http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 16:44:17 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 16:44:17 +0000 QAPoll module http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/93/
There should be a way in gnome to set a different wallpaper for each monitor.

==== Merged with ideas of a similar scope: Different wallpapers on different workspace ===

Many workspaces option in Linux allows you to separate your work, why not allow users to have different wallpapers on each workspace. This allows for easier identification of which workspace you are on.
When used with compiz-fusion you can rapidly switch between your workspaces and the different wallapaper will allow you to quickly recognise what desktop you are on.

Currently this is natively available in KDE but not in Gnome. In Gnome you can't even let Compiz take over the wallpaper control because Nautilus doesn't allow for transparent backgrounds.

Other solutions like Wallpapoz are slow and when switching between desktops it takes too long to switch WP.


[3207 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #93
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #93 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

[23 votes] Solution #2: Wraparound Wallpapers
With Compiz it's possible to put a different wallpaper on every workspace, so why isn't this used more to create a unified cube? A welcome wallpaper has been discussed, and having a simple welcome wallpaper could guide the user to the next workspace. Wallpapers could then come in sets, so applying a new wallpaper could give you a unified cube.

[5 votes] Solution #3: Wallpapoz does this.
There is a program that already does this, and does it well even on multiple desktops. It is called Wallpapoz and the source is here:
http://wallpapoz.akbarhome.com/download.html

]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:20:08 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/93/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/20439/
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Meeting/2009-06-09#The%20GIMP

It is not the first time that a completely ridiculous, non-sense, anti-usability and "coincidentally" pro-Mono proposal (also coincidentally this time, from a former Microsoft employee) is pushed under the excuse of live cd size.

Apparently live CD size has become such an end instead of a means that ubuntu even considered removing the whole image editing thing to replace it with a sub-par photo management thingy. (No, apparently creation of images is too complicated for ubuntu users, they only want to edit a couple of pictures, let creativity be part of the windows or mac OS/X experience). This time, we dashed the bullet, but the conclussion is way too weak:
"If we still need the room, kick it out altogether"

This is not the first time, before we had another sign, canonical seriously considering replacing Rhythmbox (second most popular Linux music player, correctly working, good features, good amount of ubuntu users that like it) with Banshee (a feature lacking, mono-driven, unstable app only liked by Mono zealots) again under the extremely lame excuse of live CD size.

This situation is getting ridiculous.

Some points:

* The current default app distribution just works. Jaunty had tons of good reviews. In no place were there complains about X esoteric program missing.

* The current default app distribution already fits a CD. In other words, CD size is a problem only if you want to add new packages. What new packages? Is it really wise to replace raw functionality with some incredibly unknown package named "couchdb" that, I as an ubuntu user have never needed ?

* A great selling point for ubuntu, used in the ubuntu.com site itself is that it comes with a fully working app suite. Not that it comes with Mono, or that it comes with "couchdb" whatever that is. Just stopping to think of removing image editing from the suite is completely stupid. I am sorry for the language, but that's just what it looks like.

* Removing documentation just to support some esoteric package is just as wrong.

* Following this trend, we might end with a live CD that only brings a few useless Mono apps, some MBs of packages no one knows what they do. And users will need to spend ages downloading Open office, firefox, the gimp, gedit and other apps that "use too much space" and are not Mono-based.

* If size is that important, there are much more effective ways to save space, one is to replace the current Mono apps in the default with the non-Mono alternatives (as there are many already)

* An even easier way to solve this problem, is ... not to create the problem. Something is telling me we really didn't need these new packages like "couchdb" and that if there is something that we could allow the user to have to download it would be that...

* Another easy way is to just provide one language in the CD and let user pick the language before download! We already need to download language packs which is very annoying.

So seriously, live CD size is not an end, it is a means, and one that is in my opinion much less important than providing a good app selection and a working OS. Just seeing that this non-sense keeps happening is greatly harming ubuntu's image. Some of us are getting convinced Linux needs a new flagship distro. Fedora is looking good as they are really making sense of what a good default is (For starters one that brings native apps that can do stuff).






[59 votes] Solution #2: Remove Mono
Remove Mono from Ubuntu. There is no apps written in Mono I have used. I don't using Tomboy, Banshee, F-Spot(I'm not sure it's in mono), etc.

[53 votes] Solution #3: Just use a DVD...
Yes, that thing I said about DVD distros working in third world countries better than ubuntu is perfectly true. (I know this first hand). If the third world is not the reason for the insistence on using a CD disk for it then what is it?

Is it to keep the requirements low? That should be bull, really. We are talking about an OS for which most of the latest features (notifier thingie, compiz, ...) require a 3d graphics accelerator! Yet a DVD player is too high end!

Bandwidth? I do not think the live CD ISO would automatically jump to 2GB, it would likely start at ~700 for the first releases that use DVD.

Shipping costs? I don't think a DVD weights much more than a CD, I'd say the cost remains the same

ubuntu could just keep having a CD version ISO, that just ships the essential packages (Openoffice, The Gimp, firefox, gedit, brasero, totem, rhythmbox those are really the only apps you absolutely need, and I am sure that fits a live CD just as well)





[-39 votes] Solution #4: Keep CD-Images for Xubuntu only
There are still old computers without DVD-drive (e.g. alot Pentium 3 computers). Ubuntu/Kubuntu might not run well on these but Xubuntu does.

