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The Ubuntu community has contributed 22700 ideas, 138270 comments, 2629576 votes
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Popular ideas Here are the latest ideas about Ubuntu that have been approved.

extended gnome system monitor  
Written by cfg the 18 Jun 10 at 08:55. Related project: Gnome. New
This should simplify the work with system monitor.
example
189
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Solution #1: filter by user
Written by cfg the 18 Jun 10 at 08:55.
addition to the gnome-system-monitor to fast display the processes of individual users.
You need to add the following buttons:
- All process
- My process
- Select a user (select one or more users from the list)
114
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Solution #2: filter by name
Written by cfg the 18 Jun 10 at 13:33.
You need to add input box to enter the name of the process. Processes whose names do not match the name entered - this process of disappearing from the list.
87
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Solution #3: activated super user
Written by cfg the 18 Jun 10 at 13:41.
Needs to add the button to the gnome-system-monitor for activate root mode.
After activation root mode, click again on the button - deactivates root mode.
64
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Solution #4: Don't clutter the interface.
Written by Ssdg the 20 Jun 10 at 14:36.
Create a search box (just an icon, a menu entry and a ctrl+f shortcut)

This could achieve solution #1 and #2 (and other searches like command line search, resources use, ...) and keep space for the process list.
50
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Solution #5: Tree Interface
Written by drdanielfc the 30 Jun 10 at 12:55.
The application should use a tree interface for example:
-OpenOffice
--Writer
--Spreadsheet
-Firefox
--Firefox
8
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Solution #6: Tag/Classify processes
Written by robby the 6 Jul 10 at 19:33.
the application should be able to filter process that relate to the system (stuff that come out at start-up) or the application that the user realy activated (the one he clicked on ).At the current state the "all the process" / "my process" is not effective at representing what the user perceive as an application and what a system service
20
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Solution #7: use color
Written by robby the 6 Jul 10 at 19:40.
the status of each process can be made evident by means of colored text or background of the line
18
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Solution #8: more information about the processes
Written by robby the 6 Jul 10 at 19:45.
the application should provide access to the information about a process (something like the man page or about info box)
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Solution #9: clutter in "panel menu","view".
Written by cfg the 12 Jul 10 at 06:53.
It is alternetive of solution #1.
But display processes by group (many groups have 1 user).


See the 7 comments or propose a solution >>

Less resources used by System Monitor  
Written by gjoellee the 18 Dec 08 at 18:44. Global category: Others. New
When I open the system monitor my CPU goes up in between 90%-100% and when I look at the resources it is gnome-system-monitor that takes 60% CPU. And of course when the CPU goes up in 100% everything gets slow! On my computer it is using about 50MB RAM and thats clearly enough as well!

I know this is not only on my computer! So what about reducing the system resources the system monitor is using?
301
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #16605
Written by gjoellee the 18 Dec 08 at 18:44.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16605 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!
30
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Solution #2: Remove the transparency
Written by camper365 the 6 Apr 09 at 14:55.
Give the user an option to not make the window transparent. That probably takes up a lot of the CPU.
6
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Solution #3: Make a option for deactivate graph smooth
Written by DnaX the 6 Jun 09 at 01:54.
The focus of this problem is the heavy use of cairo curved lines, this is CPU expensive. The solution is an option to use only right lines instead smooth lines.

See the 13 comments or propose a solution >>

Add temperature (or customizeable) graph to gnome-system-monitor applet  
Written by lastomega7 the 3 Nov 08 at 01:25. Related project: Gnome. New
I think it would be pretty nice to be able to monitor temperature this way, especially for those with laptops.
134
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #15174
Written by lastomega7 the 3 Nov 08 at 01:25.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #15174 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!

See the 3 comments or propose a solution >>

Make System Monitor as powerful as Windows Task Manager  
Written by jmjohn the 24 Sep 08 at 01:19. Global category: System. New
Currently the System Monitor is sort of worthless as a Windows-style Task Manager. When the system is frozen because of a buggy application, System Manager won't take the screen back, even when a keyboard shortcut is used to try to bring it up.

And often the keyboard shortcut assigned to killing applications won't come up either.

Both of these need to be more able to take over control of the desktop and dominate buggy applications.

Windows Task Manager has this ability, and will almost always come up no matter how many things have crashed.

Also, add links to shut down, reboot, or restart the windowing manager.
712
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #13626
Written by jmjohn the 24 Sep 08 at 01:19.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #13626 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!
15
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Solution #2: Emergency Application
Written by cougarten the 2 Feb 09 at 20:09.
The system manager is quite heavy, maybe a mixture of the "top" command and the kill window tool + links to shut down, reboot, restart and forced restart of x was a good idea
10
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Solution #3: Have Ubuntu's Ctrl-Alt-Delete menu mention the TTY terminal shortcuts.
Written by tchalvakspam the 19 Feb 09 at 01:53.
I usually am able to go to one of the TTYs if things freeze and kill processes, usually using top, but kill -9 and killX and killall or whatever would also work.

