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cheesehead
(Brainstorm admin)
wrote on the 5 Dec 09 at 21:18
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Please elaborate: What elements of your current package manager are inconvenient?
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janjiss
wrote on the 22 Dec 09 at 08:52
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Kubuntu's package manager is very complicated for beginners. I installed it on my friend computer and he was not very happy about it. Kubuntu needs better package manager.
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cheesehead
(Brainstorm admin)
wrote on the 22 Dec 09 at 14:32
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Possibly. Without understanding why your friend was unhappy, how are developers to know what to improve?
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In Ubuntu, you can install new applications via the Add/Remove feature, in main menu (seems its now called "software central"). This is much more convenient for the user than using Synaptics (or apt-get / aptitude), because it displays *applications*, not only a *bunch of packages*.
Kubuntu does not have anything similar to Add/Remove (Software Central) feature. New users used to GNOME environment will certainly miss this.
KPackageKit is, like Synaptics, a bit scary. They are meant for experienced users, for admin purposes.
Add/Remove (Software Central) is much more user-friendly. It's meant for beginners, for the end-user, who doesn't want to tacle with complex package names, numbers, versions, etc.
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skelbley
wrote on the 19 Jan 10 at 19:48
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Could this idea be opened up for discussion again?
Basically, it's like fprudente said above.
Ubuntu has a clean, concise program manager, in addition to Synaptic. One is for beginner users to install a program, (and they are easily searchable), the other for a more experienced user who wants a specific package. For example, say I want to install a different email client. In Ubuntu, I open up software center, click in Internet apps, then browse the items. Or even just type "email" in the search bar.
In Kubuntu, I open up the add/remove programs manager, and am presented with essentially a blank screen, save for a search bar. If I don't know what exactly I'm looking for, it's fairly scary. Suppose I want email; I type email, and get a list two pages long, with names like thunderbird-2.00.03-noubuntu-etc-etc. For the beginner user, that's scary as heck.
In conclusion, the present Kubuntu program manager is more geared towards experienced users, leaving the new or basic user stuck with what they've got, unless they want to learn what all of that means (and most probably don't). I think this would go a long way towards making Kubuntu more user-friendly for new users and people making their first foray into the *nix world.
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mvalley
wrote on the 9 Feb 10 at 22:10
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I agree with skelbley that this idea should be discussed more. I think users should not have to think in terms of packages, but in terms of applications, somewhat like in the Software Center in Ubuntu. I should never have to know that I need a package named something like "amarok-common - 2:2.0.1.1mysql5.1.30-0ubuntu4 (i386)" or even what that package is. I should only have to know about the Amarok application as a whole, and have a place where I can easily search for and add/remove it.
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Couldn't KPackageKit just be "improved" to match Software Center's user-friendlyness?
Nikos
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I don't see why not; I think it's something that would be well worth the time invested.
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I would also like to see the software center improved. I'm brand new to linux (my background is both Mac and PC) so I've both ubuntu and kubuntu installed to see which one I will want to use. I really like the kubuntu environment but find it hard to locate new software as I don't know the name of any linux software other than gimp.
I would really like the ability to browse for software by category like what the KDE website offers.
Also I don't understand why in ubuntu software center if I search for gimp I see the GIMP image Editor Appear right away with it's icon but in kubuntu when I do a search all I find is 43 package icons but no familiar app icon. Nearly 3/4 of the way down I see 2 entries for the GNU Image Manipulation Program (same package icon) and I'm confused as to which one to install. The result? I have to go to the gimp website to download the package because I can't figure out the KPackageKit. It's frustrating enough to make me want to give up on KDE. It would be really helpful to have the actual application listed at top with it's icon the way that the Software Center does.
Maybe it's just that I'm a nube and will eventually figure this stuff out but I am a programmer/designer and consider myself pretty capable and I know that there is no way my wife would ever figure out how to install a program with KPackageKit but could with Software Center. If there is another option for installing software in KDE I would love to hear about it. I actually found this thread while searching to see if I could install Software Center in KDE.
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I've recently switched to KDE, and it's pretty obvious to new users who love everything else aobut KDE than the Package Manager could use a little help.
Looking at the discussions around PackageKit itself, it seems the developers are more concerned about features than changing the GUI at this point. Hopefully that will change, but I do believe we should be working on porting the Software Center over.
Of course, if PackageKit became more like the Software Center, it could easily replace it on both desktops, which may or may not be a good thing considering the Software Center's plans for closed source & paid applications.
Seriously, though, it seems as though Qt is getting stiff-armed by the larger Ubuntu community. Not only does there seem to be a lot of animosity for KDE simply because of the way the menus are laid out (many people think it's just trying to copy Windows, which isn't the case), but the fact that an obvious usability oversight like this only has 14 votes so far says something.
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Ammar
wrote on the 2 Oct 10 at 14:12
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Search "Ubuntu software" without the quotes
The software center will be one of, if not the first package.
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This was implemented in Kubuntu Maverick (10.10). Case closed?
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Goddard
wrote on the 2 May 12 at 19:45
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The ubuntu software center looks horrible in KDE based enviornments.
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