If Ubuntu/Kubuntu uses bigger image sizes (>700MB), keep Xubuntu CD-Images for legacy support.

EDIT: Booting from an USB-Stick is also often problematic/unsupported on these old computers.

[26 votes] Solution #5: Give greater preference to the network install
Make it easier to install Ubuntu using a 'network install' or 'FTP install' option. This way the latest packages could be downloaded directly from Ubuntu mirrors in the install phase and the user could select any extra packages that they may wish to install at the same time.

This would also mean that all packages would be up to date right after the installation.

An example of such an install process can be seen when installing Fedora.

[3 votes] Solution #6: Custom CD
I'd like to see the CD size mantained. They could try to keep squeezing things in ( that seems ideal for me! )

OR

We could have a link to a special website that would let you choose the apps you want to come with the live CD. Click Apply and then you would download an .img that suits your needs and saves bandwith to Canonical.

[12 votes] Solution #7: Target 1gb USB Flash drives
These are down to $8 (Pricewatch) and more accessible to novices than CD burning anyway. They install faster and work on most PCs >512mb ram (an ubuntu requirement).

Rebuild the web page intending that people download an image and Windows/Linux/Mac USB creator.

Users can then use the USB drive for other uses.

For "older" PCs, soon 512mb will be "older" and everything will work except the CD drive (they usually break soon after the laptop battery). For these, Linux on USB is the best option.

[0 votes] Solution #8: Install from repo on first click in the Application menu.
The first time you click on an Applications in the Applications menu it will install from the repo just like the Add/Remove menu. You could still keep a few "Must Have" like a web browser but everything else would be server dependent. That would make keeping a cleaner desktop even easier. Why should you even install the things that you never use?

]]> Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:48:54 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/20439/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/5147/
[50 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #5147
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #5147 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

]]> Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:01:36 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/5147/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/4219/ Although there is a clumsy workaround, I would really like to have the option to simply disable it.

[88 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #4219
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #4219 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

]]> Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:49:50 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/4219/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28196/


[0 votes] Solution #1: Add more quicklists to default apps
like on this page http://www.techdrivein.com/2011/05/top-6-quicklists-for-ubuntu-1104-natty.html

]]> Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:35:54 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28196/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/110/
This will NOT remove Mono or any of the applications from the Ubuntu repositories, just the default Desktop CD. (Although removing them from the CD may mean they don't need to be in Main anymore)

This affects two applications included by default: tomboy and f-spot. Tomboy can be replaced by either sticky notes or zim and f-spot by gthumb.

[204 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #110
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #110 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

[85 votes] Solution #2: No Mono by default
Remove Mono from the default package selection

[75 votes] Solution #3: Replace Tomboy with Gnote and remove Mono package
That's all. Save space from liveCD as Fedora Core Team is doing: replace Tomboy with Gnote and avoid patent problems.

[32 votes] Solution #4: Promote Vala as a Gnome enviroment programming language
Vala is a modern language for programming in the Gnome desktop enviroment.

Its code is compiled to C and this is compiled to machine code.

Vala has got all the features that C# has, thus Vala doesn't rely on a virtual machine and isn't patented by anybody like many parts of the Mono machine (Winforms library, for example).

Promote its development and the development of applications based in Vala compiler (like Lucruri) and stop wasting resources in Mono-based projects.

[62 votes] Solution #5: Replace Mono-based applications with Mono-free ones
Replace every Mono applications with its direct C++ port (or similar). That is:

- Tomboy must be replaced with Gnote.
- F-spot must be replaced with Solang.
- Banshee must NOT replace Rythmbox.

Why should Canonical do that? It will...
- Avoid patent demands. Winforms library is patented by Microsoft.
- Make Ubuntu applications faster. Mono is slower than machine code.
- Save live CD space.

[23 votes] Solution #6: Shotwell instead of F-spot
Same as Solution #5, but instead of using solang as a replacement for F-spot we should use Shotwell. Shotwell is an application written in Vala, the language Solution #4 wants to promote.

It's better than Solang because you can remove red eyes. Since it's written in Vala it's easy developing for GNOME, which means the development probably will be faster than for other applications.

[16 votes] Solution #7: Remove the package "mono-runtime" in the live-cd.
Remove the package "mono-runtime" in the live-cd and replace Tomboy by Gnote and Fspot by gThumb or similar.

]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:50:45 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/110/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28665/
[78 votes] Solution #1: Add a "Show Desktop" icon on Unity Launcher
Add a "Show Desktop" icon on Unity Launcher by default and, when we click on it, every windows are minimized.

If you don't open any new window, clicking on it again brings back the windows that were not minimized. If you do, clicking on the icon minimize the new window(s).


[-29 votes] Solution #2: Add workspace swither on top panel.
would be much easier to work on different workspace, keeping one workspace as desktop.

