AlexLinuxUser101
February 17th, 2008, 07:53 PM
Here are some personal experiences and tidbits that I have noticed in my so far limited experience with Ubuntu:
1. Poor music management software. In my experience, nothing really matches the functionality or performance of itunes. The best thing that I have found so far is rhythymbox, but it still needs a lot of work. I am willing to help in any way I can. I just don't know how to.
2. Ubuntu needs a new marketing team. I am sorry, but despite how much I absolutely adore ubuntu and how it is amazing and how it is free, despite having ALL the features of BOTH vista and mac, being more stable, and can look like both... for some reason, it is not propsering! If people really understood how great Ubuntu was, it would do great. The only reason why there is little software for ubuntu is because it has little popularity. The reason it has little popularity is because its' software choices are limited (I know, there is a ton of free software for ubuntu and great alternatives. But you have to admit... or well, I have to admit... GIMP does not level up to Photoshop... openoffice to microsoft word 2007... amarok/rhythymbox to itunes... there is no macromedia flash... the list goes on). My argument for this is that this is simply not a valid argument against ubuntu. People cannot say "oh, ubuntu sucks because there is no software for it." The first step is making it more popular. I already find it amazing that the developers are actually developing linux FOR Other things, rather than vice versa. That is quite a feat... but it should certainly be the other way around. Which ultimately is why I think the way to fix most problems with software and hardware is to get it more popular and improve the marketing sector of ubuntu (when I say marketing here I mean advertising... as it is free).
- "Linux - Distribution: Debian-based Ubuntu Version 7.10 Codename Gusty Gibbon" is not particularly catchy to the average user (yes, I am exaggerating here but just for the purpose of making the point). When researching Ubuntu for the first time, I was very confused about what to get. "What the hell is the difference between Gusty Gibbon and Fiesty Fawn?" "Should I get Beryl or Compiz?" Etc. Obviously I eventually realized that Gusty was just an updated version and that there indeed used to be a difference between Beryl and Compiz but now people go with Compiz-fusion. The point I am making is that it is rather confusing about what to get. Actually knowing what to get needs to be a little more userfriendly. Perhaps the most simplistic solution would be to indeed keep all the distributions (as I think it would be a step backwards if they were removed), but create a sort of official questionaire asking you about your basic computer usage habits and what is important to you ("must be compatible with as many programs/hardware as possible", be very fast, etc.") and saying what you should get. Personally, I think the average user should be able to understand that generally what they would want is the latest version of Ubuntu. This should be made pretty clear. EDIT: I just found the official quiz which indeed does that. I think the difficulty of finding it was kind of characteristic of the problem, though.
- Ubuntu needs to come prequipped with some key software...
Compiz-fusion WITH compiz config. Screenlets (I think many of the screenlets need a lot of work, personally.). A single, music management software that even mac and windows users will envy. Needs to be as fast as rhythymbox, but have all the features of many of the other programs. A reworked open office. It is a powerful, simplistic program, but it still reminds me of the old microsoft word program.
Would it be possible to advertise ubuntu on national television? Perhaps a very well developed ad that makes people really interested in ubuntu would really do well for it. I think leaving ubuntu CD's with a "What is Ubuntu?" pamphlet around places such as computer stores and other random places would do really well for it, as well.
Another very effective, in my opinion, program would be to have "Ubuntu Experts." This would be similar to "mac geniuses" but better. Have registered techies who throughout the world people can just type where they live and perhaps have a physical person help them with their ubuntu. I imagine such a volunteer-based program could be pretty effective in helping appease some people who would otherwise be turned away by the thought of having a lot of trouble. Of course, we have this forum, but it can only do so much for some people. I think it would be rather effective for someone to be able to say where they live, and find a "ubuntu expert" who could help them partition their drive and install ubuntu and tell them basically how to install basic programs. And you can easily have these people be a paid service. 10-20 dollars per hour of physical technical support with people who register around the world who can help. Just an idea.
Ultimately I really hope there is some way I can help with all of this. Realize I have virtually nill programming experience. I have a lot of artistic experience and such, though. I would mostly be able to help with ideas, time put in (just effort from volunteer work), and the such. I hope nobody misinterprets this thread as a rant against Ubuntu. I absolutely adore it and am amazed it is does not "monopolize" (for lack of a better word) the computer industry. But I think it should, that is what I would like to see and would be my goal. Thanks for reading.