If the TTYs and commands were made more transparent/obvious/evident to use, then their great power over the windows task manager could shine through. Hell, with link or lynx, you could browse the web from the TTYs.

It would be nice if the ctrl-alt-delete menu also provided other solutions that windows users could harness, up to and including the many undocumented system restart keystroke methods.
12
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Solution #4: Have Ubuntu's Ctrl-Alt-Delete menu show a "System Monitor" button.
Written by tchalvakspam the 19 Feb 09 at 02:19.
Users coming from windows need to have ways to solve application instability, and the ctrl-alt-delete shortcut could be a great option for showing people the options that ubuntu provides.

There should be a button to call the System Monitor app from the interface that pops up via Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
11
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Solution #5: Have Ctrl-Alt-Delete menu show a "Close All Applications and Relogin" button.
Written by tchalvakspam the 19 Feb 09 at 02:25.
As solution 4, just providing users another button for solving certain sets of instability problems. Would call the restartX solution or the like.
17
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Solution #6: Have Ubuntu's Ctrl-Alt-Delete menu show a "Kill An Application" button.
Written by tchalvakspam the 19 Feb 09 at 03:13.
As solution 4, just providing users another button for solving certain sets of instability problems. Would call the Xkill solution or the like.
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Solution #7: High priority lightwieght w/ command line power
Written by nloewen the 3 Apr 09 at 04:39.
We need a High speed, High priority manager like solution 2 proposes, but it also needs a easily remember able shortcut (i like ctrl/shift/esc from windows but it doesn't have to be this). When run, it should reserve cpu and ram for itself, check to see if the system is in a potentaly locked up situation and if it is pick out potentaly buggy apps (eg: the one that is useing 100mb ram and 99% cpu) and kill them in one keypress.
A tool that is not as essential but is a very nice feature would be that when you click on a window, it brings up options for that process (kill, raise priority, lower priority, ect) as it is sometimes hard for a new user to find the app in the list of running processes, especially when its a python app and theres 10 other python listings.
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Solution #8: Provide a way to HALT the System for task management
Written by nullmind the 26 Jul 09 at 01:37.
Similar to in Windows 98 when you pressed CTRL+ALT+DEL it would halt all processes while this menu was up so that you could kill a process without much issue.

Right now if a really bad process happens I usually can't get the gnome-system-monitor opened in time to even view the problem as it's typically blocked.
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Solution #9: Adjustable emergency cpu and emergency X-Session/tty, Ctrl-Alt-F8
Written by thamawij pirajnaraporn the 6 Jan 11 at 12:55.
Force the system reserve a small resource pool by limit every other process except an emergency X-Session or the last tty to gain any CPU time when CPU is peek to the threshold.

For example, if 5% CPU is reserved, no more than 95% CPU time is used. Only a special X-Session, the last tty, or the process that is specially flagged, may take the CPU. The easiest way is make them exceptional top priority, but I think it would be safer if the system can do something like a reservation.

May be an emergency module in a kernel that takes CPU time constantly. ^^ I don't really know how to since I am not an expert.

Also, have an option to increase/decrease emergency.

See the 42 comments or propose a solution >>

Run an application from System Monitor  
Written by elmoj the 4 Aug 08 at 16:00. Related project: Gnome. New
the problem: Sometime the gnome-panel hangs...

If I close with the system monitor, it's impossible (for me) to execute it another time.

It's possibly to have a Run Option on System Monitor, like Windows has?

Thanks a lot, and, as always, excuse my poor english.
70
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #11831
Written by elmoj the 4 Aug 08 at 16:00.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #11831 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!

See the 9 comments or propose a solution >>

Change "Nice" to "Priority" in System Manager  
Written by Eldmannen the 16 Jul 08 at 20:38. Global category: Others. New
In GNOME System Monitor, it has a column called "Nice".
* http://www.watchingthenet.com/wp-content/uploads/image/ubuntusysmonitor4.png

"Nice" comes from command 'nice';
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nice_(Unix)

However, the term "Nice" doesn't tell a user who don't know it, anything. The correct term to use would be "Priority" as that is what it indicates.
54
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #11206
Written by Eldmannen the 16 Jul 08 at 20:38.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #11206 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!

See the 10 comments or propose a solution >>

Make gnome-system-monitor more accessible via CTRL-ALT-DELETE  
Written by strattonbrazil the 14 Jul 08 at 22:28. Related project: Gnome. New
gnome-system-monitor provides a cleaner interface than Windows "Task Manager", and provides many useful features including list of processes running, memory and network usage, etc.

