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The Ubuntu community has contributed 22700 ideas, 138270 comments, 2629576 votes
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Popular ideas Here are the last 6 months most popular ideas about Ubuntu.

Allow custom multitouch in unity.  
Written by addiks the 14 Jan 13 at 12:53. Related project: Unity. New
I personally hate the way multitouch is implemented in unity. The 3-finger drag window placement feels just wrong (when i want to move a window, i grab the title or hold [alt]; these 'handles' are just irretating and also feel very wrong) and the 4-Finger tap that gets the dash just gets in the way. (At most when the driver sometimes thinks that there are more fingers on the pad then there really are, but thats another story.)

What i want to get from multitouch which i currently dont get are switching workspace with a 4-finger swipe, copy&paste (like with the middle mouse button which is very useful in linux) with a 3-finger tap (which is also useful to create new app-windows by 3-finger-tapping on one of the unity-icons) and emulate the [hold middle mouse button and move] like it gets used in blender by using 3 fingers and move.
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Solution #1: Provide a configuration to disable unity multitouch
Written by addiks the 14 Jan 13 at 12:53.
What i currently do to achieve that goal is that i use the program 'ginn' with a custom 'whiches.xml' file. But ginn does not work with the vanilla (raw/untouched) version of unity, because unity grabs and locks the root multitouch handle(s) of the system. To resolve that i have written a script which downloads ('apt-get source unity') the unity sources, patches the sources to disable multitouch, build the packages and installs them. (I have also patched ginn, but that again is another story. I can provide the whole patcher-package if someone is interested.)

That process is very annoying because everytime unity gets updates i have to kill ginn (otherwise the updated/unpatched unity crashes after update because it cannot grab MT), update unity, run the patcher und do a 'unity --replace', all manually.

The cheapest solution would be to provide a configuration in a file or even a simple flag-file that disables multitouch in unity completely. You would create a file '~/.unity/disableMultitouch.flag' and the problem is gone, unity does not use multitouch anymore. You can run whatever multitouch program you want to.

This solution also would not interfere with beginners because they would never get the idea to create such a file. Its just a helper for developers who like to customize their system.

The file that needs to be patched for this to work is in the 'unity' package, in the sources the file '/plugins/unityshell/src/unityshell.cpp' in the method UnityScreen::InitGesturesSupport (currently line 3383-3407).
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Solution #2: Configuration in GUI system settings
Written by addiks the 21 Jan 13 at 18:10.
As an alternative to a text-file or flag-file configuration (which isn't very beginners-friendly), there could be a way to configure and/or disable multitouch in the GUI system-settings like with the current custom keyboard shortcuts and a simple switch (checkbox, button, slider, ...) to disable multitouch in unity completely so another multitouch-program like ginn can be used. This is not as cheap to implement as #1 but the result would be easier to use for everyone.

See the 6 comments or propose a solution >>

Instant access to apps in Unity  
Written by turbolad the 17 Apr 13 at 17:02. Related project: Unity. New
You would like to open an app and don't know its name. Without the search it takes much longer to reach the app.

In Ubuntu 12.04, to reach an app whose name you don't know, you must perform these steps in Dash Home: move the mouse diagonally down to the second left option at the bottom of the lens, move the mouse diagonally up to the "filter results" categories, click on the correct category, move to the middle area labelled "installed", sometimes click "see X more results" (where "X" is the number of results), navigate down and traverse the installed apps and then open the desired app. That's quite a long journey to make without the search, especially with hundreds of installed apps!

How do you put apps within easier reach of the user?
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Solution #1: Apps instantly available in categories
Written by turbolad the 17 Apr 13 at 17:02.
In the Dash Home, have the categories (filters) showing by default on the LEFT - in the FIRST lens. When the user left-clicks on the category buttons (or touches them on a touchscreen), immediately show the list of all the apps - which belong in that category - to the right of the chosen category, in columns (the apps could be listed alphabetically).

This would put apps in easy reach and save time. If there are many apps in a category, the list of apps could be scrolled vertically.

For consistency, ease of use and better usability, the "top to bottom" and "left to right" layout is important here.
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Solution #2: Categories should be keywords, too
Written by cheesehead the 19 Apr 13 at 23:28.
Have the Applications scope include the category name in the search.

For example, Gnumeric is easily findable with the search term (keyword) "spreadsheet", but not the category "office". This change would make it easily findable under both, and categories would be one click away instead of three. No rearrangement required.

