(K/X)Ubuntu has not got any graphic tool for the scanners installation (Mandriva Linux and openSUSE have got it).
Not exists a GUI to load the binary firmware files of the scanners. It is necessary to search in http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html the scanner, view the back-end and go to find the name of the firmware file at the back-end's homepage (for example: http://snapscan.sourceforge.net/ ), to download the firmware from their manufacturer web site (or from their drivers CD), and modify by hand the firmware pacth in /etc/sane.d/snapscan.conf.
This is not an easy way and it is difficult for new users, and it is impossible to do if they have not got an Internet connection (to read the how-to to make it).
By default, Kubuntu comes with Konqueror as the only browser installed. But Konqueror is a browser very problematic (even on popular sites, and the flash plugin from Adobe). Kubuntu already uses Dolphin as a file browser, and could be thought to remove konqueror as browser of Kubuntu. (sry for bad english).
Gtk-qt engine renders most of the widgets wrong.
It might be a good idea to replace it with a normal gtk oxygen theme in Kubuntu, which would be installed by default.
For example the one at http://kims-area.com/?q=node/62 looks almost perfect.
Hi
Both with Intrepid and the last version of Janty there isn't an official scanner program.
I think it's a bad thing to have a system without that kind of program.
Kooka is out of KDE Graphics (July 13, 2007) because it's not developed anymore and it's still with kde3.
Ubuntu has been using PulseAudio by default for almost three years. I think that all the nice features PA offers like per-application volume control, audio routing through different sound cards, playing audio over a network, easy configuration of surround sound like 5.1 channels, on-the-fly switching between analog and S/PDIF, Bluetooth audio devices support, etc. are very useful, and sometimes necessary.
That is why I think PA can be part of Kubuntu, like many other KDE-based distributions actually do.
The other problem is that the current mixer information exposed by ALSA is neither user friendly nor useful for everyone. Therefore we also need a Qt/KDE GUI for PulseAudio configuration, like volume managment, etc. (maybe a Plasma widget).