10 features Ubuntu should implement
Ubuntu is a great Linux distro and has achieved a lot in very less time. Here are a few ideas that Ubuntu could implement. Most of these are GUI changes that are very simple but exciting. Click on the images to learn more.
I am no expert nor do I know Linux well enough, I got to know about Linux only a few years back and got really into it. If you are developing or designing for Ubuntu let me know what you think of these and if they are remotely possible. Most ideas are geared towards mac users, but considering apple is not making good use of it, there is no reason why Ubuntu should not benefit from them.
If interested you could learn more about the graphical user interface design competition I am hosting
1. Weather on your Desktop
Lets admit it, we spend hours in front of our computers not unaware of the most basic things of life such as weather. Now atleast we will know what the weather is outside by just looking at our desktop.
2. Time based Wallpaper
Not everyone has an always on connection and the weather on your desktop is not for all, therefore a time based wallpaper would kick in when your internet is disconnected. The wallpaper will change as the time changes on the computer. You can download wallpaper packs of certain areas that have pictures taken from the same angle at steady time intervals. [I don't know what is the source of this idea as I read about it somewhere a while a ago so if any one knows the source please mention in the comments].
3.Beyond Icons
Icons that represent valuable information at first glance can really save you some time.
Some users don’t care about emptying their thrash and also use it as another folder at times, this will remind them to empty it.
I know Linux does not need fragmenting but the other stuff looks pretty nice.
5.Visual Folder Hierarchy
At times we want to open a directory that is deeply nested. A visual map of all the documents will make it soo easy to navigate.
6. Icons that Talk
It would be great if we could set notes on icons such as “send this to Emma tom” or if your Rss reader icon could say “175 Unread Item’s”. One more possibility would be to record a small voice message and a small indicator would attach itself to the icon.
7. Clean up the Taskbar
Its high time since somebody rethinks the taskbar, we need a cleaner one.
8. Preinstalled Media Center
Now that Ubuntu is gaining popularity with home users, Ubuntu should add a media center customized to look like Ubuntu. This would be a good competitor to Windows Media Center and Apple Front Row.
9. Animated Introduction to Ubuntu Linux
After the install is complete an animated introduction could be displayed. This should also be accessible from the live CD so the user can get a glimpse of the O.S. Most users who are new to Linux will find this helpful as they are used to the windows environment and this will make it easier for them to get started. Care should be taken when designing the intro so it is aesthetically pleasing and concise.
10. Your Turn!
I would love to hear what idea’s and features you have in mind…
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114 Interesting Conversations
I wholeheartedly agree with a number of implementations you mentioned [LMFAO, say that 5 times fast]. I have an idea for a distro based upon a minimal Ubuntu installation. How feasible is it to change the ISO so that it may support these ideas? Or, can they be add-ons?
NetOperator Wibby
October 18, 2008
@NetOperator Wibby
Thanks for the comment. I like the idea of a distro based on a minimal install especially for usb drives.
kumailht
October 18, 2008
It needs something like Mandriva’s Control Center or Suse’s YaST. Simply put, the lack of such an application that allows me to easily configure stuff via a well thought out GUI stops me dead cold. I’m completely on board with how wonderful CLI can be, but this is a deal buster for me.
LinuxLover
October 18, 2008
The time-based wallpaper was introduced by fedora, which’s another distribution I like alongside ubuntu.
mkdx
October 18, 2008
Great ideas – Thank you very much !
I like particularly your “beyond icons”, Taskbar, and animated desktops ideas.
Alas! They will probably never be implemented…
Johannes Eva
October 18, 2008
The trash Icon idea is great I would totally be all for that.
Hosting Reviews
October 18, 2008
Very interesting. Especially the thrash and the weather desktop
Chhama Chenkual
October 18, 2008
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/
Great….Ubuntu has a brainstorm site to post such things.
Unfortunately not to the detail you shown here……
Jeff
October 18, 2008
Those who use kde already have the time-based wallpaper for some time =]
John
October 18, 2008
I liked ideas 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Faryshta
October 18, 2008
i agree to all of your suggestion.. but only one thing i have to say: in the 3 item, the image is wrong in relation with the text.. the “100% left” i think its suposed to be the full one, only that silly thing, besides that, they are all great ideas, i m a fan of ubuntu to…
Walrus
October 18, 2008
Thanks for the comments
@john
I never knew that, do you have a link to page that shows the time based wallpaper.
