Ubuntu QA:
BlogBrainstormPackage status
Log in
Ubuntu QA
The Ubuntu community has contributed 21986 ideas, 135057 comments, 2615221 votes
Idea sandbox Idea sandbox
Popular ideas Popular ideas
Ideas in development Ideas in development
Implemented ideas Implemented ideas

Popular ideas Here are the last 6 months most popular ideas about Ubuntu.

The family may use Ubuntu  
Written by danielhanchen the 27 Apr 12 at 10:41. Global category: Installation. New
Have you ever added another account on Ubuntu? If so, you had to go through a lengthy process to add one. About 4 extra clicks are needed: Settings>User Accounts>Add User>Customisation of accounts(not click)>Apply. It's a very complicated procedure! If you upgraded to Ubuntu, and you knew how many accounts you needed, is there any easier method?
73
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Place "add user" to installation.
Written by danielhanchen the 27 Apr 12 at 10:41.
During the installation of Ubuntu, add a button in the account setup area named "Add User". This will limit the clicks, only if you knew beforehand how many accounts you need to setup.
1
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Additional Users (no clicking)
Written by alms66 the 18 May 12 at 07:04.
Instead of clicking an add-user button, simply list out the following multiple times on the "users" page during installation:

Real/Full Name 1
Username 1
Password 1 (Re-enter Password 1)
Require Password/Log in Automatically (radio button)

Real/Full Name 2
Username 2
Password 2 (Re-enter Password 2)
Require Password/Log in Automatically (radio button)

Real/Full Name 3
Username 3
Password 3 (Re-enter Password 3)
Require Password/Log in Automatically (radio button)

For a visual of this, Windows does something similar during installation. #1 must be filled out and will be set as administrator, while the others are only added if filled in and are set to standard users by default. If we want to get fancy, we can allow the selection of pictures, standard/administrator, etc. on the same installation page.

Right now the "user page" also lists the computer name - that should probably be moved elsewhere with all of this added.

See the 5 comments or propose a solution >>

Implementing software RAID at Desktop install is currently very difficult.  
Written by sulliventcj the 13 Apr 12 at 05:38. Related project: Live CD installer. New
Currently, installing to a software raid setup with the Desktop flavored Ubuntu image is an ordeal. There is no UI option to do so. Instead, one must go through a convoluted process of setting up the partitioning with gparted, then create the arrays with mdadm, then install with ubiquity, install mdadm to the new Ubuntu isntallation, and then screw you if you want grub installed properly.

The point is, this is too much work to go through for a simple RAID setup. What's worse, this is almost certainly a detriment to adoption by businesses or OEMs.
54
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Create an "Advanced" menu when Ubiquity comes to the partioning screen.
Written by sulliventcj the 13 Apr 12 at 05:38.
Create an advanced menu at the partition creation screen that can be easily expanded, and used to create LVMs and RAID arrays. At most, all that would be needed is a GUI implementation of the RAID options already available in the Server and Alternative flavored images.
4
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Create partitions from live-cd, but include mdadm and lvm2 packages
Written by caligari the 24 Apr 12 at 17:28.
I've just installed Precise with RAID and LVM disk managament running live-cd before the installation. It was easy to do with "Disks Utility".

However, I had to install mdadm and lvm2 packages from live-cd (with apt-get on console) in order to Disks Utility execute the background commands.

Those packages (lvm2 and mdadm) should be included in the install live-cd since they are necessary to prepare an advanced installation.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

The installer should allow to skip the installation of a boot loader  
Written by nicky the 9 Feb 12 at 08:37. Related project: Live CD installer. New
(as far as I know, this suggestion is not version specific)

I'm running Ubuntu side by side with Debian on my laptop so I am capable of helping new users with Ubuntu-specific issues in the Danish Ubuntu-forum. However, since Debian is my primary OS, I would prefer to leave the boot loader in the hands of Debian, both under and after the installation of Ubuntu.