As mhall119 has pointed out, this also means that categories must be added as a translated field.
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Solution #3: Installed by category
Written by kermit the 30 Apr 13 at 11:06.
There already exists a lens that offers a nice, hierarchical view of all the installed applications (that I too miss, because I sometimes simply forget what apps I have installed). The lens was featured in [this OMG! Ubuntu! post][1]. It's better suited to the task than filters, because changing a category doesn't keep the old one selected. The only thing that remains doing is integrating it into the existing dash UI.

One way of doing this could be by adding another button next to Filter results (e.g. "explore installed apps") in the Apps lens that would open the categories lens. This way one could get to it by punching super+A and clicking the button. It could even get its own shortcut - e.g. super+E.

[1]: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/11/unity-bliss-an-alternative-application-lens- for-ubuntu

See the 4 comments or propose a solution >>

It should be easy to check for file system errors on HDD/USB drives and fix them  
Written by nastys the 30 Apr 13 at 06:43. Related project: Unity. New
Sometimes my friend and I get problems with our USB drives like damaged file system. It is hard for an user to check the file system (FAT32) for errors, fix them and format it.
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Solution #1: Add a format option to Unity drive quicklists and automatically fix errors
Written by nastys the 30 Apr 13 at 06:43.
A quick file system check should be done when the drive is mounted and if errors were found Ubuntu should ask the user what to do: fix, ignore or format; a format option should be added to Unity launcher quick list to make it easy to format the drive if needed by the user.
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Solution #2: Add format and file system check to Unity drive quicklists
Written by nastys the 30 Apr 13 at 06:46.
The user should check for errors or format manually by right-clicking on the drive on Unity launcher.
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Solution #3: Automatically check the drive when mounted
Written by nastys the 30 Apr 13 at 06:51.
Ubuntu should check the file system for errors when mounted, then ask the user what to do: fix, ignore, format.
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Solution #4: Add a file system error check to Disk utility
Written by nastys the 2 May 13 at 09:55.
If the user thinks their drive is damaged they should open Disks from the dash and check the file system for errors manually, but very much easier than using the terminal.
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Solution #5: Add a file system error check to Unity, Nautilus and Disk utility
Written by nastys the 2 May 13 at 11:34.
If the user wants to check the file system for errors they could just right click the drive (in Unity Launcher, Nautilus or Disk utility) and select to check the drive for errors. To format the drive the user has to use the Disk utility, so any accidental formatting cannot happen.
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Solution #6: Hold on, #3 could have some sense, but with some revisions
Written by ajw822 the 19 May 13 at 16:11.
I'm thinking a GParted-esque option, which you can toggle on or off, that automatically checks for errors and then shows a little exclamation point next to the drive icon. Integrate the error message with the notification service to avoid pop-ups, and make it an action that can bee toggled. If off, the user can right-click to error check and the same thing would happen manually. I'm sure it would be fine is the system took 30 extra seconds to do a quick check and then mount. Some 3rd party Windows virus removers do exactly this.

See the 11 comments or propose a solution >>

Lenses configuration in Dash  
Written by vgregorio the 4 Dec 12 at 23:02. Related project: Unity. New
Lenses are an interesting and innovative way to customize your desktop. But it would be better if we could configure its behavior and enable / disable lenses in a single configuration screen.
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Solution #1: A configuration button in the dash bottom
Written by vgregorio the 4 Dec 12 at 23:02.
Since the lenses are connected to the dash, it would be interesting to access this settings screen along with the access to the lens.

This screen should have the option of adding lenses (a brief description of what the lens does, along with image), enable / disable a lens already installed, configure the behavior of the lens.

The option of adding lenses could be connected to a repository of lenses fed by the community. There are a series of lenses designed by users who would benefit from official exposure on a system screen like this. Just add the PPA and perform the installation of the lens!
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Solution #2: Remember and repeat the configuration as last used
Written by GizmoChicken the 1 Jan 13 at 08:38.
Depending on what is meant by "configure" as used in the original rationale post, one could argue that a lens must be "configured" (or reconfigured) each time that it is used. For example, on each use, one may "configure" the "Search Applications" lens such that "See ## more results" is selected and/or the "filter" panel is exposed.

So as to reduce the need for reconfiguring a lens to a preferred configuration upon each use, I suggest that, at the very least, dash should remember the configuration of the lens as last used and then present that last used configuration upon next use (so that a user wouldn't have to reconfigure the lens each time it is used).

See the 8 comments or propose a solution >>

Spread View: Close Windows on Middle-Click  
Written by linuxlisa the 22 Jan 13 at 13:10. Related project: Unity. New
The "Spread" view in 12.10 is nice. But what I really miss is an easy way to close unneeded windows from there. There is the close button for each window. But this button is tiny and you have to aim for it. This is very annoying. On top of that, I didn't even see this function/button until I read about it in a blogpost. I always thought that this is just the window title bar and always overlooked the close button or the very possibility that this is actually a way of closing windows from spread view.