1. Poor music management software. In my experience, nothing really matches the functionality or performance of itunes. The best thing that I have found so far is rhythymbox, but it still needs a lot of work. I am willing to help in any way I can. I just don't know how to.
2. Ubuntu needs a new marketing team. I am sorry, but despite how much I absolutely adore ubuntu and how it is amazing and how it is free, despite having ALL the features of BOTH vista and mac, being more stable, and can look like both... for some reason, it is not propsering! If people really understood how great Ubuntu was, it would do great. The only reason why there is little software for ubuntu is because it has little popularity. The reason it has little popularity is because its' software choices are limited (I know, there is a ton of free software for ubuntu and great alternatives. But you have to admit... or well, I have to admit... GIMP does not level up to Photoshop... openoffice to microsoft word 2007... amarok/rhythymbox to itunes... there is no macromedia flash... the list goes on). My argument for this is that this is simply not a valid argument against ubuntu. People cannot say "oh, ubuntu sucks because there is no software for it." The first step is making it more popular. I already find it amazing that the developers are actually developing linux FOR Other things, rather than vice versa. That is quite a feat... but it should certainly be the other way around. Which ultimately is why I think the way to fix most problems with software and hardware is to get it more popular and improve the marketing sector of ubuntu (when I say marketing here I mean advertising... as it is free).
- "Linux - Distribution: Debian-based Ubuntu Version 7.10 Codename Gusty Gibbon" is not particularly catchy to the average user (yes, I am exaggerating here but just for the purpose of making the point). When researching Ubuntu for the first time, I was very confused about what to get. "What the hell is the difference between Gusty Gibbon and Fiesty Fawn?" "Should I get Beryl or Compiz?" Etc. Obviously I eventually realized that Gusty was just an updated version and that there indeed used to be a difference between Beryl and Compiz but now people go with Compiz-fusion. The point I am making is that it is rather confusing about what to get. Actually knowing what to get needs to be a little more userfriendly. Perhaps the most simplistic solution would be to indeed keep all the distributions (as I think it would be a step backwards if they were removed), but create a sort of official questionaire asking you about your basic computer usage habits and what is important to you ("must be compatible with as many programs/hardware as possible", be very fast, etc.") and saying what you should get. Personally, I think the average user should be able to understand that generally what they would want is the latest version of Ubuntu. This should be made pretty clear. EDIT: I just found the official quiz which indeed does that. I think the difficulty of finding it was kind of characteristic of the problem, though.
- Ubuntu needs to come prequipped with some key software...
Compiz-fusion WITH compiz config. Screenlets (I think many of the screenlets need a lot of work, personally.). A single, music management software that even mac and windows users will envy. Needs to be as fast as rhythymbox, but have all the features of many of the other programs. A reworked open office. It is a powerful, simplistic program, but it still reminds me of the old microsoft word program.
Would it be possible to advertise ubuntu on national television? Perhaps a very well developed ad that makes people really interested in ubuntu would really do well for it. I think leaving ubuntu CD's with a "What is Ubuntu?" pamphlet around places such as computer stores and other random places would do really well for it, as well.
Another very effective, in my opinion, program would be to have "Ubuntu Experts." This would be similar to "mac geniuses" but better. Have registered techies who throughout the world people can just type where they live and perhaps have a physical person help them with their ubuntu. I imagine such a volunteer-based program could be pretty effective in helping appease some people who would otherwise be turned away by the thought of having a lot of trouble. Of course, we have this forum, but it can only do so much for some people. I think it would be rather effective for someone to be able to say where they live, and find a "ubuntu expert" who could help them partition their drive and install ubuntu and tell them basically how to install basic programs. And you can easily have these people be a paid service. 10-20 dollars per hour of physical technical support with people who register around the world who can help. Just an idea.
Ultimately I really hope there is some way I can help with all of this. Realize I have virtually nill programming experience. I have a lot of artistic experience and such, though. I would mostly be able to help with ideas, time put in (just effort from volunteer work), and the such. I hope nobody misinterprets this thread as a rant against Ubuntu. I absolutely adore it and am amazed it is does not "monopolize" (for lack of a better word) the computer industry. But I think it should, that is what I would like to see and would be my goal. Thanks for reading.