@walrus
You are right, it would be less confusing if it simply said “disc full”
kumailht
October 18, 2008
The main feature I am interested in is the cleaner taskbar. To clarify what I was mentioning before, I am planning my own distro. I am going to be using Minibuntu and Reconstructor to achieve this. If I can find a way to make the taskbar the way it looks in the mockup, I’ll be a happy guy. =D
NetOperator Wibby
October 18, 2008
Great ideas! I also believe that design consistency through the whole os is important.
Chris
October 19, 2008
Ubuntu has a media center flavor – Mythbuntu.
Chris
October 19, 2008
nice article, wrong title.
I think this would make much more sense as “10 things we’d love to see in linux”
Ubuntu is just a distro and almost nothing that you love about it was built by the ubuntu team. And not one of the things mentioned here ever will be. These are ideas for stand-alone projects or perhaps future gnome or kde features.
That said i agree that these would be welcome additions to the cool stuff you can do with linux.
ocularb0b
October 19, 2008
ok. when can I get the visual folder hierarchy implemented in ubuntu? i can’t wait…
foobar
October 19, 2008
@ LinuxLover: Ubuntu already has something like DrakX and Yast and it’s called:
gnome-control-center. Fire it up by pressing [Alt]+ [F2], type gnome-control-center and press [Enter]. Alternatively you can attach it to a icon on your desktop or in your menu. HTH.
ml2mst
October 19, 2008
I think these are all GREAT ideas, and all geared toward utility/usability rather than flash.
Emiliano
October 19, 2008
Great ideas. Weather is not a big deal though and should not be given of much importance. If you like setting weather on your desktop is pretty easy. See this link: http://www.quicktweaks.com/2008/09/27/gmail-weather-beauty-right-on-your-ubuntu-desktop/
aedil
October 19, 2008
You can also get space time based wallpaper using the program xplanet.
croxis
October 19, 2008
1. screenlets, google applets, conky, …
2. already possible, google for it
3. already partialy implemented, but that’s a good idea
4. no number 4
5. no, just no
6. no thanks
7. I don’t agree, remove things you don’t like
8. There are a multitude of media center distro’s. If you want one you can install one for free. That’s enough (boxee, elisa, mythtv, …)
9. Hmmm, don’t know. Why not, it could help some people.
10. I think Ubuntu should have an “advanced” install option. Where you can choose what to install or what not to install. I know there is a minimal install cd, but they could integrate it into the install GUI on the live cd.
I like the things your suggest, I just wouldn’t like them enabled by default.
Bill Goldberg
October 19, 2008
There is a way that you can tidy up the panel.
http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=notifyte1.jpg
What I have done is added a drawer to the panel (Rightclick, Add to panel) then put the notification area inside it (Rightclick, untick Lock and then move it to the drawer).
Then I gave it a nice Tux icon because the default drawer looks ugly.
The draw stays hidden until you click on it, when it scrolls out to reveal the messy icons. Until then I just have a single Tux icon next to the clock!
BobCFC
October 19, 2008
Dear Linux:
I never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever want to see the command line again.
Thank you,
The average end-user
P.S.
Would it kill you to allow the configuration of dual, spanned monitors without the aid of Stephen Hawking, a team of Clydesdales and 3 stout Polish women?
elflocko
October 19, 2008
Install the latest Adobe Flash player and Java runtime by default, and plug them into the automatic updates system. Surely a license could be constructed to make this happen, and keep everyone happy. Most people install one or both of those post install anyway.
Raskolnikov
October 19, 2008
Nice ideas yeah. As has been said above, however, a fair few of your ideas have already been developed. Eg, I have had a weather applet on my desktop for a few years now and am pretty sure you can change the way you view your directories so you can see the ‘tree’! I am not too sure about the animation idea though m8, by the time a user has burnt and loaded a live cd, they will be in Ubuntu so they are going to get a good look at the distro. Perhaps a decent animated guide would be more productive if it could be viewed before taking the plunge and doing the live CD thing. LOLOL, I remember, after a few failed burn attempts and the usual XP hassle, by the time I had that live cd up and running on my notebook, there was no way I wasn’t going to install!
peace
UKBlaza
October 19, 2008
@Chris
I think consistency is the biggest issue Linux is facing. The main reason leopard is appealing is consistency.
