blastzilla
October 2nd, 2008, 11:57 PM
I just completed a fresh install of ubuntu 8.10 to see how this side of the universe is coming along and I have to say, what are people thinking? I thought editing rc.inet1.conf files was hard, using the GUI equivalent is even harder!
The LAN/Wired screen is interesting. 95% of desktop users need a simple screen with a couple of fields asking what the IP address should be, what the DNS server is and what the default gateway should be. The remaining 5% need an additional screen to input additional IP addresses to connect to their developer networks, DMZ's etc etc. The screens in this application are not for the home user and looks like it was designed for developers.
Wouldnt an IPv4 setting be more important than knowing what the 802.1x security setting was? Do 95% of the users out there use 802.1x security on their wired networks? Do 99% of users need to know what their network MTU or MAC address is for their LAN? Wouldnt those “features” fall under an advanced configuration page - and then be entirely removed because it doesnt follow the Gnome UI standards.
The wireless program detects WLANs quite well. You click on the network that you want to connect to, it displays the right settings... except you cant save your password. However, I see something that I've never seen before – show your password. Wow, that is impressive! Why cant that be a standard for the rest of gnome?
Prompt: What is your wireless password?
Me: I'm not sure if I typed it in right...
Prompt: Why dont I show you the password you entered, those asterixes can get annoying.
Me: Cool, can I also phone a friend and order a pizza?
Isnt that button on that screen supposed to read “Save your Password” and then save it? I would have thought with an encrypted home folder, I would be able to store atleast some information in an encrypted state and allow programs I have running (document editor, spread sheet, network management program based on HAL and dbus) to read my data and preferences.
What is the use of having an encrypted home folder when I cant store information that will allow me to connect to my home network?
The only way I seem to be able to save my password is to click the right check boxes across a couple of screens in the correct order and then save it as the root user somewhere. But does that mean that the password is now stored in plain text? Should I be worried that I can boot the computer up in single user mode and read what the password should be?
Cant the developers look to other programs, such as the wireless program in microsoft vista. I like my single click, enter password, click check box, then never worry about it again. There is something comforting knowing that you have setup 1 thing properly and never having to look at it again.
Which takes me to the VPN screen. I wanted to see if that screen would take OpenVPN settings as OpenVPN seems to be the way of the future. I click on the networking icon near the time on the top right hand corner of the screen, see the option “VPN Connections”, then click “Configure VPN...” and see a screen that is completely greyed out. Is that because it has not been written yet? Wouldnt it be more impressive to have hidden the options and not give people hope that there was finally a way to configure VPN connections using a single GUI?
On the bright side, I'm impressed with the flashing orange progress bars. They look magical. Especially when they move for wireless networks that I'm not connected to. Except for the live network that I'm connected to – that one doesnt move because it isnt working? Can that be fixed and maybe drawn in a different colour? I would think a green moving progress bar for the network I'm connected to would be a mind blowing way to inform the user which network they're connected to and that it is working.
Either way I'm not sure if this 'new' applet is a step forward or a step backwards for this release. I cant understand how anyone will be able to use this program without feeling some level of frustration.
As the core of ubuntu, I would suggest some work be done on this – as the old argument goes: we cant give you access to an nvidia driver for your PC because we cant modify it and make it better.
Who can modify this application, make it compatible with the ethos of gnome and Ubuntu?
The LAN/Wired screen is interesting. 95% of desktop users need a simple screen with a couple of fields asking what the IP address should be, what the DNS server is and what the default gateway should be. The remaining 5% need an additional screen to input additional IP addresses to connect to their developer networks, DMZ's etc etc. The screens in this application are not for the home user and looks like it was designed for developers.
Wouldnt an IPv4 setting be more important than knowing what the 802.1x security setting was? Do 95% of the users out there use 802.1x security on their wired networks? Do 99% of users need to know what their network MTU or MAC address is for their LAN? Wouldnt those “features” fall under an advanced configuration page - and then be entirely removed because it doesnt follow the Gnome UI standards.
The wireless program detects WLANs quite well. You click on the network that you want to connect to, it displays the right settings... except you cant save your password. However, I see something that I've never seen before – show your password. Wow, that is impressive! Why cant that be a standard for the rest of gnome?
Prompt: What is your wireless password?
Me: I'm not sure if I typed it in right...
Prompt: Why dont I show you the password you entered, those asterixes can get annoying.
Me: Cool, can I also phone a friend and order a pizza?
Isnt that button on that screen supposed to read “Save your Password” and then save it? I would have thought with an encrypted home folder, I would be able to store atleast some information in an encrypted state and allow programs I have running (document editor, spread sheet, network management program based on HAL and dbus) to read my data and preferences.
What is the use of having an encrypted home folder when I cant store information that will allow me to connect to my home network?
The only way I seem to be able to save my password is to click the right check boxes across a couple of screens in the correct order and then save it as the root user somewhere. But does that mean that the password is now stored in plain text? Should I be worried that I can boot the computer up in single user mode and read what the password should be?
Cant the developers look to other programs, such as the wireless program in microsoft vista. I like my single click, enter password, click check box, then never worry about it again. There is something comforting knowing that you have setup 1 thing properly and never having to look at it again.
Which takes me to the VPN screen. I wanted to see if that screen would take OpenVPN settings as OpenVPN seems to be the way of the future. I click on the networking icon near the time on the top right hand corner of the screen, see the option “VPN Connections”, then click “Configure VPN...” and see a screen that is completely greyed out. Is that because it has not been written yet? Wouldnt it be more impressive to have hidden the options and not give people hope that there was finally a way to configure VPN connections using a single GUI?
On the bright side, I'm impressed with the flashing orange progress bars. They look magical. Especially when they move for wireless networks that I'm not connected to. Except for the live network that I'm connected to – that one doesnt move because it isnt working? Can that be fixed and maybe drawn in a different colour? I would think a green moving progress bar for the network I'm connected to would be a mind blowing way to inform the user which network they're connected to and that it is working.
Either way I'm not sure if this 'new' applet is a step forward or a step backwards for this release. I cant understand how anyone will be able to use this program without feeling some level of frustration.
As the core of ubuntu, I would suggest some work be done on this – as the old argument goes: we cant give you access to an nvidia driver for your PC because we cant modify it and make it better.
Who can modify this application, make it compatible with the ethos of gnome and Ubuntu?