Comment 6 for bug 134410

Hi Dan (and all other Ubuntu fans/devs)

It really is a shame 1.5.0 has just missed the cut-off point for being included in II. If it makes it into 9.04 then far as I'm concerned that will be the Ubuntu release to watch out for, the one which could really start a large number of people switching and hence trigger the mythical 'year of the Linux desktop' the tech press has been speculating about all these years. Easy wifi/internet config and use really is such a critical component of the Linux desktop experience- make or break in fact.

Yes, I am aware that wicd currently lacks dial-up and VPN, but these connections are only used by a small minority of users compared to those who just want a regular ethernet or (protected) wifi link thats easy to setup, auto-connects and most importantly just works, which is what wicd offers.

If wicd gets into the repos in time for 9.04 but is still lacking dial-up and VPN support then Ubuntu would be wise to replace NM with a combination of connectivity apps. wicd would do it all for most users, gnome-ppp could be included for those who need dial-up and openvpn for those who require VPN. Yes, taking this route might consume a little more space on the install disc and would be less elegant than having one app (try) to do it all but the important thing is that this setup would actually WORK and many, many more people would be able to access the net under Ubuntu and hence Ubuntu would, for the first time, have a serious chance at becoming a real contender in the desktop OS space.