@ocularb0b
I did think of that title but that would be wrong as Linux is basically a kernel and it is used in phones, atm’s, servers and the list goes on.
“Ubuntu is just a distro and almost nothing that you love about it was built by the ubuntu team”
This is very true but you have forgotten the fact that the Ubuntu team has made Linux famous for the average joe. It has made it “almost” ready for the desktop and this is a huge contribution.
@aedil
“Weather is not a big deal though and should not be given of much importance.”
I can see the weather on a mac, vista and Linux that same way. It is about adding uniqueness to the O.S instead of porting the functionality that is already available on other O.Ses.
@croxis
Xplanet looks pretty cool, ill give it a try.
@BobCFC
That is a good temporary solution, but in the long term the ubuntu team should fix that.
@Raskolnikov
I would love to see something like that happen, they will probably have to show a EULA when Firefox is first opened, but most people don’t even care about agreements.
@everyone else
Thanks for your comments, really appreciate it. Keep them coming
kumailht
October 19, 2008
Very cool!!! all of it. its a must have
Henry
October 20, 2008
I think #3 and #5 (as an option, not the default view) are must-haves. They greatly improve useability and would be unique to linux – instead of late copies of OS X or Windows ideas. The other suggestions aren’t universally appealing but might be implemented as add-ons for those that need them.
They’re all great ideas though. Have you posted them in developers’ forums or e-mailed them to the Ubuntu, KDE and GNOME devevelopment teams? Maybe a more direct approach, like sending this link or your ideas directly to team members would at least get you a response about ease of implementation/inclusion in project roadmaps and the like.
Carlos Livino
October 20, 2008
Couldn t care less about what should Ubuntu implement.
web design company
October 20, 2008
Who Cares…. Ubuntu Is a rag. Want cool things in a linux systems, try a real linux system that already has these things. I’m so tired of hearing about ubuntu crap, what a joke. ubuntu=shit
Name Name
October 20, 2008
@bill goldberg
An advanced option would be good, but the user should be allowed to change from advanced to simple at any time during the install.
I cant believe i left 4 out. I was so sure i checked 3 times. But the comments added quite a few good ideas so nothing to worry about.
kumailht
October 20, 2008
All of those are either already done or easy to do. I take it that you have never heard of Superkaramba!
Must be recent Windows convert. Welcome to Linux! Take the next step and search on Google before you complain about something. The problem might have already been solved for you.
Nunya
October 20, 2008
@Nunya
I have never heard of it, and I did a Google search on most ideas but didn’t find anything interesting enough.
I am not complaining that these ideas have never been done before, I am just saying these features would make good sense if implemented.
kumailht
October 20, 2008
I like the idea of Beyond Icons. They need to make icons more interactive. About your nr. 8 If you want you can install it yourself, their are some good Media Center out there like mythtv.
accessko
October 21, 2008
@nunya
you are a douche
lol
October 21, 2008
I think these are all incredibly valid arguments, and I believe they would all be fantastic additions, and the ubuntu team should embrace them wholehartedly. In addition, though, I believe it should have more pre-installed capabilities. I think the introduction of transformer-type cybertransperative properties to the new versions is a must. If my computer monitor isnt able to turn into a robot by Ubuntu 11.04b, then I think I will have given up linux forever.
FrigginGlorious
October 21, 2008
The problem with having the media preinstalled is that some of the important drivers are non-free. That makes a legal issue that Canonical doesn’t want to get into. It also interferes with those who are serious about keeping their computers “free” as in “freedom”. Many people don’t care about that, but having to enable a repository and grab a few codecs isn’t a serious challenge any more.
Chiron
October 22, 2008
@chiron
You made an excellent point, although I don’t understand how vlc can support all the codecs and not infringe on any copyright and still stay opensource.
kumailht
October 22, 2008
Nice ideas!
I think it would be nice if there were an video- and music-editor installed by default in Ubuntu.
Louis Tim Larsen
October 23, 2008
These are useless features. In conky you can make a script to show weather.
Things with folders are totally useless and steals memory.
Media center – worst idea ever.
About 7. Cleaning the task bar – you can do it by yourself!
