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Popular ideas Here are the most popular ideas ever about Live CD.

Generic kernels don't meet expectations  
Written by salemboot the 22 May 09 at 04:34. New
I'm fortunate to have several systems. I've noticed that the standard generic kernels have one common feature amongst all the system's I've loaded it on. They run approximately 60% of full potential and even seems to fatigue on moderate system load.




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Solution #1: Multiple builds of kernels
Written by salemboot the 22 May 09 at 04:34.
I suggest custom builds for each CPU type.

Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium IV, Xenon/Core(duo/2), AMD Athlon, AMD multi-core

Each kernel is approximately two megabytes. You can reuse the modules for a few.

I've done this already to a certain extent.

I have a PIII kernel, Core(...) kernel, and can create the PIV and Athlons myself whenever.

I think this is the next step for hardware detection on Ubuntu.

Thanks
341
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Solution #2: Ship with standard, suggest download of more appropriate kernel
Written by timnwells the 22 May 09 at 06:17.
For the sake of keeping Ubuntu on a cd image, ship it with the default kernel capable of supporting older hardware, but suggest during install or on first boot that a more appropriate kernel for a users hardware is available and allow them to download it from the repo to get the most out of their hardware. Keep the default kernel on the system in case of a hardware change (ie. from intel chip to amd) so if the core2 kernel fails it can fall back to the standard one for example.
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Solution #3: Dynamic Modular Kernel
Written by Akerbos the 24 May 09 at 16:35.
Of course, this might be utopia, but a clever way would be a (minimal) kernel that is assembled based on your hardware at boot time.
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Solution #5: Let the thing as it is
Written by razer_raz the 25 May 09 at 09:20.
Kernel cpu optimisation is not efficient
It break ability to change hardware without reinstalling the whole system
It will be a mess to maintain
Power users have choice to use source based systems like Gentoo or archlinux, and spend all the time they want to get 0,1% improved speed
Other users (ubuntu general users) don't care about this kind of things
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Solution #6: Option to automatically build kernel from source
Written by sf_007 the 29 May 09 at 00:43.
Maybe the user could have an option to automatically build the kernel from source with the best settings (automatically detected)

See the 17 comments or propose a solution >>

Ubuntu Examples folder is outdated and unprofessional.  
Written by Truefire the 4 Apr 10 at 01:56. New
I just took a look at the 10.04 Beta today, and I realized that the Examples folder ( with the logo, video, and audio clips) is sorely outdated. The logos are not the same as they are today ( old font ) and the video is very low-quality, and ends with the song information, with the title of 'Pornstar'.
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Solution #1: Be more professional, show the passion for the product.
Written by Truefire the 4 Apr 10 at 01:56.
It has NOTHING to do with Ubuntu. Everything in that folder should be about Ubuntu, to show the passion of the developers.
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Solution #2: Remove the folder
Written by la_serpe the 7 Apr 10 at 22:31.
Honestly, what's the purpose of this folder? Let's not confuse the users.
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Solution #3: Make it more useful (tutorials, etc).
Written by DaVince the 11 Apr 10 at 18:51.
By this, I mean, include resources that not only demonstrate what Ubuntu is, but also add some tutorial content to the folder.

Of course, the devs will need to make sure there is a way to quickly update these videos/tutorials with each new release.
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Solution #4: Just Video + Example songs on Rhythmbox
Written by waltercool the 15 Apr 10 at 10:51.
This folder is a ugly solution...

Just show a video example (similar like windows), show an application telling you something like "You want know more about Ubuntu?" And a button saying "Watch Video".

Displaying a speedy pass for each application.
Ex: Using common things on OpenOffice, listening music on Rhythmbox, Watching videos on Totem... etc)

And... thats important, showing a "easy to use" and "comfortable" feeling to the user.

A small extra idea: Show professional and common users using Ubuntu on scenes like Rhythmbox or Pitivi.
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Solution #5: Move example files into appropriate folders (Music, Videos, etc.)
Written by flomar the 16 Apr 10 at 13:28.
The main purpose of the Example folder is that on a fresh system there is something to play with. How else would you try out the Videoplayer of an OS you are not familiar with, if there are no files.
However I think its better to put these files into the appropriate folder for the type of file, so the video goes into Video folder and documents go to Documents folder. Thus we can remove the Example folder and there is a little to explore for the new user.
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Solution #6: Bring it up to date
Written by ki4jgt the 23 Apr 10 at 19:57.
Bring in bigger corporations that are using it and how they are using it. Add a video that goes with the current theme of Ubuntu, add background information, like a video with some of the developers, since Ubuntu is founded on african tradition, add some native music to the folder or you could base it on the country where the animal is from that the release is named after.

