http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com en-us Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:27:18 +0000 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:27:18 +0000 QAPoll module http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22563/
[-1 votes] Solution #1: Replace GIMP in the menu, with icon to install.
Remove GIMP from the default install, but, replace the menu item with an item that will display information about GIMP and then ask if the user wants to go ahead and (fetch &) install it from the repos.

This way, GIMP is still visible, yet not on the CD, and is easily installable.

[1 votes] Solution #2: not remove gimp
easy, do not remove gimp from live CD, some users, like me, can't connect to Internet so easily

[1 votes] Solution #3: Remove the help files
Removing the help files from gimp will already make the cd smaller.
I have heard from various people it would make the cd about 20 mb smaller just by removing gimp help files.

]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:49:59 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22563/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22562/
[1 votes] Solution #1: Graphic Boot Menue
Example:

]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:59:39 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22562/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22516/
[63 votes] Solution #1: Make a checkbox to easily synchronize desktop wallpaper with xsplash background
Take a look at this script here:
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/desktop+background+as+xsplash+%2B+gdm?content=114984&PHPSESSID=183f5f0adfa276aa6310278b4caa0979

It enables you to change the xsplash background to automatically match your current desktop wallpaper. It would be fantastic if Lucid Lynx had a similar feature installed by default. There could be a checkbox in Appearance Preferences under the background tab that allows you to quickly enable or disable this feature. Having such a feature would not only make ubuntu feel more personal, but would give a more consistent desktop appearance as well, from splash to desktop.

This feature could be disabled by default and left up to the user to enable.

]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:51:01 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22516/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22481/
[-41 votes] Solution #1: Preferences GUI
One of the options that comes up when you click on "places" should be "places preferences". It would be a simple GUI that allows you to add/remove things from the list, as well as change recent documents settings (i.e. disable, the number of documents it remembers).

[85 votes] Solution #2: Use Alacarte
Alacarte is used to edit Applications and System menus, it should be extended to edit the Places menu as well.

Adding a "Places preferences" item to the Places menu (as proposed in solution #1) would crowd the menu itself. Editing the menu is a rare task and should be accessible by right click, rather than via a menu item, as with most other parts of Gnome and many other environments.

On a side note, the ability to choose whether the bookmarks go into a sub menu should be part of the customisation.

[4 votes] Solution #3: Drag 'n' Drop to add things to Places
If a folder or bookmark is dragged on to the Places menu it should drop down to allow the user to drop it somewhere in the list. There could also be an item such as "New Folder" which appears in the list when in the process of dragging, allowing a hierarchy, which would prompt the user to rename it once they've dropped their item.

Dragging a Nautilus window should do the same, with the window's current location being added to the menu. Browser windows and hyperlinks should also have the same behaviour (there should be no distinction between local and online). Basically treat Places as a bookmarks system (which preferably would give the same lists in every application)

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:58:58 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22481/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22480/
Idea: Put a dynamically generated readiness indicator that accepts user input on Ubuntu.com's main site. Dynamic in that users can indicate their experience with the new release.
ie. a red flag/radio-button for unsuccessful installs, a amber flag/radio-button for somewhat successful installs, and a green flag/radio-button for successful installs.
The averaged results of the input could be displayed as a color-coded bar or something similar.



[18 votes] Solution #1: Readiness indicator
Put user-generated readiness indicator on the main Ubuntu site to help steer noobs toward LTSs.

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:47:02 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22480/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22475/


[55 votes] Solution #1: One simple ssd-mode package like laptop-mode
The ssd-mode package should tweak the filesystem fpr commit, barriers, nobh, noatime in one go. It should set /tmp and /var/tmp to a ramdisk, reduce logging dramatically or store logs to a ramdisk too. Should set a better scheduler for the ssd. Most of the available tips did not work with karmic through race conditions or ugly bugs.
The ssd prices are coming down, some desktop have them for their operating system. Netbooks and laptops comes with ssd, microsoft is working on a proper ssd filesystem. Ubuntu only have no clear direction to benefit and goal with the ssd. Should we tell the customer to trash the ssd and buy a hardfile? If 10.4 comes out there will be much more ssd in the computers, the fast boot need some tweaks to got the point.