It’s LINUX, you can configure it however you want it to!
Ubuntu have to develop stability and work on drivers. Still many computers, laptops have problems with wifi/bloototh/webcam/sound etc…
Weak. Really weak.
johnny
October 23, 2008
Can you say bloatware?
KrazyKellen
October 23, 2008
they have something like #2, its called xearth
imnotme
October 25, 2008
Oh, you mean that Ubuntu should be Mac OS X? I’m all for that!
maccmann
October 25, 2008
There needs to be more Open Source alternatives on Linux than there are or, if not more, better.
Beyond that, I agree with these ideas. I think the Media Center would be extremely convenient and represent a huge leap forward if it could be integrated well.
Still it seems like a complete “Help” feature would be nice, rather than having to go to the forums for all my troubleshooting.
But yeah, if ease-of-use were enhanced a tad more, more things came preconfigured a la LinxuMint, if these ideas were implemented, WINE were a bit better and easier to use
and there was a complete “Help” system that was easy to use and didn’t require logging onto the internet… Ubuntu/Kubuntu could probably convert a LOT of people, no joke.
Peter
October 25, 2008
One thing I’d love to see is a quick, easy multiseat application.
The Critta C
October 25, 2008
@Bill Goldberg:
If there are so many existing ideas, it would be nice to have a program which offers me to install these add-ons…
e.domonkos
October 26, 2008
BS. If you like that kind of crap there are hundreds (thousands) of programs that will do those fancy but useless things for you. You like it, fine, use it. But stuffing Ubuntu with a load of crap by default is WRONG! If you want an OS to come with lots of resource sucking eye-candy installed and activated by default, you should stick with Windows (or MacOSX, for that matter)
Luke771
October 27, 2008
@Luke771
I do agree that we don’t need bloatware on Linux, but all these features don’t necessarily mean bloat. If they are well designed and coded, they could become very useful without using a lot of resources.
For example, compiz can accomplish all those fancy effects that we see on leopard and vista and it doesn’t need a powerful graphic card or loads of ram to run.
Some complain that these effects are simply eye candy and nothing more. I agree but who doesn’t like a little eye candy.
Do you want to run a sad interface your whole life.
When did I mention that these features should be installed by default but I it would be a good option if we could enable it in the preferences.
Thanks for visiting.
kumailht
October 27, 2008
I have plans to create another Linux with a few of these features, which may be cloud-based (and for not connected, a localhost apache server). I would like people to pitch in ideas for this Yours are excellent ideas and I would like you to keep the ideas coming, and a little help in making this OS if possible. Please follow up with me, dandart@googlemail.com
Thanks
Dan Dart
October 27, 2008
I love your ideas, I came 5 times.
Frank
October 27, 2008
Great idea, i would like the talking folder implement in mac os x
http://tronche911.labrute.fr
Goatse
October 28, 2008
I agree, if you need this now…buy a Mac. otherwise, keep programming.
Steve
October 31, 2008
Wallpapoz is a wallpaper tool for gnome that gives you all your wallpaper options. You can have it rotate through a different directory of pictures on each separate desktop. It comes as a tarball and works on most distros. It will even work well with Compiz-Fusion.
hendoc
November 3, 2008
System-wide color profiles and CMYK support.
clay
November 5, 2008
Agreed. The linux desktop needs a facelift. Especially Ubuntu, since it’s the most popular distro for desktop (not sure if its still #1).
julien
November 6, 2008
Love the active icons idea. Would be especially useful when you use multiple external data stores. I use Conky for part of this but can't seem to get it to work for UDF filesystems (Iomega Revs). uUt of course a small one I'd love is every app used some standard shorts cuts, say Contol Q to quit ab app instead all the different combinations like Alt+F4 in Wins.
Donal
November 16, 2008
Ubuntu is garbage. If you've been using it for several years and haven't moved on to a proper distro, You need to go back to proprietary software. If you're an "average end-user" who "never wants to see the commandline again" and other lazy BS like that, you need to pay someone to computer for you.
Chronic Ubuntu users are like teenagers with training wheels on their bikes, except saidd teenagers don't by definition leech off their community without giving back.
just some guy
November 21, 2008
only thing I can say: http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
Rob
December 18, 2008
Seriosly, what’s the point? Unless you’re talking about novice users! All these dekslets, new icons, etc., get annoying pretty quick. It’s time to stop emulating other OS-es and come up with something unique to Linux. I feel awful every time I use OOffice since it reminds me of MS Office. It is time to stop chasing the trends and truly innovate.