But during the installation of Ubuntu, after language and updates have been chosen and when choosing "Something else" as installation-type, one have to choose a place for the boot loader in the drop-down menu named "Device for boot loader installation:".
49
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Allow the installer to skip the installation of grub2
Written by nicky the 9 Feb 12 at 08:37.
In my opinion, the most simple solution would be to include an extra entry in the drop-down menu which would instruct the installer not to install a boot loader.
33
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Autodetect, then ask
Written by cheesehead the 18 Feb 12 at 21:36.
Most bootloaders can be edited fairly easily. Grub1, grub2, and syslinux, for example. all keep menu data in predictable locations and editable formats.

Most users shouldn't need to care about which bootloader they use, or if it should be replaced, or how to update the options. The bootloader probe logic should be smart enough to determine if replace/upgrade of the bootloader is needed, of simply if a new menu option can be appended.

---
"We found an existing bootloader pointing to an existing Windows install on partition 3.

At startup, do you want to:
[ ] Start Ubuntu every time
[ ] Start Windows every time
[ ] Ask me every time

You can easily change this in ...blah blah blah"

See the 4 comments or propose a solution >>

Reduce the size of apt-get update (not upgrade) downloads  
Written by hit801 the 3 Apr 12 at 18:26. Global category: Installation. New
While updating system using software update or apt-get update or by similar method, it takes quite along time and total data downloaded reches close to 16MB. On slower or I should say mobile broadband this is a waste of money or bandWidth.
Many time it happend that I had checked for software update and after downloading around 16 MB of Data or I should call "Software Catalauge/information" the update comes up is of 2MB or less.
7
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: System footprint file
Written by hit801 the 3 Apr 12 at 18:26.
Instead of checking and downloading data of more than 10 MB and most importantly wasting time, Software update should use a system footprint file! Or updater should prepare a file of few Kb which has signature/information of all the system installation and software versions currently installed. Whenever user checks for update system should compare this local system file with updated file which lies on update server. Any changes should be reflected in output on local computer as updates ready for download/installation. This will certainly saves time and bandwidth.
40
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Use checksums and deltas and last changed meta information
Written by puxkggn the 6 Apr 12 at 12:46.
After checking a general date to see if a piece of software has a newer update available. The following things can be done to do this very effective and efficient:

Instead of complete files you could use checksums to check if files are the same.
Very effective and it's guaranteed to give good results when implemented good. We also don't need to compare the dates because the repository can check if the checksum coincidences with an older, newer or unknown version of the file. In the case of unknown the package manager should avoid messing with the file and reporting the situation to the User before doing anything.

Instead of replacing whole files could make something that only replaces the parts to update a file from a previous version to a next version. This could be implemented at the Ubuntu package manager and the Ubuntu repository software so that software developers don't have to make extra packages. Making deltas can even be fully automated. And very efficient: only make delta when a user is detected with a previous version who wants to update to a newer version. Generate delta between two version from packages in warehouse. Then cache the delta update files to speed up serving of them.

Very efficient without loosing effectiveness.
9
votes
up equal down
Solution #3: Use rsync
Written by aadityabhatia the 20 Apr 12 at 11:01.
We all love rsync because it transfers the deltas only. Why reinvent the wheel?
4
votes
up equal down
Solution #4: Third-Party Update Pushing
Written by ki4jgt the 28 Apr 12 at 00:59.
A service could be established for broadband users who are limited in bandwidth (it could be implemented into the software center). The service would manage the user's repositories (updating locally) and push updates to the client. The user would be allowed to add additional repositories. This would allow the user to only receive what updates were needed for their particular system.

EDIT: If the user wanted to update the available applications, they could do that as well.

See the 7 comments or propose a solution >>

Automatic repartitioning to a UEFI-partition during install  
Written by manne1984 the 29 Feb 12 at 21:43. Related project: Live CD installer. New
I feel that the Ubuntu installer should be able to re-partition the harddrive so I, as an end-user with only modest knowledge of the command line, could benefit from having my UBUNTU OS working with the UEFI-firmware and not falling back to a legacy-mode which is provided by the firmware. After searching on the net and using this guide; https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFIBooting I was able to create the required partitions with some hassle. The booting process is quicker, not text-based and it seems as if the power-manager features work now.

