Things that you dislike in Ubuntu

[buzzingrobot]

I hate ubuntu...The software is in deed free as others have mentioned but the only people using it are the people who have the time, know how and the patience to install/configure and continually debug/repair it.

Aren't you confusing the meaning of that word "free"?

The "free software" movement was created by and for developers, to support them in asserting their right to publish and share the source code they write. Whether or not that software is given away at no cost wasn't part of the mix.

From a developer's point of view, a primary reason for releasing your program for use is to get it tested and evaluated in as many scenarios and possible, and to collect the bug reports. No developer, no corporation, can accomplish the same thing by in-house testing.

A case in point is Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Red Hat is a billion-dollar company, so we can expect its resources to be greater than those available to singleton developers or businesses like Canonical. The current version of Enterprise Linux was released several years ago. It has been essentially locked down since, with changes limited to kernel patches and bug fixes. Even at this late date in its lifetime, people continue to uncover and report bugs. That's the nature of software.

If Canonical took your advice, they would need to take over development of each of the tens of thousands of applications, libraries, etc., residing on their servers and available for users.

[apollothethird]

I hate ubuntu because they are a mirroring Microsoft. They are more interested in putting out their latest bug filled release rather that fixing their last one. They have little or no compassion for the end users because they depend on them to not only debug their software but support it. That wouldn't be so bad except by the time the ubuntu community finds and starts fixing all those bugs, ubuntu comes out with another exciting new bug riddled release. This scenario is repeated every 18 months or so. Meanwhile back in the jungle, those of us who are a gluttons for punishment keep using the software. Those with a lesser pain/stress threshold continue to fill Bill Gates pockets with their had earned money. There's the real problem for those of use who love the Linus concept. The software is in deed free as others have mentioned but the only people using it are the people who have the time, know how and the patience to install/configure and continually debug/repair it. The rest of the computer world is not so lucky. They can't use linux because it requires to much of a personal investment. Because, I believe, ALL the distros are more interested in making their next version of linux the next big thing released instead of just making linux the best thing ever released.

Many Windows users describe the same problem with Windows that you're describing with Linux. The difference, for me, is that Linux is easier to fix, cheaper (free), easier to use, and easier to support.

Every 18 months or so, my Windows customers have to dole out nearly $400.00 for their bug infested upgrade (of the OS and Office).

I'm glad no one can convince the developers to stop developing. Please feel free to stay with a supported version for 5 years. You don't have to change so frequently. That's the good thing about this environment. After 5 years, you might be ready for a change. That's only 4 times in a generation. Things might change from the way it is now. But if it doesn't, I really don't see such a problem with having to change 4 times in 20 years.

A lot of Ubuntu haters are really missing the memo. Hope you are starting to get it so that you can help pass it around.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[Bucky Ball]

If you install the 'next best thing' two minutes after it has been released I can't see what the complaints are about. Expect breakage.

If you don't want breakage, stick with LTS releases. Simple. Incidentally, interim releases come out every nine months now, not eighteen. I've run 12.04 LTS faultlessly for months. Currently testing 14.04 and, although things are looking good at the moment, doesn't mean they will stay that way. And I'm fine with that as I'm using a daily, bleeding edge release. Breakage is part of the deal.

Repeat, If you are going to install new releases five minutes (or prior to) their release, why complain? Expect breakage or stick to a stable LTS.

So, paulClarke_1967, you have joined the forum and your one post is to complain about how terribly unreliable Ubuntu is? I'd say get a bit more experience and learn some more about Linux, particularly Ubuntu, as although everyone has a right to their opinion and open discussion of these things is encouraged here, your comments appear to be fairly uninformed.

[fantasyleague0629]

Now really nothing crosses my mind. We can do everything in Ubuntu just as much as other OSes. Plus it has best security.

[buzzingrobot]

If you install the 'next best thing' two minutes after it has been released I can't see what the complaints are about. Expect breakage.

So right. There's nothing magic about how bugs and security weaknesses are eliminated. It happens by getting your software in use by as many people as possible, collecting their bug and problem reports, patching the bugs, and changing as little else as possible.

That's why products like Ubuntu's LTS releases, Debian Stable, and Red Hat's Enterprise Linux have deserved reputations for stability.

You can't get the newest code and expect that kind of stability, though. It just can't happen. So each user, then, needs to work out the best approach for his or her situation. Pretty much all software is full of bugs. Whether you hit a bug depends on how you use it.

[Bucky Ball]

You can't get the newest code and expect that kind of stability, though. It just can't happen.

+1. LTS for work, one of my other three installs for play. That simple.

[monkeybrain20122]

Well to me LTS is no different from other releases in terms of usability and stability and in fact the best releases I have used are not LTS ( 10.10 > 10.04, 13.04 and 13.10 > 12.04) Here is what I do. I install the latest Ubuntu on an external hard drive (got one of those for $50, or you can get a used one from an old computer) I would tweak it, customize it and set it up maybe for a month or two, making sure everything works, then delete the last Ubuntu from my laptop's harddrive and restore the clone. It is simple, gradual, do it at my own pace, no stress and no nasty surprises.

[hodad]

I love Ubuntu. I've been using it for many years. Far superior to Windows!!! What I fear, however, is hooking up a new piece of hardware, because it inevitable leads to days of pulling my hair out to get it to work. I realize that this is caused by mfrs not putting enough effort into hardware support.

The reason I mention this is because I inevitably go to this forum to ask for help, and get lots of good suggestions that usually don't work in my case. What would be most helpful would be a systematic set of procedures for handling such hardware related issues; a "guidebook" on how to proceed, rather than steps that depend on my particular machine (which inevitably leave important steps out). A good education on Linux helps, but many of us don't have time to properly educate ourselves. I'm finally "getting there", but many are totally clueless on how to proceed in solving harware related issues.

[Lyfang]

Unity's search with Amazon and other search results that can compromise privacy. Besides removing unity-scope-home causes lots of problems. I suggest running the following command in the Terminal to disable most of the ads:

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Lenses disabled-scopes "['more_suggestions- amazon.scope', 'more_suggestions-u1ms.scope', 'more_suggestions-populartracks.scope', 'music-musicstore.scope', 'more_suggestions-ebay.scope', 'more_suggestions-ubuntushop.scope', 'more_suggestions-skimlinks.scope']"

[jean noel]

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I have been using Ubuntu since 2007, and I haven't seen any lag, even when my pc was downloading a new kernel. Vastly superior to the windows that I work with at the office. May be my IT dept should be converted too.