Alio Perpetuus
December 25, 2008
I’d buy #5 and #7.
prado
February 6, 2009
Great! I’m with the majority here.
It’s not what Ubuntu “should” implement, albeit these are great ideas and are all mostly hackable mods you could implement on a current install, without frying too many brain cells.
What Ubuntu really needs is the ability to configure “What NOT” to install from scratch and build a live image in the same method for USB keys. SuSe and Fedora have very good package management, which has always beaten Debian in the configuration aspect.
minimee
February 25, 2009
Ahhh..the visual folder hierarchy..how many times i wanted such thing to exist.
anotherwanderer
March 2, 2009
I LOVE the 7th idea! Looks really nice!
Rafael
March 8, 2009
I posted comments on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/833go/10_features_ubuntu_should_implement/
Super Jamie
March 9, 2009
Were you aware that the Spanish translation of this was Google Translated back to English, and posted here: http://linuxpoison.blogspot.com/2009/03/9-features-ubuntu-should-implement_07.html
by some loser?
While we’re here, I completely disagree with this–either Ubuntu already has those features, or they’re worthless. Full post here: http://blog.tsmacdonald.com/archives/253
Timmy Macdonald
March 9, 2009
hi, great post! I already used “share this” to post it also in my site! thank you very much! hope ubuntu will implement this stuffs! then it would be near to a perfect os!
jsonv
March 9, 2009
I have translated this article to Chinese language.
I hope you will not mind.
Thank you very much.
This is the my translated page:
http://www.yeeyan.com/articles/view/jht/32673
Louis
March 9, 2009
I copyed the article on my blog and linked it to this post, hope you won’t mind it
http://linuxpoison.blogspot.com/2009/03/9-features-ubuntu-should-implement_07.html
Thanks,
Nikesh
Nikesh
March 9, 2009
man, do you want ubuntu to be like winblows??? then use winblows. gu/linux is already good for the desktop (i use it everyday at work). i don’t want bling-bling. i don’t want pretty icons etc. if i want these thing i’ll be better off with a mac. i want gnu/linux to do just ONE thing and DO IT WELL: get the job done! (which is exactly what it does right now). a console and off you go! i don’t want them to spend precious dev time on bling-bling… dev tools. that’s what it is for! debian+fedora rule
poutsoklis
March 9, 2009
linux sucks! when you install a program from out of the package fonts sucks , window sucks , everything sucks. its inconsistent and unusable. linux needs centralisation. there are 500 distro and linux sucks because of it.
e1011001
March 10, 2009
I’d love to see a downloads folder that its icon says how much is complete of the download, instead of opening the download client whatever it is to see
I’d also love a nautilus extension to evolution or my favorite mail provider to read mails in a folder and file like view
I love the recycle bin, and the disk Fragmentation thing, but icons aren’t just everything
I love the music extensions that play the file when I roll over it, but there should be more controls on that,, like maybe highlighting it instead
The gnome project have to create their own doc bar, and implement it with nautilus so we can manage our files using it, or at least another third party dock should start thinking of that
Hannibal
March 10, 2009
Idea 2 is on Mandriva Linux since 1 or 2 releases.
gabug
March 10, 2009
I would like to see a handful of annoying things changed:
1) replace the awful GNOME file dialog with one that actually shows evidence of the designer knowing what a file dialog is
2) allow full customization of the Places menu — don’t collapse the bookmarks at some arbitrary number unless I sodding well tell you to
3) map Ctrl+Alt+Esc to xkill, or at least allow me to do it without messing around in the GConfEditor
4) merge the Netbook Remix/lpia stuff into the main repos — Hardy is gruesomely outdated on any screen with a limited vertical resolution (try running Inkscape, then upgrading it to the development version), so it would be nice to have an easy upgrade of pre-installed netbooks to Intrepid
5) debug Screenlets — they’re poorly integrated and flaky (the calendar seems to have a mind of its own) and increasingly outdated now KDE has plasmoids
6) put XMMS back in the repos — I don’t care if the Debian devs hate it; Audacious still doesn’t have all its features
James D
March 10, 2009
I like idea number 4 scroll back up, I’m sure U missed it
nightowl512
March 10, 2009
Is the top pic in number 7 an actual theme? If so what one is it?