If I'm correct in this brainstorming, this hidden and little known-feature (by regular end-users, like me) is beneficial to the over-all computing experience with greater compatibility between the OS and the hardware.

Should the installer instruct the user about this option?
28
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Implement repartitioning with UEFI-partition included.
Written by manne1984 the 29 Feb 12 at 21:43.
By making the installer and the disk utility responsible for the automatic partitioning of the drives implementing a reworked UEFI-partition, not dependable of the initial vendor's UEFI-partition. Clearly mentioning the complete re-configuration of the system.

See the 2 comments or propose a solution >>

Meta packages are not easily identified  
Written by xav0989 the 10 May 12 at 16:05. Related project: Ubuntu Software Center. New
Packages such as ubuntu-desktop, ubuntu-minimal and others are meta-packages, so packages that do not have any content in themselves, put rather depend on a number of other packages to provide a faster easier way to install common sets of programs. However, these packages are sometimes mistaken for regular packages, and users are wary of removing them (for instance, when apt-get tries to remove ubuntu-desktop, you may wonder if your desktop will start failing).
17
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Add a keyword to meta packages
Written by xav0989 the 10 May 12 at 16:05.
Add a keyword such as meta at the begining or the end of meta packages, so ubuntu-desktop would become meta-ubuntu-desktop, or ubuntu-minimal would become meta-ubuntu-minimal.
2
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Add a category in Ubuntu Software Center
Written by benoyanthony the 15 May 12 at 10:22.
Can add catogory named "Meta" in ubuntu software center to get seprate list of meta packages.

See the 2 comments or propose a solution >>

Add /home/* backup/restore capability to ubiquity  
Written by Resistance the 3 May 12 at 01:46. Related project: Live CD installer. New
This idea was proposed by the the Launchpad user bodhi.zazen, as part of a feature request bug against the update-manager package. Bug Squad members asked that this section be removed from the feature request in order to triage the feature request bug (which contained both minor and major change recommendations initially, with the idea in this post being the major change):

Idea:
Ubiquity looks for a backup of /home and offers to restore /home from backup. If no backup exists, it offers to create one, to be stored on external media or another partition.

Rationale: Many users out there who are not experienced sysadmins either install new versions of Ubuntu on top of older versions, or upgrade using the LiveCD environment. In both cases, people have an (occasionally) unexpected loss of data. This loss of data results in posts going to AskUbuntu.com or ubuntuforums.org for help in recovery, which can be very hard.
10
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Autodetect and ask
Written by Resistance the 3 May 12 at 01:46.
Incorporate a method into the installation system to detect if a version of Ubuntu already exists on the drive selected for installtation, offer to create a tarball of /home/* and/or other directories that can be selected by the user, create the tarball, and then have the user save to external media, or to another partition on the drive. This would then automatically back up the user's /home/* user data and any other items specified during the backup procedure.

As well, incorporate a method after installation to ask the user whether or not they have a backup of which they want restored to the newly installed system. Then, allow the user to choose the backup (in a tarball) to restore to the system, thereby allowing easier restoration of data for new users.

See the 4 comments or propose a solution >>

Make it easier to put multiple .iso images on a siggle USB flash device easily  
Written by Andrej84 the 23 Apr 12 at 16:57. Related project: Live CD installer. New
Ubuntu Alternate/Server installer cannot be copied simply to a USB flash device then install it. The installer failes when it tries to detect the "CD-ROM".
Without external tools more installer (except desktop CD what contains Casper) cannot be put on a same USB flash device.
7
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Modify CD detect script in initrd
Written by Andrej84 the 23 Apr 12 at 16:57.
I suggest to modify the CD detect script in initrd, it has no effect on the existing install methods, but with this modification the user will be able to put more installer to the same USB device and after booting from the USB device he can choose in grub2 menu the one what he want to install.


