http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/item/12048/
For example, after a fresh install of Ubuntu, I always uninstall fspot, tracker, bluetooth, ekiga, tomboy, gThumb, the games, and others. Which makes it feel like Ubuntu is a little bloated.

Benefits from this feature:
===========================
1. Users stop complaining about including useless packages. (evolution, xsane, transmission, tracker, bluetooth analyzer, tomboy notes, ekiga softphone, gThumb, fspot, games. To name a few.)
2. Less disk usage.
3. Faster install time, since there is less to fetch from the cd and install.
4. You will not have to uninstall the packages later, which may leave configs and other post installation junk on your system, resulting in a cleaner system.
5. Default is still possible so no one will complain about the new ability to customize the install.
6. (Possible) More advanced users can remove the packages that they don't use before burning to the cd, resulting in a smaller cd to install from. (burning time will also decrease).

*As an addition to number 6, I don't know exactly how the cd filesystem works, but it could also speed up the installation since there will be less time spent searching for the package. Correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

[90 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #12048


]]> en-us Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:22:36 +0000 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:10:27 +0000 QAPoll module http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/12048/ +0]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:13:03 +0000
I don't use Evolution, Xsane, Pidgin, Ekiga, F-spot and Rhythmbox. I always remove them right after the installation. Not having to install packages would be great.

Currently the installation process isn't any better than Windows' installation process: No choice, eveything just gets installed.]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:26:17 +0000 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:36:26 +0000 by the communauty), sometimes.
If the source-list isn't up to date, it might cause serious trouble I think.
I don't vote this down, but be carefull voting this up.]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:48:28 +0000
(However, there's no easy GUI to do this, at least as far as I know)]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:49:44 +0000 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:50:13 +0000
That would also break ubuntu-desktop meta package, which is not something we want to do. In order to not break the meta package it should be changed to include the optional applications as "suggested" and not "dependencies".

And even with that, reinstalling ubuntu-desktop from command line would install every suggested application even if the user didn't selected them when setting up the system (see also Ssdg comment).]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:24:40 +0000
However, for the 99% of other users who are beginners, I think it might be better to carry on the way Mark Shuttleworth has decided.

You see, he wants to make a package easy for a user who has never used Linux before to feel at home with.

Ampers.]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:57:03 +0000 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:27:01 +0000 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:28:40 +0000 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:58:34 +0000 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:43:20 +0000 Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:45:08 +0000 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:42:23 +0000
There are so many "default" applications installed that I never use that just clutter up the system. Evolution, Openoffice, half the default games, Pidgin, Espeak, Anacron, F-spot, Rhythm box, Foomatic and GIMP. Not just this - once they are installed, every time they are "updated", I am presented with more clutter in the "updates available" section.

Add to the above the fact that support for Palm (I don't own any Palm devices), blue tooth support (don't have any devices), Xsane (no scanner), GPhoto2 Libs (dont have a digicam), FLoppy formatter (no floppy drive), CUPS & Printer support (no printer) are all installed by default without asking the user whether he requires them in the first place.

This is really annoying. It would be nice if these could be presented as options during install.

Font installation is another area that could use some level of user customization. When a user has selected his language as "English", I don't see why the installer needs to include Japanese, Korean, Thai, Hindi, Malayalam and other language fonts simply "by default". Maybe I am wrong but this *is* what it appears to do.

@Aetuneo, I am new to ubuntu and creating a "custom cd" sounds somewhat complicated. On a side note, can you please link me to how this is done so I can have a look at it anyway? Ta.

@roshan.george - uninstalling applications using synaptic is somewhat intimidating for "new" ubuntu users (like me). Heres an example to illustrate my point.

I tried to uninstall evolution using synaptic. When i selected the package and chose "mark for removal" I am WARNED by synaptic that several other packages will also be removed, some of which are -

Gnome applets
Gnome panel
Ubuntu desktop

Not knowing what these packages were and purely out of curiosity I decided to have a look at what Synaptic states these are for.

Synpatic states "Ubuntu Desktop" as -

"The Ubuntu Desktop System
This package depends on all of the packages in the Ubuntu desktop system.

It is also used to help ensure proper upgrades, so it is recommended that it not be removed."

Synpatic itself states that this application should "not be removed" and yet removing Evolution is doing just that?!

This would stop any "new" ubuntu user (eg. me!) dead in their tracks.

Synaptics take on "Gnome Panel" is equally worrying, stating that it is "an essential part of the Gnome Desktop" leading me to believe that it should *not* be uninstalled to begin with.

I had similar warnings while attempting to remove the other apps I don't use (eg. GIMP, Open Office etc.)

End result? I decided it would be safer not to remove them at all! Not a happy ending in my book. :(

Like Tom stated, a "custom install" option can be provided for users who want to tweak what will be installed. Let the "default install" remain just the way it is for others who dont.
]]> Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:57:26 +0000
I completely agree.]]> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:13:26 +0000 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:33:06 +0000
We could show this at least two ways. One where the user is shown advanced options, or the simple options the whole way through the installer. The second is to have advanced buttons on each "screen" that display more advanced options.

I myself like the second way, because then a user can choose the simple partitioning, but install whatever programs they want.

The two-mode installer idea probably should be (or maybe is?) an idea all on its own, I guess.

I'm rambling. To sum up: +1]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:10:27 +0000