James
March 10, 2009
@James Its not an actual theme, would love to see one someday.
kumailht
March 10, 2009
You want integrated Media Center?
Ever hear of MythTV? And if you want it in Ubuntu, use Mythbuntu!!!
Michael Douglas
March 10, 2009
None of this has anything to do with Linux. You might as well go to Chevrolet and give them ideas for songs to put in the car radio “because that’s where the music comes out of.”
Linux is a kernel, not a full operating system. Distros like Ubuntu and Fedora take the Linux kernel and install a bunch of extra software on it so you can have something to look at. If you want to suggest ideas for GNOME, KDE, Xfce, LXDE, Enlightenment, and so on, you should specify that.
In other words, if you don’t like what’s playing on the car radio, blame the radio station, not the car. Or even *gasp* change the channel.
For example, the “taskbar” can easily be changed even without switching to a different desktop environment. That screenshot looks like GNOME, and GNOME-panel has built-in capabilities for moving icons and notifications around, removing them, or adding new ones. In fact, every panel program in existence has one, it’s a bare minimum feature.
Desktops that change over are already possible. You can get the effect by switching to Enlightenment E17, or by using Xwinwrap to play screensavers on your desktop background.
Notifications on your desktop can be accomplished simply putting a panel on the side of the screen, making it big and transparent, and allowing windows to overlap with it. If you don’t like that option, you can do it by using a conky sidebar (http://conky.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html) or screenlets (http://www.screenlets.org/index.php/Screenshots,) or Enlightenment E17’s shelf feature (http://wiki.enlightenment.org/index.php/E17_User_Guide/Shelves) or KDE’s weird upper-right corner thingy (http://www.kde.org/announcements/4.1/index.php.)
Note that GNOME (with GNOME-panel,) KDE, XFCE, LXDE, Enlightenment, Conky, Screenlets, and Xwinwrap have nothing to do with Linux. Most of them run on other operating systems as well, such as the BSDs, such as FreeBSD, NetBSD, and Mac OS X. Here’s a link to KDE running on Leopard:
http://gallery.racoonfink.com/v/misc/screenshots/kde-x11-on-mac-os-x-leopard.png.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1
Max
March 10, 2009
@Hannibal, Firefox download shows its progress in the status bar two ways:
Estimate of time remaining and percent completed
All this while I continue to browse.
Algot Runeman
March 12, 2009
1.Weather – not obsessed with this, not interesting – and easily added if I want it.
2.I have wallpaper that tells me the time and changes too- but I don’t use it, the novelty wore off after two days and it got uninstalled.
3.My disk icons are barely large enough to identify ‘mounted’ or ‘unmounted’ status – yours are extremely large. I use conky to display a thin bar to show how full each of my six partitions are at a glance, merged nicely into the desktop.
4.Recycle bin isn’t an issue, it never needs emptying – it simply recycles stuff. It only needs attention when I need to dig something out.
Defrag? What’s that? Little HD space is already visible in 3
5.*** Nice – go for it!
6.** Cool, nice to be able to set audible warnings.
7.*** Sure, Gnome panel display area doesn’t allow you to tell it what icons it can hide/show/always hide/always show – it’s applicaton based only, which is not good. That’s almost a bug.
8.I played with a media centre – but to be honest, I’m not impressed. For a party, to open it fullscreen on a touchscreen is going to be awesome, but right now I nearly always use invisible means – but a good default add-on media centre would be good (on a DVD install maybe)
9.I guess a nice skimmed down ‘ubuntu screencast’ would be good.
10.A non mono based gnome-do application should be top of the list. IMO, the thing I missed most about Vista was the ‘touch and type’ launch system. For screen resolution? Shortcut and type ’screen’ and you see it listed already – no more menu/control panel for mee!
11.Work to replace Gnome-Do functionality with audio. So many things shouldn’t really need the use of a mouse and/or keyboard, or even a touch screen – and this will be the next major revolution for interfaces. (Touchscreen being the intermediate step – coming up on mobile screens near you).
ben2talk
March 13, 2009
Very nice – the Visual Folder Hierarchy and Trash especially. Great work!
