor tomaszx

Hello everyone!

I am using hardy heron 8.04 with user-compiled ipw3945 driver for my wireless network card, because default iwl3945 doesn't work with my university's network. But so far I've seen, ipw3945 has more features than iwl3945:
1.) better scan sensitivity
2.) works with wireless networks that require 802.1X authentication
3.) excellent power saving features (using ipw3945 over iwl3945 increases my laptop battery life by cca 45 minutes)
4.) ipw3945 is open source driver and not proprietary (although jockey-gtk detects it as proprietary) - sources that I have include GPLv2/BSD licence

Totem is a good player, but vlc is much better. Please put the best software as default in ubuntu, because the problems of new users , coming from windows, will decrease a lot with vlc, that recognise more codecs than totem.

http://custom.nimblex.net/
I could have posted a long story about how this works but the link explains it all.

Great for building a custom CD to install a PC that doesn't have a connection to the web.

I'd like to see a way for non-admin users to install programs via apt, into their home directory , so they don't need root access every time they even want tiny, succinct apps (like a fortune cookie program), and still have the convenience of a package manager

There would be no security risk or overall risk to system stability as apt would run with user privileges, so they would still not be able to do any worse then they normally could do.

Dangerous programs like VMware would still not be able to be fully installed (because kernel module installation requires root). And they would not be able to erase Xorg because they don't have write access to the Xorg directories.

But they could eliminate their reliance on tar.gz's from websites, and install programs such as vdrift or open office, using the standard package managers, without requiring root intervention.

A policy could be set in a config files to determine if local users should be able to use apt with local user permissions. The code for this is easy! That way you can still stop them using apt if you wish :D

PROS
1) Untrusted noobies can install or mess around in the full APT repo without ANY risk of system damage.
2) I can hand grandma a ubuntu laptop, without sudo/root access, allow her to install programs, without risk or giving her root.
3) This could technically be implemented now, with only a few changes to synaptic or adept. Apt is already ready
4) This is a way for users to step up to more advanced package managers, without screwing up the system.

CONS
1.1) A bit more hdd space usage. But people should be using quota's anyway to protect against this in most environments.

[....]

I think a tool/deamon that save the users setting on a usb stick would be nice.

Backup configuration files and settings like...
- GnuPG keys
- e-mail settings
- contact list
- unit settings (metric/imperial)
- paper size (A4/letter)
- currency
- timezone
- locale settings
- printer configuration
- network configuration
- ...

It should basically do what Apple .Mac sync service does, but on USB-Sticks. This tool should not be an entire backup tool for all kind of data! Only small configuration settings and perhaps some desktop gadgets.

After first time configuration, it could automatically sync the data throught a background daemon started by d-bus, after the usb stick is connected, per example. If a user has GnuPG installed, the possibility to encrypt the data should be offered to the user.

During install, if the usb stick is present, the installer could prompt for import the settings and configure all of them. This would accelerate and simplify the entire installation process.

children and kids who want to draw something are very
excited in xp,because of paint utility.this offers them
improve drawing skills.A small and tiny application like
MSPAINT,would be great in default installation,note that
there are plenty of alternatives in linux like:
tuxpaint,xfpaint etc.i dont know which is the best,
but a small application would be great,optionally include ping pong like game also.

Would it be possible to add an option for seeing two windows in one filebrowser, in order to push files around ?

this is one of those things which, once you've used it, you ask yourself how you ever did otherwise. i have used 'norton commander' (DOS) in the past, and 'total commander' (for MS Windows, google it), and also the kde file manager 'krusader'. all of these are split into two windows. its much more compact, and much easier to keep order on the desktop.

(Or is this something that the Gnome people would have to do ?)

every time I used to try and drag something to the trash, I would accidentally drag it to another workspace. It was driving me insane. I eventually decided to move my trash icon away from the right of the screen, so now it is on the other side of my workspace switcher. If a new user is skeptical, it might take one annoying thing to close their mind to change, so I propose we have what I did (which only took a few seconds) as the default setup.

what do YOU think?

There is nothing stopping us as users from deleting core system packages such as grub accidentally. I could tell any ubuntu user to do it, and they may wreck their system.

We should make APT smarter.
* There should be at least 1 kernel for instance, and it should be in the boot manager.
* If grub is the active bootmanager, make sure they know their system wont boot on deletion.
* You delete Xorg-X11, and you'll be hanging in prompt.

We need to make it more foolproof, and have a infrastructure in place to warn users if they are making a potentially fatal mistake.

Every second comment here is "well, it should be in apt". Well, if we want people to use apt for everything and be actively using it, we need to make it safer. I cant uninstall windows from their add/remove programs for instance now can I? Yet, one wrong click in adept will totally kill kubuntu.

Please note: THIS SHOULD BE ADDED AS AN OPTION! By default it should be enabled, except make it easily disabled so everyone wins

When some applications are hard occupied disk with I/O then Gnome not response for mouse, keyboard and we must wait...

It couldn't be worse! We cannot kill this process because cannot open terminal or system monitor.

This situation is very irritating.

It really needs one. :)

Many new users are confused when it comes to the installation of Ubuntu.

They didn't know they need a swap partition, and they're not sure what size it should be, and how to set it up.
They think its difficult to setup partitions and often don't understand how partitions work and the difference between primary and extended partitions.

Swap partitions have limitations, such as a constant size and can't be resized.

Using a swap file instead of a swap partition, would save users lots of hassle by not having them have to setup swap partitions, etc.

As a bonus, it would allow us to resize them anytime we want/need.

At the moment, if someone wants to backup his documents or prepare a migration from a computer to another there isn't much more than file-roller to create a backup.
Ideally, the user should be able to run a graphic software which would ask what the user wants to backup and where (tape/usb key/remote).
Then the same tool would be able to restore the backup.

It would be useful for both backups and migration from a computer to another.

Update : See duplicates ideas which contain even more great ideas about that idea.

for some type of files or for folders.

This may be very important for some company's.

Look, if we save some files saved in OpenOfice 2.4 and if this has been updated to 2.5 (when is out) this may generate some problems with format content this files (tables, chars etc.)

Should be possible to simple set (central) blocked version of OpenOffice and other programs.

Maybe central panel for admin for set key applications blocked.

Now the website is stored as a html file and a folder containig auxiliary files as pictures, etc.. Please find a way to store all this data into one file. It is unnerving to take care of this folder.

I use now wicd and it's , ,much better than NetworkManager.. More work is needed for NetworkManager

(See multiples duplicates and comments about more requested improvement)

[No description]

Nautilus. Show the total size of the folder is open on the status bar when there is no element selected.

In the panel, it would be handy to be able to tile windows horizontally and vertically instead of just minimising, maximising and moving to other desktops.

At present, I spend a lot of time resizing windows when it should be automated.