Put simply: Change the examples folder to match the distrobution it's on.
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Solution #7: Solution #1 + Ubuntu Manual
Written by queckjap the 30 Apr 10 at 14:02.
A good idea for helping new users is: put the Ubuntu Manual
( http://ubuntu-manual.org ) in the folder and add some other files (Solution #1)
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Solution #8: Open Submission and Content Voting
Written by nickleboyblue the 1 May 10 at 22:23.
Give the community a voice in selecting content. Present submitted content in much the same way ideas are presented here in brainstorm. The community gets a chance to listen to music files, watch videos, etc. and vote on which ones should be included.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

Remove irrelevant programs in the Netbook Remix  
Written by Frank Roberts the 9 Sep 09 at 22:38. New
Because netbooks are machines that are made for a very specific task that is quite different from 'normal' desktop use, there are several programs installed that 95% or even 100% of the users will not use. For example:
- Brasero. I'm pretty sure that almost nobody uses his netbook to burn cd's.
- XSane Image Scanner.
- Assistive Technologies. The size of the devices doesnt make it very accessable for the less capable.
- PalmOS Tools. Who does even use a palm these days anyway?
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Solution #1: Use less preinstalled software for the Netbook Remix
Written by Frank Roberts the 9 Sep 09 at 22:38.
The above programs are just a few examples, my point is: I think the system will work a lot better (and become smaller) if the enormous amount of useless preinstalled software for -most- netbook users will be diminished. The few who want to burn cds anyway can easily find brasero in the repositories.
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Solution #2: Include two install options, a 'Full' and 'Minimal' install
Written by Sir Wallsy the 10 Sep 09 at 10:37.
When installing UNR, give the user an option of installing UNR as it currently is, with all default software included, and a 'Minimal' option whereby software such as those mentioned above is not installed by default, but can later be installed if required from the repositries.
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Solution #3: Grow UNR into a new metapackage - ubuntu-netbook
Written by cheesehead the 19 Sep 09 at 01:14.
Changing the software mix, and the associated additional administration and testing is much bigger than the current team and 'remix' concept.

The original 'remix' concept was a new-flavor-on-the-cheap, look and feel customized to the smaller-screen environment without creating a whole new (expensive) edition of Ubuntu.

To go beyond the current remix, the UNR team needs many more volunteers, and must publish it's own metapackage, replacing ubuntu-desktop instead of just adding to it. Obviously, it would have many common components with u-d, like Gnome and many applications.

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Solution #4: Gather usage stats for UNR applications. Move "unpopular" ones to repositories
Written by rrnwexec the 29 Sep 09 at 19:39.
Choices on what to include (or not) should not be abitrarily made by developers (or anyone else for that matter).

One way to make a choice is to use the 80/20 rule. If an application/package is used by 80% or more of the installed base, then keep it in the default install. Otherwise, make it optional.
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Solution #5: Install hardware dependent tools when device is detected
Written by saftaplan the 30 Sep 09 at 18:36.
Just install xsane when a scanner is first attached, bluetooth tools when a bluetooth device is found, etc. If these devices are present at install time, install them right away.
This can even be used for general Ubuntu. It removes clutter (why do I need Bluetooth preferences and even a daemon starting up if I have no such device?) and saves hard disk space and memory. The only disadvantage is that you'll need an internet connection the moment you attach such a device.

See the 7 comments or propose a solution >>

Hardware support services are loaded even that hardware is not in use  
Written by andremachado the 26 Mar 10 at 23:09. New
Currently, there is a huge effort to made Ubuntu boot faster, but the great issue is what, when Ubuntu - as well as other Linux distros - boots up, it loads many services to support a large variety of hardwares and configurations.

That is convenient for end user what can, for example, easily, connect a printer and work with it immediatelly. BUT, if user have not a printer, Cups, the Linux printer server, will be loaded and stay occupying system memory in vain, because it will never be used. Similarly, if user wants print only one document and save your energy, if he turns on his printer for just do it and turn it off after, Cups will continue in memory.
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Solution #1: Create a service what starts hardware services when they're necessary
Written by andremachado the 26 Mar 10 at 23:09.
The idea to solve all this issues is: when Ubuntu boots, it will load only the essential services to raise graphical interace and a new service what will be connected with HAL and/or DBUS. This will made boot faster. When user connect or turn on a new hardware, like a printer, a bluetooth dongle or a webcam, this new service will detect this hardware and load the appropriate service to support it. When this hardware is disconnected or turned off, the new service will remove the service previously loaded from memory.

User will can configure this resource for: create an exception list, decide if a service will not be stopped once what it was started or a time to wait what it be stopped after hardware removal, as well as enable or disable this new resource.

