PDA

View Full Version : What are your favorite ubuntu features?



Onay
October 21st, 2007, 11:26 PM
I'm not saying that I'm bored, but I want to know all about the OS and what I can do with it.

What are your favorite apps, features, just anything about ubuntu? What about it makes your life easier/more fun? I'm just curious, since after enabling compiz fusion and getting openoffice and rhythmbox working, I'm just satisfied, but not amazed.

Here's what I got:
Compiz Fusion
Firefox
Rhythmbox
OpenOffice
Wine

Johnsie
October 21st, 2007, 11:33 PM
Automatix is pretty good... Wouldn't say that's an ubuntu feature though but it's great for installing killer apps ;-)

http://getautomatix.com

Flying caveman
October 22nd, 2007, 12:04 AM
This is probably the stupid-ist thing, but I like that I can control the volume by mousing over the volume button and moving my mouse wheel.

Johnsie
October 22nd, 2007, 12:14 AM
lol, cool, I've been using Ubuntu since Breezy and didnt realise you could do that :-)

fuscia
October 22nd, 2007, 01:17 AM
i like the fact that the stuff i don't want to mess with is done for me and that i can still mess with anything i want to. it's also easy to change your mind every five minutes with any number of things (when i was still using ubuntu, instead of kubuntu, i frequently would install kde and then uninstall it, all within fifteen minutes, over and over again. couldn't do that with sabayon).

Onay
October 22nd, 2007, 03:23 AM
After my successful clean Gutsy install, I must say that this is the most user friendly "works out of the box" OS's I've ever used. Here are improvements from before, as well as many other plus's...

- Printer Setup requires no downloading drivers, just setting up with automated process
- Video card driver downloads and sets up itself
- Compiz fusion works out of the box (no configuration manager, but easily installed via Add/Remove)
- Ipod syncs with Rhythmbox (drag and drop)
- Windows wireless driver installed well with ndiswrapper

Other nice things
- Firefox
- Openoffice 2.3
- Add/Remove programs, very easy
- Extreme flexibility for customizing looks
- Nice search tools (deskbar and search).
- Great community

Thanks Canonical, Gutsy is very much a success in my book.

Anessen
October 22nd, 2007, 03:32 AM
This is probably the stupid-ist thing, but I like that I can control the volume by mousing over the volume button and moving my mouse wheel.

I really miss this when I have to use Windows. It just makes sense.

-grubby
October 22nd, 2007, 04:18 AM
This is probably the stupid-ist thing, but I like that I can control the volume by mousing over the volume button and moving my mouse wheel.

I just found this out about 2 days ago!!

TR82
October 22nd, 2007, 04:27 AM
LOL I didn't know that either. Well that's me learned something today too :)
My killer app is Mahjongg. I'm totally addicted. Or easy amused, one of the two.

LaRoza
October 22nd, 2007, 04:59 AM
I don't consider other programs to be features, they are not part of Ubuntu.

I like:



The Ubuntu Promise

Ubuntu will always be free of charge, including enterprise releases and security updates.
Ubuntu comes with full commercial support from Canonical and hundreds of companies around the world.

Ubuntu includes the very best translations and accessibility infrastructure that the free software community has to offer.

Ubuntu CDs contain only free software applications; we encourage you to use free and open source software, improve it and pass it on.




Our Philosophy

Our work is driven by a philosophy on software freedom that aims to spread and bring the benefits of software to all parts of the world. At the core of the Ubuntu Philosophy are these core philosophical ideals:

Every computer user should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.
Every computer user should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.
Every computer user should be given every opportunity to use software, even if they work under a disability.

Our philosophy is reflected in the software we produce and included in our distribution. As a result, the licensing terms of the software we distribute are measured against our philosophy, using the Ubuntu License Policy.

When you install Ubuntu almost all of the software installed already meets these ideals, and we are working to ensure that every single piece of software you need is available under a license that gives you those freedoms.

Currently, we make a specific exception for some "drivers" which are only available in binary form, without which many computers will not complete the Ubuntu installation. We place these in a restricted section of your system which makes them easy to remove if you do not need them.

Free software

For Ubuntu, the 'free' in 'free software' is used primarily in reference to freedom, and not to price - although we are committed to not charging for Ubuntu. The most important thing about Ubuntu is that it confers rights of software freedom on the people who install and use it. It is these freedoms that enable the Ubuntu community to grow, continue to share its collective experience and expertise to improve Ubuntu and make it suitable for use in new countries and new industries.

Quoting the Free Software Foundation's 'What is Free Software', the freedoms at the core of free software are defined as:
The freedom to run the programme, for any purpose.
The freedom to study how the programme works and adapt it to your needs.
The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others.
The freedom to improve the programme and release your improvements to the public, so that everyone benefits.

Open source
Open source is a term coined in 1998 to remove the ambiguity in the English word 'free'. The Open Source Initiative described open source software in the Open Source Definition. Open source continues to enjoy growing success and wide recognition.

Ubuntu is happy to call itself open source. While some refer to free and open source as competing movements with different ends, we do not see free and open source software as either distinct or incompatible. Ubuntu proudly includes members who identify with both the free software and open source camps, and many who identify with both.


Cited:

http://www.ubuntu.com
http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/philosophy

Scyron
October 22nd, 2007, 05:16 AM
Compiz Fusion
Firefox
Rhythmbox
OpenOffice
Wine

Nice programs, but they're all available for other distros. Firefox and OpenOffice are even on Windows. Ubuntu doesn't have killer apps. It compiles hundreds of open source projects in a format that's user intuitive, but also stable and free to explore. Ubuntu is Linux for humans (as opposed to Linux for caribou), and that's its standout feature.

Ubuntu is sometimes unrealistic. In some aspects it requires frustrating amounts of technical competence. In others, it seems to be catering towards nursing homes for the mentally disabled. Did they leave compizconfig-settings-manager out of Gusty because they were afraid choice would scare away users?

Nevertheless, I quite like it. I haven't had to morph into a non-hominid to use it.