i suggest to add the following inside the initrd (install/initrd.gz) to file var/lib/dpkg/info/cdrom-detect.postinst right after the installer logs that it's searching for the installation media:


if db_get cdrom-detect/custom-usb && [ "$RET" = true ] && db_get cdrom-detect/uuid && db_get cdrom-detect/fs && db_get cdrom-detect/path; then
log "Trying to mount directory on custom USB drive"
device=$(db_get cdrom-detect/uuid; echo "/dev/disk/by-uuid/$RET")
fs=$(db_get cdrom-detect/fs; echo "$RET")
log "File system: $fs"
path=$(db_get cdrom-detect/path; echo "$RET")
log "Path to be mounted: $path"
mkdir /media/custom_USB
if mount -t $fs -o ro,exec $device /media/custom_USB && mount --bind /media/custom_USB/$path /cdrom 2>/dev/null; then
log "Mount of the directory on custom USB drive succeeded."
if [ -e /cdrom/.disk/info ]; then
log "CD-ROM mount suceeded: directory on custom USB drive"
mounted=1
db_set cdrom-detect/cdrom_device $device
db_set cdrom-detect/cdrom_fs $fs
break
else
log "CD-ROM mount failed: directory on custom USB drive"
umount /cdrom 2>/dev/null || true
umount /media/custom_USB 2>/dev/null || true
rmdir /media/custom_USB
fi
else
log "Mount of the directory on custom USB drive failed."
fi
fi


In this case the installer will mount that directory what contains the content of the unpacked ISO if the kernel got the neccessary parameters from grub2.

Example for the grub2 config entry:
menuentry "Ubuntu 10.04.4 Alternate 64-bit"
linux /boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64/install/vmlinuz root=UUID=2338807b-3bb0-4372-b00d-a4b59dcc6d25 file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed cdrom-detect/custom-usb=true cdrom-detect/uuid=2338807b-3bb0-4372-b00d-a4b59dcc6d25 cdrom-detect/fs=ext2 cdrom-detect/path=boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64 quiet --
initrd /boot/ubuntu/ubuntu-10.04.4-alternate-amd64/install/initrd.gz



cdrom-detect/custom-usb should be true.
cdrom-detect/uuid should be the UUID of the partition what contains the unpacked ISO.
cdrom-detect/fs should be the file system type of the partition what contains the unpacked ISO.
cdrom-detect/path should be relative path (from the USB flash device) what contains the unpacked ISO.


The advantages of this method:
- User will be able to choose the installer what he wants to start from a single USB flash drive (or external HDD)
- It doesn't affect the existing installation methods
- no other software is needed in initrd (like awk what has other dependecies)
- The installer is portable, only grub2 config needs to be rewritten if the user re-format the USB device or copy the installer to another device
- it increases the installer by less than 1 kB


I don't see any disadvantage for this method.


Before this post I already uploaded this idea to Hungarian Ubuntu blog, you can see the formatted codes there: http://ubuntu.hu/node/29874
4
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Add Mutisystem to USC
Written by mitcoes the 24 Apr 12 at 11:52.
Multisystem is a Ubuntu software - it does not work well at any other distro even debian - that you can install via PPA.

It allows you to make multi ISO USBs pendrives, and it is faster than CD/DVDs installations and cheaper if you like to test several distros.

I think that to put it at the default USC packages first and after that even at the CD/DVD iso, it would be great.

Even better if you put a /boot default partition with the Xubuntu* ISO inside and an entry at the GRUB2 menu, in order to reinstall the system if there are any great problem, keeping /home and making it fast as hell.

* I say Xubuntu because it is compatible with ATI, Unity, gnome Shell and Cinnamon have issues with ati proprietary drivers, and Kubuntu is no longer a Canonical sponsored product.

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>

Allow Ubuntu installed by wubi to also run inside Windows directly  
Written by amanisdude the 9 Jan 12 at 22:03. Related project: Wubi Windows installer. New
Currently, WUBI allows the installation of Ubuntu alongside/inside Windows without re-partitioning the hard drive. It does this by creating disk images of each of Ubuntu's partitions and mounting them instead of a physical disk partition.