This functionality should be more accessible by key binding it by default to CTRL-ALT-DELETE as Windows does--as this is more familiar to users coming from Windows. The current key binding for CTRL-ALT-DELETE brings up the shutdown/logout options, which is already accessible as a desktop button, which is redundant for a relatively less used function.

gnome-system-monitor is an idle interface for monitoring the system and killing processes without using the terminal and provides an interface for doing this that most are already familiar with. Changing it's key binding would make it's functionality much more accessible.
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #11133
Written by strattonbrazil the 14 Jul 08 at 22:28.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #11133 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!
615
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Solution #2: Give key combination that forces 'recovery screen' on screen
Written by jarko_ the 22 Feb 09 at 12:46.
Like in some other systems, associate key combination to bring up 'recovery screen' or similary named one.

This window doesn't have to be normal GTK-window, but something from the upper level, like GDM (or xorg if going for extreme) created 'recovery screen/task manager'. This should ensure that no window or full screen application could hide or block the 'recovery screen'.

This recovery screen could have options to kill programs, log out, shutdown and lock computer etc.
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Solution #3: Add "close annoying application" to System Monitor
Written by Magnes the 23 Feb 09 at 07:46.
If there is an application that uses all the resources allow closing it (if it uses all the memory) or make it nicer (if it uses all the CPU) by one click in System Monitor.
53
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Solution #4: Solution #1 + Separate X Session & NCurses
Written by jamessnell the 26 Feb 09 at 20:37.
== Graphical ==
If a separate X session configured entirely to show a System Monitor could be very well insulated from buggy applications.

In those cases where a game causes you to change video modes and then screws up, you'll still have a graceful way to touch the System Monitor.

== Command-Line ==
An ncurses interface (like that of "aptitude") for the command line would also be awesome for those cases when the entire Xorg system ignores you. This would help when the keyboard is being ignored as it'd be fast to pull up over ssh.


Yes this is could basically be a wrapper interface to ps.
-53
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Solution #5: Just make a ncurses application (with mouse support)
Written by zooounds the 3 Mar 09 at 11:15.
It rest in a tty until needed and can be used to kill application even if X is totaly broken.
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Solution #6: Add "Open System Monitor" option to Logout dialog
Written by cousteau the 5 Mar 09 at 17:27.
Ctrl+Alt+Del opens the Logout dialog (at least on Hardy). So it would be nice to add an "Open System Monitor" option to it.
84
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Solution #7: Add xKill and gnome-system-monitor to the available functions for shortcuts
Written by jackmcslay the 7 Mar 09 at 14:57.
This is a continuation of #2. We should get xkill and gnome-system-monitor among the available action options on
System>Preferences>Keyboard shortcuts

so, even if Ctrl+Alt+Del remains as "logout" shortcut, the option of binding it to Ctrl+Alt+Del remains available
90
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Solution #8: Bring back ctrl-alt-esc to fire up xkill (or gnome equivalent)
Written by Tom Mann the 12 Mar 09 at 20:47.
In KDE and XFCE, if you hit CTRL-ALT-ESC, your cursor turns into an X (or a skull and crossbones) and clicking any app (it doesn't have to be stuck) kills it.

I still don't get why it disappeared from Ubuntu's Gnome Desktop (I'm not sure if this happens on any other distros Gnome desktop)
21
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Solution #9: Renice too-busy processes + bring up system monitor
Written by quartz the 20 Mar 09 at 17:12.
The system monitor window needs to be responsive, not just there.

Just bringing up system monitor (or a new manager if necessary) is not enough is the CPU is totally taken, if it comes up, any process(es) that might be hogging resources should be reniced to a slightly lower priority and the system monitor process should be started fairly high.

(A good question is what to do if the problem is with X itself, since renicing it might slow down the system monitor too)
20
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Solution #10: Capture CAD in kernel and GUI task manager draw direct to screen (framebuffer)
Written by Craig73 the 21 Mar 09 at 14:28.
Capture CTRL+ALT+DEL (or perhaps the second CTRL+ALT+DEL for just "frozen systems") at the kernel level, which opens a graphical task manager (logoff / process manager / whatever) which draws directly to the screen (bypassing X which may be frozen)

To implement this - it would write to the framebuffer, and would likely require KMS and DRI2. [Ideally it would capture the current screen in the framebuffer, and draw the dialog on top, for a integrated feeling].

Then have it fall back to VGA text only if it can't grab a graphical framebuffer (things are really hurting)

My intent is to handle cases such as X being frozen, or in a full screen game, etc.
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Solution #11: Add a "magic keys" combinaison
Written by qwerty800 the 11 Jun 09 at 21:17.
It would be really nice to have a shortcut like Alt+SysRq+X, that automatically kill the focused application. Using a such shortcut would avoid the inconvenience of passing trough the task manager, nor restart the whole X server and to work with the full screen programs! Having a 16:10 monitor often causes me to get stuck with unsupported resolutions. When that happens, I have to restart my whole X server and THAT'S annoying!