UPDATED: For non-related hardware services, the new service would can start they when they're necessary too. For example: if a user has Apache and MySQL installed in your machine, this two services can start stopped and when system receives a network ping or request to 127.0.0.1, from Firefox, for example, these services would be started.
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Solution #2: Postpone and select hardware services according to an intelligent algorithm
Written by mauricep the 1 Apr 10 at 20:36.
Whilst moving from Ubuntu loading all hardware services on boot to a user-configurable hardware services load configuration, the amateur user will likely not bother. As an alternative default, Ubuntu could intelligently select which hardware services to load on boot:

- Hardware services used with high frequency are loaded on boot
- Hardware services used with medium frequency are loaded after boot with a delay (e.g. one minute), or whenever system is first "idle".
- Hardware resource used rarely are loaded as needed (as proposed in other solution).

See the 6 comments or propose a solution >>

No intro sound on LiveCD  
Written by Nunslaughter the 16 Mar 08 at 16:12. New
To me, the loud intro sound and system beep are very annoying on the LiveCD!

It happened a couple of times that I used the LiveCD in the middle of the night on my notebook, and the loud intro sound and system beep at shutdown are just very annoying if there are other people sleeping in the same room or even home.

Or even if it isn't at night, these sounds are useless and you can't adjust the volume before the intro. Maybe delete the system beep and lower the volume of the intro?


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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #4830
Written by Nunslaughter the 16 Mar 08 at 16:12.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #4830 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 8 comments or propose a solution >>

Live CD should warn at boot time about Minimum System Requirements not being met  
Written by subharo the 13 Nov 08 at 16:34. New
The Ubuntu installation process could use more idiot-proofing with respect to checking that the Minimum System Requirements are being met BEFORE the end user gets into a frustrating situation that completely "turns them off" from Ubuntu (before they can even install it).

Namely: what if a novice user gets an Ubuntu Desktop install CD, but the Live CD grinds to a painful, eternal stall because there is not enough RAM, or the CPU is too slow?

These users wouldn't know what to do next if their computer froze on them: is their computer broken? Who is to be blamed? Themselves (making a wrong choice)? Their hardware? Ubuntu? Who? Most users haven't got any sort of troubleshooting skills or experience to narrow this down, and could very likely just give up, which would be a shame.

They should be warned about any basic hardware inadequacy BEFORE X windows starts, and they should be gracefully pointed towards doing the right thing if necessary: locating (on the internet), and downloading, and booting from the Alternate Installation CD instead.

A timely, simple script on the Live CD (run at boot time) that checks the current hardware, then prints a helpful text message on the console if necessary (halting further booting) would go a long way to saving these users a lot of frustration!

This relatively simple fix would go a long way towards making Ubuntu more "humane."

Most users installing Ubuntu will by default attempt to install from the Live CD (Desktop version). But for people with older computers that do not meet the Minimum System Requirements, they are currently expected to be technically knowledgeable enough to intelligently choose the right kind of installation CD first: Desktop Version or Alternate Installation CD.

This could be a huge stumbling block to A HUGE NUMBER of potentially new Ubuntu users, who are such novices that:

-they never RTFM, (namely https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/SystemRequirements ) and know that they should instead install from the "Alternate Installer." Moreover, these novice users don't even know what RTFM means. It would be prudent to assume that must users DO NOT READ ANY DOCUMENTATION WHATSOEVER before they attempt to use the Live CD.

[....]
184
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #15593
Written by subharo the 13 Nov 08 at 16:34.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #15593 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 >>

"Supported Hardware Wizard", from live-cd and wubi  
Written by mangar the 1 Jul 08 at 19:43. New
Currently, when installing Ubuntu, we can't tell whether the hardware will be recognized and supported until the installation is over, or by digging through incomplete on-line documentations.

Why not create a Wizard, that will be run-able from either the Live-CD or Wubi, that will detect the hardware, and report what works?

This way we can avoid frustrating users that will discover post install that their video card is black listed (so Compiz doesn't work), having compatibility problems with several chipsets (like jmicron), non-working web cams, unsupported multi-monitor setups, etc.

When you know in advance what you're facing, it is easier to cope, instead of wasting time and discovering after the fact that the hardware is not fully supported.

for example:
Running the hardware wizard from Wubi on my main machine will yield the following result (based on my actual experience installing Hardy):

Hardware discovered:

(X) motherboard: MSI Neo 965 - known problem - unsupported jMicron chipset, the system will not be bootable.
(V) Video card: Nvidia 8800gts 320mb - hardware support is available.
(X) Dual screens: Dual screens are not properly supported using the propriety nvidia drivers.
(X) Printer: Epson pixma ip1500 - printer is not supported.
(V) scanner: HP (something) - supported.
(X) Webcam: Samsung (something) - webcam not supported.
(V) iPod : supported.
(V) Palm Pilot m505: supported.

