What Ubuntu Really Needs Is .........

[Roger Allott]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a thread devoted to what ubuntu users would like to see in future versions of ubuntu (all flavours)?

Art this point in time, the feedback given to Canonical and the various groups of linux developers from users is almost completely bug reports (mainly launchpad) and queries about how to do stuff (mainly here). Of course, that information is vitally important, but there must be zillions of ideas out there that the ordinary non-developer user has to improve ubuntu.

If there is such a public feedback mechanism, please forgive me for raising a point that's already been covered, but the fact that I cannot find it suggests that it isn't promoted very well!

Anyway, I'll start the ball rolling with one of my suggestions. Please feel free to add yours or comment on those already made.

One of the major reasons for people being nervous about using linux is the perception that one needs to learn how to use the command line, and the knowledge that getting command line instructions wrong can be disastrous.

So, what we need, I think, is some sort of simple, user-friendly GUI app that allows someone to enter a piece of command line code (perhaps gotten on this forum in response to a query), and to have a response that is the command explained to them in clear, plain language.

Perhaps a little more challenging would be to do this in reverse. A user selects verbose, plain language commands from drop-down lists, prompted for any possible appends (e.g. -s, -i, etc.), again explained, and again prompted by drop-down box for any sensible parameters. I suppose this might be called a sort-of query builder, although the commands should of course include more than just those that query the system.

I think that with such an app, the world of ubuntu and linux could open to a heck of a lot more people.

[alphaniner]

There's Ubuntu Brainstorm.

So, what we need, I think, is some sort of simple, user-friendly GUI app that allows someone to enter a piece of command line code (perhaps gotten on this forum in response to a query), and to have a response that is the command explained to them in clear, plain language.

This app already exists, it's called Firefox.

[drakkoss]

You may be right but my preference would be for a “click and install” or “click and execute” style of control over the operating system. The CL (command line) is what the Linux Gurus expect and look for and use on a day to day basis. But the “click and execute” behavior in an operating system is what everyone else expects. For that reason, I hope the developers of Ubuntu follow through with developing an extraordinarily simple OS for non developers to use in the future.

[QIII]

Synaptic, anyone?

Point, click, enjoy.

Applications, anyone?

Point, click, run.

[drakkoss]

I don't think I am picking up what you are laying down. DS

[Roger Allott]

This app already exists, it's called Firefox.

You're right, of course. That is exactly the sort of useless response that we get from developers who haven't got the first idea about building user-friendly software.

So can you think how we can get them to answer questions more sensibly?

[drakkoss]

I don't think I am picking up what you are laying down. ... "Would you care to explain your comment? I know that you are not suggesting that the average American is TOO STuPiD to use Linux ... RiGHT??? That is not what you were suggesting, RiGhT?

[Merk42]

You're right, of course. That is exactly the sort of useless response that we get from developers who haven't got the first idea about building user-friendly software.

So can you think how we can get them to answer questions more sensibly?

Okay, well isn't that what 'man' is for?

[mrboojive]

There is a place for people to put their ideas for new versions of Ubuntu: brainstorm.ubuntu.com. You can also file wishlist bug reports at Launchpad: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu.

I think you are approaching the command line issue in the wrong way. First off, you can use man pages to find out what any command line command does. Just go to the command line and type "man whatever" and it tells you want the command does. Or as alphaniner said, you can just do a web search. But the real solution here is to not to educate people about the command line, it is to remove the misconception that Linux is all about the command line. With 99% of Linux problems, you don't need to use the command line to solve them. A lot of times you see people here on the forums give instructions that involve the command line, but that's just because it's faster to do it that way. An average user can already use Linux without ever touching the command line.

[drakkoss]

MAN ... it mean that you are too lazy to help people . RTFM (In linix it means , "Too self absorbed and too lazy to answer." ... LOL ...GL!!!