The features that make Windows better...

[nickzeff]

OK. Let me lay my cards on the table, here. I LOVE Ubuntu, and I wouldn't go back to Windows. I have a Dell D820, and it goes like fire under Ubuntu Feisty.

I love the customisation, the free open-source software, the support community...but... there are lots of things I miss about Windows.

I am a relatively technical person ie. I can open a terminal and do a few things there, build packages if I HAVE to, and generally fiddle around. But I'm not that good.

These are the things I could do easily with Windows that I'm having real problems with. I'm not saying there's no solution, but to the amateur/intermediate user like me, they're really difficult to solve:


Suspend just won't work - yes, I have tried everything. CHanging suspend scripts, fiddling with my nVidia options, etc. Finally I worked out if I disable Beryl I don't get a nasty blank screen on unsuspend, but Beryl is a big reason to use Ubuntu!
Bluetooth syncing - this is a real pain. Nokia annoyingly does all its software for *******, but syncing contacts and calendar between my Nokia N73 and Ubuntu is really difficult. I have to go through some web-based service to do it. I want it to just WORK with Thunderbird! Someone's written an add-in for Windows, why not on Ubuntu! Can't someone get a local SyncML program to work on Ubuntu?
Browsing my mobile - I can bluetooth files to my phone from Nautilus, but I can't browse the file system. Yes I could install Konqueror or something, but I don't want all those slow ugly KDE apps on my lovely Gnome desktop.
Docking/Undocking is far from good - Hate to say it, but with Windows it would automatically detect the fact you've just docked, and then turn on an external screen. I use both my internal screen and an external when docked. If I'm mid-session undocked, and I want to use the external with Ubuntu, I have to dock then restart the X Server or whatever to switch it on. A pain when you have loads of things open.
Dual pane file manager - unbelievably, there's nothing decent out there. There's a few difficult to use ones, but nothing as nice looking as Nautilus. Dual-pane Nautilus where are you?
Video webchat - I want to chat with friends without making them all change their chat client to some other package. This is just a waiting game, waiting for Skype to release their next version of the Linux client.


Once again, I know there may be solutions for some of the above, but these are the things I would like to just work following install from the LiveCD.

Having said all that - long live Ubuntu!

Phew - anyone else got a list of things they'd like to just WORK?!

[celettu]

Dual pane file manager - unbelievably, there's nothing decent out there. There's a few difficult to use ones, but nothing as nice looking as Nautilus. Dual-pane Nautilus where are you?

THANK YOU! I'm glad I'm not the only one frustrated with the lack of a good, twin panel file manager for Gnome.

Yes, I know about Krusader. It's a great app. Installed in a gtk environment it sticks out like a sore thumb. Gnome commander is ugly. I don't know why it doesn't just follow the theme preferences. Don't get me started on Midnight.

The only thing I've come across that looks like it's what I'm looking for is this: Pygoscelis (http://pygoscelis.sourceforge.net/). Unfortunately, the project is still stuck in alfa release, and isn't fast moving, to say the least.

Judging from the threads here, there are many people who want a twin panel file manager, and are stuck with just installing Krusader, or Gnome Commander.

[Johnsie]

I agree. There's some things that need matured in Linux. There's simply not as many programmers available yet on Linux to have everything we want.The fact that hardware manufacturers aren't releasing source codes for their drivers isn't helping Linux to mature either. I guess the only way to solve those problems is to have more people using Linux. We need our market share to grow if big companies are to listen to our needs. I think the poplarity of Ubuntu is definitely changing things though... some companies are begginning to listen and release Linux drivers and of course Dell now sells Ubuntu computers. Even Google has released Linux versions of their software. There's still a long way to go but things are definitely looking good for the future of Linux. You have a choice, wait for Linux to mature or be part of the Linux revlolution. I'm sticking with the revolution, because that can't happen wihout users.

My big loss is Video Chat over the major IM networks, but performance-wise my computer runs alot faster in Linux. If I want to use Windows stuff I just use virtualbox.

[:::]

More Software: lots of good (commercial/proprietary) software is windows-only (or windows + mac only). On the other side, every good Linux-/Open-Source-Software is also available for Windows.


Oh, and hardware support ...

[Johnsie]

Yeah, but I can run any Windows software on my computer with Virtual Box :-)

So I get the best of both worlds. The security and speed of Ubuntu and the commercial software of Windows.

[karellen]

its marketshare. that's the only better thing

[karellen]

Dual pane file manager - unbelievably, there's nothing decent out there. There's a few difficult to use ones, but nothing as nice looking as Nautilus. Dual-pane Nautilus where are you?

why don't you try Krusader?

[karellen]

Yes, I know about Krusader. It's a great app. Installed in a gtk environment it sticks out like a sore thumb. Gnome commander is ugly. I don't know why it doesn't just follow the theme preferences. Don't get me started on Midnight.

why do people tend to exaggerate about how bad kde applications look in gnome? I find them ok. k3b, ktorrent, krusader, amarok, just to name a few. what's the big fuss? I really don't understand. what about windows and all those programs that have their own gui that doesn't follow the os very close? think of norton, kaspersky, nod32, bitdefender, utorrent and so? why does nobody complains about them? just mere habit I suppose

[n3tfury]

Yeah, but I can run any Windows software on my computer with Virtual Box :-)

So I get the best of both worlds. The security and speed of Ubuntu and the commercial software of Windows.

F1

[Johnsie]

Amarok definitely looks ok to me. I'm not a big fan of Gnome/KDE themes though. I think developers need to be more artistic and make the effort to make their own programs look good. I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to make a dual pane file manager. Maybe you should submit it as a feature request to whoever makes nautilus.

[celettu]

why do people tend to exaggerate about how bad kde applications look in gnome? I find them ok. k3b, ktorrent, krusader, amarok, just to name a few. what's the big fuss? I really don't understand. what about windows and all those programs that have their own gui that doesn't follow the os very close? think of norton, kaspersky, nod32, bitdefender, utorrent and so? why does nobody complains about them? just mere habit I suppose

The reason why I don't complain about them is because I don't use them...because they have their own GUI that doesn't follow the OS. I used utorrent under wine until Deluge was mature enough, and the only reason I switched was the looks. Same thing for Thunderbird...I switched to Evolution. I use Firefox only because Epiphany doesn't do half the stuff that Firefox does. Looks are important to me.
The main thing is, with all those apps I mentioned I have a decent GTK alternative, but there's simply no good twin panel file manager for Gnome and there's no reason why there shouldn't be one.

[futbal37]

I think one of the problems that is stopping Linux from growing is that the "cool" showy things that you can do with the interface are not easy for the average person. All the girls im friends with at college think my computer is so cool when i have beryl running but none of them would switch because it would be to much work for them to even get aim working. Of course for the people that are willing to take the time to set things up and read forums to figure out how to fix things will love Linux and all it has to offer, but the majority of user now a days just want to plug and play and not have to do anything on their own and thats what Windows gives them.