Everytime I am in spread view, I wish I could close unneeded windows by simply clicking in that window. When clicking on a launcher icon with middle-mousebutton, a new windows of that application is being opened. So it would make sense that with a middle-click on such window in spread view, a window will close.
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Solution #1: Open spread view and middle-click on unneeded window
Written by linuxlisa the 22 Jan 13 at 13:10.
1. Open the spread view when having multiple windows open
2. Middle-click on unneded window
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Solution #2: Open spread view and right click for options
Written by Dazed_75 the 22 Jan 13 at 16:16.
I don't think solution 1 is at all intuitive, but right clicking is universal for a context menu with options that make sense. These could include closing, minimizing, maximizing, or even moving to another workspace (left, right, up, down, or named).
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Solution #3: Make the close button big upon mouse proximity
Written by beruic the 30 Jan 13 at 00:50.
Make the close button easier to click on.

I initially imagined that it could be shown all the time, but scaled like the window, and then when the mouse comes near, some kind of zoom effect or magnifying effect could happen, such that it's easy to click. This however might hinder the user in discovering functionality initially, so maybe a normal sized version the close button should just be placed with its centre upon the corner of the window (thus obstructing the real estate of the scaled down version of the window less), and become bigger when the mouse comes near.

This of course does not hinder solution #1 from being implemented as well.

See the 2 comments or propose a solution >>

Command in "Select an application to open" dialog  
Written by pyrokinetiq the 9 May 13 at 06:36. Related project: Nautilus. New
Currently if you wish to open a file in a program that doesn't display on the "Select an application to open" dialog (right-click a file > Open with > Other Application), you simply can't open that file in your program of choice from nautilus without editing the defaults.list.
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Solution #1: Allow custom commands
Written by pyrokinetiq the 9 May 13 at 06:36.
Add a text field to the dialog that allows users to specify a command to use to run the selected file, as well as a "Make default" check box that when checked will change the line for the mime type of the selected file to use the entered command instead of the current default program.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

Optimize Unity Sidebar for Desktops  
Written by psnizek the 11 Apr 13 at 09:55. Related project: Unity. New
Proposal is about:
- better cope with having many apps locked-in to the sidebar
- improve sidebar as task-switcher alternative to [alt]-[tab]

usability issues:
- often loosing sidebar when scrolling down (autohide)
- running apps are shown in the original locked-in "home" position which can become inconvenient (if many apps locked-in and scrolling is needed)

Suggestion:
- show running apps in the top area of the sidebar. When app is closed the app icon shall return to it's original "home" position.
- optionally have a "preferred apps" zone in the sidebar for apps that are being used often, but not running yet.
- keep a zone for locked in apps
- introduce column heads for "running", "preferred" and "locked-in" that allows expansion and collapsing of each respective zone (perhaps triggerd with "mouse hover" over the zone or with a click on the column head).

----------------------------
If I am forced to scroll the sidebar down, I often loose it (bar autohides) when not paying attention to an exact movement with of the mouse and need to start all over again which over time is annoying. It's really about dragging the mouse precisely in a straight line, scrolling, searching, playing seek and hide...

If I want to use the unity bar as task switcher then I often need to scroll the bar all the way down to the position where I have originally locked in my app. Not locked-in apps are listed even at the very bottom of the sidebar when running. That doesn't make awful lot of sense from a usability pont of view. In cases where many instances of apps are running concurrently [alt]-[tab] rotation is not very convenient.
19
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Solution #1: Turn Unity Sidebar into Unity Smartbar:
Written by psnizek the 11 Apr 13 at 09:55.
Proposal:

Smart, associative ordering of app icons in Unity sidebar:

The Unity side bar should order applications according to the following priorities from top to down:

Group 1 "running") At the very top: list all open (running) applications according to their window level on the desktop. So apps on the top (visible) first and apps at the bottom (partially or not visible or minimized) last.

Group 2 "preferred") second priority: show a configurable number of apps accordingly to "most frequently used" over a certain period of time. However, do not show apps that are running already here as they would belong under 1) If no application is started yet then apps belonging to 2) would show up first.

Group 3 "locked") third priority: User/OS defined order. Show all other apps that are registered at the sidebar according to the user (or OS, if the user didn't) defined order. Do not show apps here that are shown already under 2 or 1.

Behavior / associative "thinking":
If an app is "locked" and frequently used "preferred" then it is shown in Group 2. If one day the app is not anymore frequently used then it would fall back from group 2 to group 3. If the app is not even locked, than the app would disappear from the side bar completely.