George
March 14, 2009
Great ideas! =)
ЯR
March 18, 2009
sudo apt-get install drapes
OR
sudo apt-get install wallpaper-tray
OR
sudo apt-get install nitrogen
OR if you dont like those options try
apt-cache search wallpaper
This feature doesn’t need to be standard by any means.
sam
March 19, 2009
The time based wallpaper already exists: http://tinyurl.com/dd58fg
nic
March 23, 2009
Beautiful ideas.
Popoi
March 28, 2009
As for wallpaper that changes for weather I think I have a solution for you:
http://mundogeek.net/weather-wallpaper/
I haven’t tested it yet but will give a try and see how it goes.
Joe
March 31, 2009
Okay.. tested it, it works pretty much like you wanted but the pictures are really lame.. I am going to see if I can mess with it a little and make it better.
Joe
March 31, 2009
@Joe
I think you are right, it does work well, you could also change the images to show pictures instead (i guess).
If you are into all of this, you should check out my second last post about Xenon the netbook OS, you could be of help as we are implementing this feature into it
Hope to see you join our team!
kumailht
March 31, 2009
A lot of this eye candy stuff will make gnome or whatever DE bloated.
I rather have more constuctive/productive features.
Remember bloat is the reason why many of us switched from the Redmond OS. =)
Paul
May 7, 2009
Outdated
only # 3 & 6 are not present
it’s not good even in the far future to have these 10 & others implemented
BTW a lot of these & others are in kde 4.3 and 4.2 also
do not blame ubuntu for this its gnome desktop limitations and these limitations are a necessity for the great stability it brings
and also not everybody have the computing power needed to make their desktop more active like this it takes precessing to do more than these
I don’t know how I stumbled this AGAIN a year before & I gave it thumbs up but now oh baby its going down for the reason that ubuntu community should do whatever they want to do go there to let your voice be heard then you’ll know the cold hard truth and what they should implement and how
thanks for the post good one BTW & I was kidding about the down thing, thumbs up.
FasalPC
May 23, 2009
Well, I just stumbled this (apparently it was posted a long time ago), but I feel the urge to debunk this list.
1 & 2: Practically the same thing. As others have mentioned there are already ways to do this, but such an active desktop would fall under “extra eye candy.” Ubuntu’s philosophy is, “Leave out the extra by default. You can always install this stuff later.”
3: Icon previews are nothing new. The idea for the trash is interesting, especially if trash is configured to clean itself regularly. **However,** Ext3, Reiser, XFS, etc. will (almost) never need to be defragmented.
4: There is no 4?
5: Already done; just pick a different filebrowser.
6: See TTS [Text To Speech]. Although TTS might be an interesting feature to be configured by default in Ubuntu.
7: If you don’t like the taskbar, you’ll find it is very easy to reconfigure. If you disagree with the default setup, you can take your opinions to the Ubuntu devs. They, in turn, will take your thoughts into careful consideration, and then tell you what I just wrote–it is very, very easy to customize the taskbar.
8: Not going to happen. A media center would fall under the “extra” category. Besides, which one would you use? There are several options that all do different things.
9: Completely agree on this one. Suse plays a slideshow of programs and features of Linux while its installing, which would be a lot more fun than the loading bar Ubuntu uses to indicate progress.
10: There is no 10? Oh, right, make one up. How about a rescue mode, like Red Hat or Suse have? GRUB is broken? Well, you could either get a livecd and chroot into your Linux, or run the rescue options off the installer. I find the latter easier.
More or less, everything you’re looking for in this list (plus my addition) already exists in the Linux world–just not by default in Ubuntu. If, by implement you mean that Ubuntu should include this stuff in the default install, then maybe ok. If you think these things need to be created, then I suggest Googling for these packages.
Mike
June 5, 2009
So you want to turn ubuntu into Win7?
StanServo
June 6, 2009
@StanServo
It’s not turning ubuntu into windows 7 but providing new applications to the app database so if a user would like to add that feature they can. Think about it as eye candy.
Joe
June 6, 2009
#2
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/3295/ – Some Ideas watch solution #6!
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=784881 – One solution how to get time based Wallpapers right now (tip: the folder /user changed to /usr since hardy, this hast to be considered).
Paradiesstaub
September 1, 2009
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