[4 votes] Solution #3: Extenion of Solution #1 and #2
create applets for the top panel as an option for those that want these features

[10 votes] Solution #4: Right-click or middle-click on workspace switcher.
Currently nothing happens when you right-click on the workspace switcher, clicking with the scroll wheel may also be an option but I think right-clicking would make more sense. Seems to me that it'd make sense to integrate it into the workspace switcher.

[-14 votes] Solution #5: Add a mini icon in the workspace switcher
It could be added a mini icon in the work space switcher which unfolds when the cursor hovers on it.

[0 votes] Solution #7: Make a mouse gesture for a specific corner to show desktop, like Gnome Shell has
Many modern operating systems have mouse gestures for the corners of the window. Ubuntu could make use of them for some events, like showing the desktop and stuff.

[12 votes] Solution #8: Add Mini Button.
This solution is similar to # 1, but offers a slightly modified form.
Make a button like in Windows 7 - thin and small.
It will occupy much less space than a normal button, it is important for the small displays.
Place it at the bottom, under the trash, so it was could quickly click it (go cursor to the lower left corner).

[-7 votes] Solution #9: use the ubuntu icon in 11.04 launcher as a hotcorner/button
This would make drag and drop files onto desktop easy and more productive.The ubuntu icon(top right most corner of the unity launcher) in 11.04 has been replaced by a blank space in 11.10,so that place could be a ideal place for the hot corner/button.

basically merging solution #1 and #7

[4 votes] Solution #10: key combination to show desktop
There should also be a key combination to show the desktop (like "Super + d" in previous versions). This is only a functionality extension, not a real alternative to the solutions stated above.

[0 votes] Solution #11: Create a mini button exactly 1/4 the size of a regular button
Do exactly as solution #1, but have a mini-button exactly 1/4 the size of a regular button. Allow the user to add more min-buttons if he or she decides to, and let the user configure it around a bit, a little like Windows XP's "quick launch" feature. Now, since the buttons are 1/4 the size, 4 of these can all be assembled in a square the exact same size as a regular application launcher, saving space. I would like these located at the bottom of the application list on the launcher by default, but I want it's placement to be user-configurable.

[2 votes] Solution #12: Have all the same features as #1, but with another tool added:
Have all the exact same features proposed in Solution #1, but also have it take a "peek" at the desktop when the mouse hovers over the icon, just like in Windows 7.

[4 votes] Solution #13: As #1, but on the panel - the launcher doesn't need more icon bloat
As #1, but on the panel - the launcher doesn't need more icon bloat

]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:16:26 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28665/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28025/
[11 votes] Solution #1: Add option to opacify the panel when a window is maximized
Add option to opacify the panel when a window is maximized in CompizConfig Settings Manager.

]]> Mon, 30 May 2011 03:46:23 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28025/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28178/
[0 votes] Solution #1: You should be able to choose sidebar color
When you choose a theme and click "personalize theme", could it have an option for the unity sidebar in the color tab.

]]> Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:23:25 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28178/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28664/
[34 votes] Solution #1: Expand Home-Folder-Icon to multiple icons in Unity-Launcher (awn-like)
Awn has the option that if you click on the "Folder"-icon, all other icons disappear and a list of icons form Music-folder, Video-folder, Gnome-Bookmarks, Filesystem and so on appears. With such an option in the Unity-Launcher it would be much easier to work with files in Unity.

[-4 votes] Solution #2: Show lens when selecting a folder
Show something LIKE lens, with inner files/folder, when selecting a folder on laucher.

[60 votes] Solution #3: Show favourites in right-click
On right-clicking on the home folder you should see your favourite folders.

[-5 votes] Solution #4: Expand windows to the right
When mouse over an active application's launcher, opened windows expand to the right, each window's icon the size of original launcher icon and the window's titlebar content appears as a pop-up from each window icon. The most user-friendly solution, I think, because it doesn't involve clicking at all

[5 votes] Solution #5: Add a new bookmark button and combobox in the file browser
You can bookmark two folders, so you can copy files from one to the other by selecting the destination folder from the bookmark combobox. The bookmark could be constrainted to a maximum of five folders for example. You could add or remove a folder from the bookmark by clicking the bookmark button which should be a two state button.

[7 votes] Solution #6: Show the title
When presenting windows to user's choice - Show the title -> add text with the usual program and file names to icons and/or previews shown on WinLogo+W (or also on other windows selecting metod) (because when working, sometimes I can't see the diferrences from the diferent spreadsheet I have oppened as they are in small sise)

[11 votes] Solution #7: Not Maximized windows should have their title and menu on the own window
Not Maximized windows should have their title and menu on the own window, dislocate it to the top of the screen makes it confusing when we have some more windows opened.
It is very nice for maximized windows, but makes it very confusing, hard to use, on not maximized ones.


[-6 votes] Solution #8: Pop-up menu
opening pop-up menu with the titles of folders when mouse over nautilus icon in launcher

[7 votes] Solution #9: 'Open New Window' quicklist
Provide an option on right click of the home folder icon, to open a new window.
It should also show the favourites/book marks on right click.



]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:51:35 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28664/