Plus, "X" is easy to remember, because:
*It's not currently used.
*It can refer to Xkill
*It can refer to Xorg
*It can refer to the Window decoration (X=Close)!
11
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Solution #12: Set xkill command for Ctrl+Alt+Esc by default
Written by Shnatsel the 25 Jul 09 at 10:09.
Xfce did so, and if something hangs, it's easy to kill it. GNOME has a panel applet for such purposes, but if a fullscreen game hangs, it's useless.
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Solution #13: easy solution
Written by viva.amego the 5 Mar 10 at 03:37.
its good idea and there is an easy solution for now


right click (system > administration > system monitor)
select (add this launcher to panel)
right click (system monitor "in panel")
select (properties )
copy ( command )

run (system > preference > keyboard shortcuts)
click ( add)

name -> system monitor
command -> right click( paste)

click (apply)

and you had shourtcut
4
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Solution #14: Start new X Session
Written by Lachu the 28 Mar 10 at 17:06.
Simply start a new X Session for every application using fullscreen mode.
3
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Solution #15: Option to disallow fullscreen for all applications.
Written by trezker the 28 Mar 10 at 05:57.
Simply put, whenever an app makes a call to set a fullscreen mode the system refuses to do it.
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Solution #16: CTRL ALT DEL minimize all windows and open gnome-system-monitor. Tested!
Written by dottornik the 27 Apr 10 at 14:51.
Gizmod intercepts ctrl-alt-del (even when fullscreen application have focus) and execute:
wmctrl -k on (minimize all windows)
gnome-system-monitor

tested in Lucid & Karmic and work with:
-XBMC fullscreen crashed by youtube plugin
-fullscreen crashed gmameui
-fullscreen crashed flash player
-lot of crashed stuff

Instructions:

-install wmctrl
sudo apt-get install wmctrl

-disable default ctrl-alt-del shortcut from System>Preferences>Keyboard shortcuts

-install gizmod
http://gizmod.sourceforge.net/
install and set group permissions (see HOWTO - Setting Input Device Permissions - Creating a udev Rule)

-edit 199-Keyboard-Default.py in ~/.gizmod/gizmod/modules.d/
add this:

elif Gizmo.getKeyState(GizmoKey.KEY_DELETE) >= 1 and Gizmo.getKeyState(GizmoKey.KEY_LEFTCTRL) >= 1 and Gizmo.getKeyState(GizmoKey.KEY_LEFTALT) >= 1:

subprocess.Popen(["wmctrl", "-k", "on"])
subprocess.Popen(["gnome-system-monitor"])
return True

This is a python script, please respect document indentation!

Excuse me for my bad english...

coming soon:
automatic install and config script....

See the 52 comments or propose a solution >>

"Delete" key usable in gnome-system-monitor  
Written by laryllian the 25 May 08 at 20:38. Global category: Accessibility. New
Please add the functionality of using the DEL key to terminate processes in the gnome-system-monitor.
49
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #9089
Written by laryllian the 25 May 08 at 20:38.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #9089 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!

See the 2 comments or propose a solution >>

Make System Monitor graphing more efficient!  
Written by Ansible the 28 Apr 08 at 19:54. Global category: System. New
The System Monitor application is great - except that the Resources tab is a real pig. It uses a lot of CPU to do its thing - I have a quad xeon system and it uses up to 40% of one of the cores just for graphing!

That's not such a big deal for this system, but on a single core older system it could really bog things down when you're trying to see what's going on with performance.

Also, we sort of have a quantum effect where the observation affects what you are trying to observe. Not so great.

I propose trimming out whatever fancy stuff is making it slow, be it spline interpolation for the graphs, or whatever. Just scale back to drawing some plain old lines until the smooth graphing stuff is working as fast. I'd rather see plain lines than have the performance monitor be inaccurate.
198
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #7795
Written by Ansible the 28 Apr 08 at 19:54.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #7795 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!

See the 12 comments or propose a solution >>

Report bug from system monitor  
Written by scamper_22 the 13 Mar 08 at 23:39. Global category: System. New
In the list of processes in System Monitor, we should be able to right-click and report bugs directly from there.

For example, suppose an application is taking up 99% CPU usage. You should be able to right-click on the process and kill it with a bug report. Ubuntu can capture whatever data it needs to.

So basically, 2 options on right click
1. report bug
2. kill and report bug.
30
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #4558
Written by scamper_22 the 13 Mar 08 at 23:39.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #4558 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!

Add a comment or propose a solution >>