]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:20:12 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22475/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22474/
When installing ubuntu, after having been prompted for all them questions, that's when the non interactive installation part starts. This may sometimes be a long process ~30 minutes. It is a dull process in that there is not a whole lot to do but sit and wait.

The probosal is to make this part of installation more fun.

[-33 votes] Solution #1: Add mahjongg program during installation of Ubuntu
When "boring" part of installation starts,

What about spawning a mahjongg program or maybe solitare ? It can be in a small window so you can monitor installation progress at the same time as having fun. Or why not show case the pinnacle of linux gaming: Frozen-bubble?

I figure implementing this one is not too hard and is cheap in terms of system resources, the biggest bottle neck when installing is often reading from the CD Rom.

[35 votes] Solution #2: Leave the computer and do something else
Leave the computer and do something else during installation.

[30 votes] Solution #3: Use the live CD mode to install
The "install only" mode do exactly what it's told to... And to do something AND install... we can use the LiveCD mode and install from there. Plus it's much better than a single game. it's a whole desktop

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:44:08 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22474/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22473/
[6 votes] Solution #1: xml profiles, "warm" xserver restart
I dont know what way to use, so I cant tell, what will be the best solution. Maybe some sort of xml file/s, and "warm" restart of xserver, which will not loose my screen?

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:16:19 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22473/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22472/
Let's see two examples:
Google-chrome, they improved it with the tab-bar and everyone loved it.
UNR, they get rid of it and put the caption and controllers in an applet (windows-picker) saving lots of space.

The gnome title-bar is poor in features and ugly too. It's allways in the way of who tried to make gnome look fancy. Think, do you really look at the caption, or you just use it to close or move the windows? If I wanna know which window is the firefox one, the last place I look is the caption.

[19 votes] Solution #1: Improve windows-picker solution.
give it more features:
1- show min/restore commands.
2- permit to the app to add gadgets like progress bar, tab-bar, multimedia commands.
3- make it fit with the gtk theme and touching the windows to give the illusion it's part of the window.
4- add launchers.
5- window "menu mode", the window is no maximized but stay attached to the panel, like the calendar.
6- group / ungroup windows.
7- tile windows command.
8- show desktop applet.
9- places applet.

[39 votes] Solution #2: permit app to use its space
make it more flexible permitting apps to use it as they need.
tab-bar for browsers, art and commands for media players,avatar, status, last msg of a IM windows, etc. no just title and min/max buttons.

look at this example from "clever windows" mockup, the title bar belong to the app, is useful and beautiful, holds interesting informations, is no more just an useless strip.






[8 votes] Solution #3: Make window managers more sensitive.
Already window managers have designed to not disappoint users. It will force designers to add caption bar, caption buttons, etc. We should fix window border size to 2/4 pixels to each edge. Also, we need to make whole space not contained in active window interactive - by clicking on other window, we don't bring it on first front, but menu with possible actions should appear.
Use cases:
1) Alex would to move window. He only click on destination position and select move there. Alex can also click on window border or white space at screen, go to mode submenu and select move.
2) We had window maximized. It takes whole screen plus borders. Alex can click on border and select window list > gedit(for example). She can also select desktop from window list or click minimize window.

It will brinks better way to integrate with user(more natural, flexible, faster). Additional features is we don't waste space and there always possibility to use mouse(today we must use keyboard in some cases or move window on whole screen).

We should display windows title, when cursor leaves active window or alt key is pressed.

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:39:25 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22472/ http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22467/
[35 votes] Solution #1: Include option in Empathy and Pidgin to store message history in Ubuntu One
Storing IM history on Ubuntu One would allow me to access the entire history from any computer I am using. Having an option for this directly in Empathy and Pidgin would make this functionality extremely simple for the user.

[28 votes] Solution #2: Implement XEP-0136: Message Archiving
Empathy and Pidgin should implement XEP-0136: Message Archiving.

URL: http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0136.html

]]> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:00:35 +0000 http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/22467/