Therefore, it should be possible to mount these disk images in a virtual machine and run Ubuntu directly inside Windows. However, WUBI does not include or install any software to be able do this, which would be especially useful for users who are not confident with computers or operating system virtualization.

While the importance of this feature may be debatable, it would be invaluable for those who constantly find themselves switching back and forth between the two operating systems for different uses.

Furthermore, adding this functionality to the WUBI installer may prove to be a valuable asset in Ubuntu's future, as more users may be willing to install and use Ubuntu inside Windows than boot it independently. This is especially true if there is a sizable user base that has the need to run Ubuntu and Windows applications simultaneously without much headache.
6
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Included optional Qemu install
Written by amanisdude the 9 Jan 12 at 22:03.
Include Qemu or another open source virtual machine application in the installer package and prompt for its optional installation and configuration before the Windows reboot.

Upon configuration, automatically create a virtual machine in Qemu (or other VM application) with Ubuntu's imaged partitions (in 'C:\ubuntu\disks') mounted as a virtual disks.

Modifications to Qemu or the other VM software and its official installer will be necessary for full compatibility and more seemless integration, especially if the user already has Qemu or the other VM installed.
0
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: Portable Ubuntu Remix
Written by Lyfang the 14 Jan 12 at 18:59.
Run Ubuntu directly on Windows.

"This project consist in a portable image of Ubuntu that could run in Windows as a native win32 application."

Source

http://sourceforge.net/projects/portableubuntu/

See also

Idea #28106: Portable Ubuntu Remix

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>

Make GRUB's menuentry for Windows partitions less geeky  
Written by brm the 9 May 12 at 21:47. Related project: Live CD installer. New
My wish is to simplify the language referring to Windows partitions in /boot/grub/grub.cfg. The current language is in terms that only a Unix geek could love: "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)." This does not contribute to resolution of bug #1.

I am an advanced intermediate user of Linux, so I know exactly what the line means. But a less experienced user of my multi-boot machine might well be confused. I would prefer "compromise" language: for example, "Microsoft Windows 7 (installed on /dev/sda1)."

This way, the *ix user knows which is the Windows partition; the Windows user sees a term that s/he recognizes.

Following an answer to a Launchpad question on this point, I am submitting this idea both to brainstorm and as a wishlist bug.
4
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Simpler language in GRUB menuentry
Written by brm the 9 May 12 at 21:47.
language such as "Microsoft Windows 7 (installed on /dev/sda1)" would be recognizable to a user more familiar with Windows as well as providing useful information to a more experienced Linux user.
-6
votes
up equal down
Solution #2: only an Ubuntu option without any extra string
Written by siddhantone the 11 May 12 at 19:26.
Instead of all three options i.e. Ubuntu, recovery mode and memory test, only an Ubuntu option will be better without any extra string i.e. (installed on /dev/sda1),(installed on /dev/sda2)
4
votes
up equal down
Solution #3: More self explaining language in GRUB menuentry
Written by puxkggn the 13 May 12 at 14:22.
Thus getting something like:
"Microsoft Windows 7 (loader) (installed on /dev/sda1)"
3
votes
up equal down
Solution #4: Add "Advanced options" at the bottom of the list
Written by turbolad the 22 May 12 at 11:14.
To make the GRUB boot options more user friendly and less daunting to new users, who have installed Ubuntu alongside Windows, a simpler GRUB could be implemented and the "technical" stuff available from "Advanced options". GRUB could look simpler by default, like this:
__

Boot options

Ubuntu 12.04
Ubuntu recovery and troubleshooting
Windows 7
Advanced options
__

Behind "Advanced options" could include the memtest86, previous Linux kernels and partition information can be shown, such as showing Windows 7 installed on /dev/sda1 and so on. Newbies don't understand what "/dev/sda1" means!

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>

1 2 Next >>