13.10 - first impression & feedback

[Klau3]

Just downloaded 13.10 to give it a try in VB. Here are some points that could IMHO be improved.
I follow Lubuntu since some time and love how things got better the in past releases.

• At the first login the user name drop-down default is empty → should display a name.
• Window close buttons are too small mouse targets for average users - make the title bar vertical bigger or increase the padding between the close buttons to increase the clickable-area (maybe redesign the buttons).
• Everything in Lubuntu is kind of filigree, but AbiWord & Gnumeric uses IMHO too much padding (a typical Gnome problem).
• Resizing a window looks broken → the gray bold border.
• I miss a 'reset to defaults' button in the main desktop preferences dialog - be average user friendly ^^
• PCMan:
  
  • 'Network Devices' is too hidden and should be acceptable in the left navigation panel.
  • The 'Find Files' dialog is too hidden and too nerdy. Shift+Ctrl+F is also a uncommund shortcut for file search.
  • Maybe always show the tab bar and move the new tab button right into the open tab, like in Firefox. This would clean up the UI a bit (why??? is the new-tab-button so prominent at the left side of the file manager tool bar?).
  • There is a small white line above the 'Places' side panel → seems like a bug.
  
  
• Maybe remove the desktop-switcher by default and add a Software-Center starter to the bottom panel.
• Application Menu:
  
  • Why is 'Document Viewer' in graphics and office?
  • System Tools & Preferences are still some what confusing, its hard to guess where to find which functionality - I always have to look into both -> bad.
  • The 'Run' entry in the application menu is useless. Average users will "never" use it and power user will use ALT+F2 or install another launcher.
  
  
• Lubuntu still flickers. I can't really say where and why, but it flickers.

Conclusion:
Lubuntu becomes more and more awesome. There are here and there some rough edges but nothing really disturbing. The icon theme looks modern and gives it a nice touch.

Good job!

PS: Kupfer preinstalled would enhance Lubuntu's keyboard navigation a lot

[cariboo]

Keep in mind we are only half way through the development cycle. It would be great if you created bug reports for the problems you have run into. There is a lot going on this development cycle, so unless bugs are reported, the developers may not know about them.

[Klau3]

Lubuntu - login name is empty at first boot #1194244
UI - too much top and bottom padding in AbiWord & Gnumeric #1194267
Window resizing looks broken #1194272
UX - ‘Desktop Preferences’ should have a reset to defaults button #1194278
PcMan - 'Network Devices' should be in the left side panel #1194280
PcMan - 'Find Files' dialog is too hidden #1194282
PcMan - 'Find Files' shortcut is uncommon and should be changed #1194283
PcMan - the most left toolbar button should be the back button #1194288
Panel - remove the workspace switcher - add software center starter #1194293
Application Menu - ‘Run’ entry almost useless #1194297

Lubuntu UX - Window close buttons are too small #1194261
New close button suggestion:


Hope the tickets are useful to you - took me some time to write them...
As said before, Lubuntu becomes better and better, but there are still some rough edges for average user.

Regex is nice for searching, but not when my mom sits before the computer and reads the words 'use regular expressions' ^^

[grahammechanical]

I hope that you understand that nothing will come of this. One simple reason is that you are making your wishes known in the wrong place. You should join the Lubuntu team in some way and then you can make your views know to the right people. But keep in mind a person's opinions gain value based upon the merit a person builds in the community for their services to the community.

Another reason why nothing will come of you expressing these opinions is that other people have other opinions. You should also keep in mind that many of your complaints refer to upstream software that are not developed by the Lubuntu developers who by the way have many other things on their mind at this point in time.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/ContactUs

Ubuntu has a site called Brainstorm that had the purpose of giving users the opportunity to put forward ideas that could be voted on as to which ones would go forward to the developers. The site is being closed down because too many people used it for wish-list proposals or for complaining about things that they personally disliked.

[Klau3]

I hope that you understand that nothing will come of this.

Your've lost me here.

One simple reason is that you are making your wishes known in the wrong place.

Some of the tickets might be "wishes", most of them are clear usability bugs - all of them are written from the right perspective → where are pitfalls for average users (and not what I personaly think would suit me best). I can't register and follow "10 different" bug trackers. I can't and want to force you to think about these tickets (Window close buttons are too small), but I'm sure I've brought some good points up - do what you want with it.

You should also keep in mind that many of your complaints refer to upstream software that are not developed by the Lubuntu developers who by the way have many other things on their mind at this point in time.

It's always like this. If you want input, get some, if you don't want ux related input, communicate that you only want only tickets about technical stuff.

[amjjawad]

Hello Klau3 and welcome to Ubuntu Forums

Also, thank you for choosing and using/testing Lubuntu

I'm one of the Team Members of Lubuntu.

The guys are right. I'm afraid, this is not the right place for such topic but anyway, I will add my opinion

1- Lubuntu Devs don't really read forums at all. The Mailing List is the best place to get in touch with them. However, you need to understand that all of us (Lubuntu Team Members) are volunteers and have very busy Real Life so don't expect too much - just saying.
2- There is a huge difference between a bug and a wish and an opinion.
3- Bugs are having the highest priority to deal with in our team. Wishes can wait a bit but it depends how important that wish is. Opinions are to be discussed. This is what we do
4- We are still on the early stages of Lubuntu 13.10 (Saucy) so things are not stable as Lubuntu 13.04 for example.
5- Please understand, no OS is perfect and it is impossible to make everyone happy. However, you can customize Lubuntu (or any other Ubuntu Flavor) to your liking. That is for sure
6- This is the full list of our official contact channels: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/ContactUs

Thank you!

[Klau3]

Thanks amjjawad for your kind words. I've seen that the Window close buttons are too small bugreport has now the status 'In Progress', awesome.

[amjjawad]

Thanks amjjawad for your kind words. I've seen that the Window close buttons are too small bugreport has now the status 'In Progress', awesome.

You most welcome and I'm glad that Rafael himself is working on that. Rafael is the Leader of Artwork Team and I'm sure everything will be good sooner or later

Thank you!