On my laptop:
(V) Motherboard: compal (something) Supported.

[....]
178
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #10580
Written by mangar the 1 Jul 08 at 19:43.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #10580 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 >>

Show Ubuntu version at Ubuntu GRUB boot screen.  
Written by PocketSam the 15 Jan 10 at 18:01. New
Why not to show Ubuntu version and Ubuntu Codename at Ubuntu GRUB boot screen when using liveCD?
Or even else show version while booting.

Ubuntu version is not shown anywhere, but GRUB menu after installation.
174
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Solution #1: Show Ubuntu version
Written by PocketSam the 15 Jan 10 at 18:01.
Show Ubuntu version and codename at GRUB boot screen for LiveCD.
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Solution #2: Also make "current" and "previous" version easier to differentiate
Written by Darwin Survivor the 21 Jan 10 at 22:25.
Currently the only differences between the current version and the previous verison (old kernel in case of problems) is a number half-way through the title.

I suggest we mark the current version (to make it obvious) an separate it from the others.

Add a comment or propose a solution >>

Improve chance of creating successful bootable USB  
Written by ayeomans the 3 Feb 09 at 13:29. New
USB memory devices are very frequently badly pre-formatted, so that it is impossible to successfully create a bootable USB disk, unless the device is re-formatted.

Examples I have seen:-
- use of "superfloppy" format, rather than partitioned
- no MBR boot code
- ancient (e.g. Windows 95) MBR boot code that has difficulty on modern hardware
- incorrect partition maps (LBA differs from CHS values)
- "bootable" partition flag omitted
- "bootable" partition flag set to bad value (0x70)
- sector size not 512 bytes (this can't be fixed by reformatting)
- odd CHS geometry that causes problems with some BIOS code
- use of U3 or similar devices with extra "CD-ROM" partition
- partition type in MBR differs from actual filesystem type
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Solution #1: Add checks and re-format options to usb-creator and unetbootin
Written by ayeomans the 3 Feb 09 at 13:29.
When usb-creator or unetbootin starts, perform a validity check on the MBR boot code, partition table, and partition filesystem format.

If this fails, warn user that device will most likely be un-bootable unless re-formatted.

Provide re-format options.
Note these are useful even if USB device is perfectly valid, to start with a clean install, or if there is insufficient space due to existing files on USB.

I'd suggest options include "auto re-format" = minimum fix possible, preserving data if possible; "re-partition" = re-write MBR and create new filesystem; "wipe and repartition" to ensure previous data is destroyed by overwriting with zeros. [Consider also USB-ZIP format creation for such BIOSes. Maybe allow choice of geometry too such as choice of 16 / 240 / 255 heads.]

These should warn user whenever data may be lost.
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Solution #2: Add support for multiple bootable hardrives into ubiquity
Written by hramrach the 15 Sep 10 at 21:46.
The Ubuntu installer can already format harddrives just fine, and treating the USB device like hardrive usually works.

It needs a partition table and MBR code just as harddisks do.

The only problem is that when booting from a CD-rom the IDE hardrive appears as the first one and USB drives are listed after the IDE drives most of the time.

When booting from the USB drive,the USB drive appears as the first drive, at least to grub.

Similar situation exists with addon cards that provide their own boot bios.

It should be possible to install grub on the later drive as if it was the first drive which is the only feature missing to support these configurations.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

gparted should merge functionality from partimage.  
Written by annex666 the 5 Jan 09 at 22:50. New
gparted is a good graphical tool that allows the user to create/delete/modify/move partitions easily. partimage is a tool that allows users to backup and restore partitions to/from compressed image files.

To me it makes sense to merge the functionality of partimage into gparted to create one unified tool for management of partitions.

This enhanced gparted would add valuable functionality to the LiveCD - the ability to backup a known good installation before "nuking" it.



Use-case:

Joe Schmoe buys a laptop from large retailer PCs-R-Us. The laptop comes pre-configured with Windows, however an install CD is not provided - instead an installer is provided on a hidden partition. Joe wants to install his favourite Linux distribution, but first wants to backup an image of his hard drive, just in case he should need to restore it later.

Joe could use the enhanced gparted tool on the Ubuntu LiveCD to make a backup image of his system (saving this image to a DVD or external drive), then nuke the drive ready for the Ubuntu install.

Joe now has the ability to revert back to the factory configuration should he, for any reason, decide to do so.

141
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #17064
Written by annex666 the 5 Jan 09 at 22:50.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #17064 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 >>

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