Ubuntu: Many suggestions included(Wishlist features)

[Dee]

Note: These are suggestions not bug reports. I'm making them in hopes that Ubuntu will improve.

Current operating system: Feisty Fawn

Kernel-version : 2.6.20-14

a) Why not file System Monitor under "Preferences"?

b) when people run the live cd on their pc, perhaps also have a wizard that checks for hardware compatibility?

c) when X crashes, perhaps make it such that only the shell crashes and not the running applications too? Or if this involves way too much work, how about something like what Windows XP does? That is, allowing System Restore to be enabled: sessions will be backed up every few hours(or as set by the user). So, if the applications crash, they can at least be restored.

d) Yes, I know that logs are kept when a system or X crashes but perhaps, it could be coded such that Terminal or some other simple application will run/open them after the crash. Or perhaps, a simple window that asks the user: "X has crashed __ times within the last 24 hours. Please select the logs you wish to view."

e) Workplaces: When one hovers the cursor over the workplace area on the taskbar and if there're any applications running in that particular workplace, how about configuring such that a message will appear like "There are ___ applications running." And also allowing people to close all applications in a workplace?

f) allowing people to select a list of devices during installation:
as in, letting them choose which devices to install and to disable. (You could have an advanced function that lists such options, which require some hardware knowledge, etc.) The reason behind this is because some people have flaky onboard devices which cannot be disabled via bios. Yet, their motherboard is functioning perfectly fine.

g) Implement a panel where you can organise your documents, pictures, etc. and other various folder settings. Like determine what is the name of your Documents folder, where are you going to place it, do you want to use separate folders for your Pictures and Documents, etc. And basically, this panel could control your universal folder settings(which you can over-ride, of course by setting individual folder settings).

h) Graphics card control panel and graphics card settings like contrast, monitor color profile, etc.

i) Follow what Firefox does: provide a readme file or integrate some explanations for the matching Windows functions in Linux during the installation process.

j) Rename some of the features so users can tell the function, just by glancing at some of the names. Don't mind me but "Synaptic" just doesn't tell a normal user anything. Plus, some of these functions ought to be merged/integrated or or at the least launched from a shared window like Keyboards and Keyboard shortcuts, Network proxy, Networking and Network Tools, etc.

k) Under Networking, I'd love it if you guys could configure it such that instead of just "eth0", "eth1", etc., we could also see the device name too. Like "eth0: Realtek 8237", "eth1 Dlink blah blah ah". Geez, this list is getting really long. I hope it doesn't hit Z.

l) For sound, why not allow something similar to EAX by Creative, and allow people to configure various sound settings?

m) A hardware troubleshooting tool that logs and detects certain issues. (Now, this one is kinda far-fetching but a tool that's able to at least help you narrow down the list of potential troublemaking devices, would be awesome.)

n) Furthermore, I do suggest revamping part of the directory structure. My issue is that some of the directory locations can be rather lengthy and difficult to recognise and remember. Perhaps you could consider revamping it or allow something like a "Short url" which shortens the directory url. And these Short Urls could also be pinned to the desktop, various folders, even to programs, the Workplace, etc. And perhaps dropping these short urls into various programs could execute different functions. Like: dropping them into an archiving program would create an archive of the folder.

o) When a user has completed installing Ubuntu and restarted the pc to launch the operating system for the first time, why not have a window that provides a short walkthrough and some explanations that show the difference between Ubuntu and WinXP/Win98/Win2k and other Windows operating systems, Mac operating systems as well as other variants of Linux.

Also, this walkthrough could also include a searchable section that contains links to various guides like CLI guides, Ubuntu interface guides, etc., etc. And short introductions to various features of Ubuntu to get the poor user started.

And also an option: "Show this guide everytime you start Ubuntu?"

p) Don't allow the user to close the Ubuntu Installation process window, that is, disable the "close" button. Imagine my horror when I was installing Ubuntu and accidentally shut down the window! I'd to restart the pc and try again.

q) I'm not sure if this is already programmed into the Installation process but, perhaps, a thorough checking process could be initialised after Ubuntu has been installed. That is: it checks the integrity of the files and sees if the files are corrupted or if certain components were not installed properly. This is because I was unfortunate enough to get a corrupted installation (my first time installing Ubuntu, even!) and had to reinstall the operating system. I'm quite sure many others have shared a similar experience.

r) Mouse functions: Allowing for controls that determine what a certain mouse action does. Like drag and dropping a folder/file from directory ABC into directory KXL: does it duplicate the file/folder or does it transfer the file/folder over? To open a file/folder: do you single-click or double-click on it?

s) More in-built power management features, please. Energy saving is big these days plus, it'd be awesome if you could set different settings like "Quiet", "Normal", etc. for it really prolongs cpu life.

t) Advanced installation options which could allow an advanced user to determine what programs they'd like to pre-install and what settings they'd like to apply to Ubuntu. Of course, these options should come with a warning.

Okay, okay, this is the end. Well, I hope so. :D

[Daniel Holbach (dholbach)]

Thanks for taking the time to file this bug report. Can you please file separate bugs for all your suggestions? It makes it much much easier to track their progress.