Same with Group 1 "running": Once the app is closed it either returns to group 2 "preferred" (if frequently used), or to group 3 "locked" (if docked to the sidebar). Or the app disappears completely from the side bar if not frequently used and not registered.

Group 2) "preferred" can also show "unlocked" (not to the side bar docked) apps. An app can be frequently used even if it is not "locked" in the sidebar

Grouping:
Each of these groups (1. "running" 2. "preferred" 3. "locked") should get a group head. If clicked on it the group unfolds and if again clicked on it the group collapses. The groups should be draggable in order to change their vertical placement (order) in the bar.

Magnetic behavior of sidebar when visible and if switched-on autohide:
It would be great if the sidebar had a kind of "magnetic force" that helps to move the mouse vertically up and down in a straight line and to prevent an unwanted autohide. It perhaps could be managed by "mouse cursor pressure". If the pressure (configurable?) to the right border gets strong enough, the mouse cursor can escape the sidebar and autohide is triggered.

Benefit: I would save a lot of clicking, mouse dragging and wheel rolling to search and start apps or switch from one app to the other. Also it would make the user experience with the side bar much more robust (magnetic force). The Unity side bar would actually start supporting me similar to a Golf caddy who always gives me the right choice of golf clubs depending on the situation and my play style :-)
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Solution #2: Show running programs in the upper (horizontal) bar
Written by Mathias the 30 Apr 13 at 16:40.
I used ubuntu studio for a while and there all the running programs ware displayed in the upper bar. This worked perfectly in my opinion. I was surprised to see that this isn't the same in ubuntu 13.04

Now I learned to use shortcut keys to swich programs but it would still be very handy if I could see the running programs up instead of "file - edit - view - etc..."

See the 8 comments or propose a solution >>

Need an easy way to change colors of the themes and GUI elements  
Written by Calmarius the 1 Feb 13 at 09:13. Related project: Gnome. New
I loved the easy way of changing colors (to match with the background image's color theme) in Gnome 2. You could simply set several colors and the entire desktop obeyed that setting.

In Gnome 3, these color and theme settings are scattered all over the place in CSS files, ini files and config settings.
There are separate settings for UI elements, separate settings for window panels, separate settings for window decorations, separate settings for Unity's launcher and separate settings for gnome's top bar. That's a whole mess.
(Yeah, I'm haven't digged in deep into the config files, and spend weeks playing with this... So what I just said may be wrong)

Also there is no way to preview what you did. You need to log out and log in again.

This lack of customization is the sole reason I didn't upgraded my 10.04 to 12.04. But this April Lucid's support is over, and I'm forced to upgrade, or pick a different distro.
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Solution #1: Remake Gnome 2-s simple theme customization tool
Written by Calmarius the 1 Feb 13 at 09:13.
Title says it all. I want to customize the colors in 1 minute, not in 8 hours.

See the 1 comments or propose a solution >>

A Simple Quicklist for Ubuntu Software Centre  
Written by TriforceLZG the 3 Feb 13 at 17:30. Related project: Ubuntu Software Center. New
The time it takes to find specific software using the Ubuntu Software Centre is not up to Ubuntu's 'Unity' standards. It takes much too long to find the specific software one would want to find.
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Solution #1: Add a Quick list
Written by TriforceLZG the 3 Feb 13 at 17:30.
With the inclusion of a Unity Dash quick list for lenses, and a Unity Nautilus quick list for bookmarks, their should be a Unity Ubuntu Software Centre quick list for types of software. A simple right click on the USC icon and all of the available categories will show. Click on one and the application will open within the selected category. This would be a great idea because it makes using Unity 'that' more efficient. It also takes advantage of the quick list feature. Implementing quick lists into one of Ubuntu's main applications would further demonstrate the potential of unity. Simply put, having USC use quick lists would be a nice and simple tweak that could save time and energy for everyone.

Example here:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1wkhyZsJgiZYWNiUDV2cmJGTUk/edit?usp=sharing

Add a comment or propose a solution >>

Network printers not installed  
Written by mike984 the 30 Mar 13 at 16:50. Global category: Usability. New
Scenario: You go to print a document on a network printer and you click on Print and the print dialog box appears and you realize a printer you want is not installed.

You have to close the dialog box and figure out how to add a printer then go back to the document and print it using the new printer.
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Solution #1: Add "Add a Printer" to printing dialog
Written by mike984 the 30 Mar 13 at 16:50.
Add a button on the print dialog box to add a printer. Kind of like when you go to save a document, I can build a folder right then and there and save to it. I should be able to add a printer and print to it too.

That way I don't have to exit the dialog box to print to go find the add a printer app then add a printer and return to the document to print it.

See the 5 comments or propose a solution >>

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