Linux Desktop Readiness Thread

[raja]

Realist, you have to come back once you are sober. That rambling was so incoherent and impossible to even read.

[mikesown]

I'm primarily an OSX/Windows user, but I've used Ubuntu on the side for some time. Here are my main gripes with linux:

1. The X Configuration file. This is outrageous(yes, outrageous) to have for something as commonplace as a GUI. Almost everyone using a desktop distro will use a GUI, so why have a configuration file? In my experience, it only creates frustration. Why should I have to edit this file to add acceleration or change the resolution or bit depth? It should be built into a control panel setting. The configuration file should _not_ exist at _all_.

2. Compiling drivers into the kernel. On windows, I don't have to do this, so why should I have to do this on Linux? On windows, I just open the device manger, click update driver, and find the .inf file. On linux, I usually have to download a tarball(or two, or three) and compile them into the kernel. The kernel should be set once you get it. Windows manages to have a closed source kernel and binary drivers without recompiling anything, so why should linux require a kernel recompile for anything?

3. The command line dependency. This is the worst part about Linux altogether. Yes, so called power users tout that the command line is great and powerful.However, it's very annoying to the average user. Linux needs to have everything rooted in GUI, and possibly abandon the shell as a 'basis' for the OS(a la Windows NT).

The top things I'd like to see added/changed:

1. A device manager with SIMPLE driver management needs to be added. A binary format for drivers needs to be established similar to what windows has. Just browse for the .inf file and click install. That's all that should need ot be done. There shouldn't be obscure dependecies for drivers. Everything needs to be built into the kernel.

2. All configuraiton files should be eliminated. As it stands now, GUI tools only try to edit these configuration files, which is an ugly process. Therefore, configuration files need to be eliminated in favor of a GUI tool to apply settings.

3. The driver system for linux should be changed so that nothing depends on internel kernel code(requiring a recompile of the kernel). Perhaps a kernel extension system similar to OSX should be adopted where the kernel need not be recompiled, but can be extended via kernel extension drivers.

What are your thoughts on this?

[tageiru]

1. The X Configuration file. This is outrageous(yes, outrageous) to have for something as commonplace as a GUI. Almost everyone using a desktop distro will use a GUI, so why have a configuration file? In my experience, it only creates frustration. Why should I have to edit this file to add acceleration or change the resolution or bit depth? It should be built into a control panel setting. The configuration file should _not_ exist at _all_.

Planned for Xorg 7.3

2. Compiling drivers into the kernel. On windows, I don't have to do this, so why should I have to do this on Linux? On windows, I just open the device manger, click update driver, and find the .inf file. On linux, I usually have to download a tarball(or two, or three) and compile them into the kernel. The kernel should be set once you get it. Windows manages to have a closed source kernel and binary drivers without recompiling anything, so why should linux require a kernel recompile for anything?

We already have that. The problem is that Linus and his merry band of hackers refuse to maintain a stable internal ABI.

[steveneddy]

I don't think that Linux will ever get rid of the CLI, although there may be some distros come up with a GUI for all of the configuration that a user could do.

Personally I feel as if the average user needs to become comfortable with the command line and learn to CP if there is something he/she needs to do. Find the command in the forums or internet search and CP into the terminal. Easy.

I do wish the X.conf file was a little easier to deal with, also. But in defence, I use the latest drivers from the repositories so I don't have to recompile the kernel after a kernel update. Saves time and headache.

I use the nvidia-glx-new (or something like that) from Synaptic and it runs very well, looks great and it doesn't give me problems.

3. The driver system for linux should be changed so that nothing depends 
on internel kernel code(requiring a recompile of the kernel). Perhaps a kernel extension
 system similar to OSX should be adopted where the kernel need not be recompiled, 
but can be extended via kernel extension drivers.

Great idea.

[MonkeyBoy]

3. The command line dependency. This is the worst part about Linux altogether. Yes, so called power users tout that the command line is great and powerful.However, it's very annoying to the average user. Linux needs to have everything rooted in GUI, and possibly abandon the shell as a 'basis' for the OS(a la Windows NT).

2. All configuraiton files should be eliminated. As it stands now, GUI tools only try to edit these configuration files, which is an ugly process. Therefore, configuration files need to be eliminated in favor of a GUI tool to apply settings.

There is nothing wrong with a GUI but GUIs are only good as far as their design goes. When using the CLI to edit configuration files you have control over everything. This is one of the greatest strengths of Linux. You really can do whatever you want with it.

If your suggestion was implemented we would lose the very things that I believe most Linux users appreciate most.

[ThinkBuntu]

I'm primarily an OSX/Windows user, but I've used Ubuntu on the side for some time. Here are my main gripes with linux:

1. The X Configuration file. This is outrageous(yes, outrageous) to have for something as commonplace as a GUI. Almost everyone using a desktop distro will use a GUI, so why have a configuration file? In my experience, it only creates frustration. Why should I have to edit this file to add acceleration or change the resolution or bit depth? It should be built into a control panel setting. The configuration file should _not_ exist at _all_.

2. Compiling drivers into the kernel. On windows, I don't have to do this, so why should I have to do this on Linux? On windows, I just open the device manger, click update driver, and find the .inf file. On linux, I usually have to download a tarball(or two, or three) and compile them into the kernel. The kernel should be set once you get it. Windows manages to have a closed source kernel and binary drivers without recompiling anything, so why should linux require a kernel recompile for anything?

3. The command line dependency. This is the worst part about Linux altogether. Yes, so called power users tout that the command line is great and powerful.However, it's very annoying to the average user. Linux needs to have everything rooted in GUI, and possibly abandon the shell as a 'basis' for the OS(a la Windows NT).

The top things I'd like to see added/changed:

1. A device manager with SIMPLE driver management needs to be added. A binary format for drivers needs to be established similar to what windows has. Just browse for the .inf file and click install. That's all that should need ot be done. There shouldn't be obscure dependecies for drivers. Everything needs to be built into the kernel.

2. All configuraiton files should be eliminated. As it stands now, GUI tools only try to edit these configuration files, which is an ugly process. Therefore, configuration files need to be eliminated in favor of a GUI tool to apply settings.

3. The driver system for linux should be changed so that nothing depends on internel kernel code(requiring a recompile of the kernel). Perhaps a kernel extension system similar to OSX should be adopted where the kernel need not be recompiled, but can be extended via kernel extension drivers.

What are your thoughts on this?

You just need to get used to it. For a while, Synaptic was the most comfortable tool for me, and at times it still is. But when I know what I want to install, precisely, a simply "sudo aptitude install krita" is much easier: The terminal takes no time to start, and is probably the last program that will crash. It's a different way of working in many ways. I can assure you that it was harder for me to come from Mac OS (7,8,9,X) to use Windows which I now use daily at the office than it was to go from Macs to Linux (starting with Ubuntu).

[Laterix]

2. All configuraiton files should be eliminated. As it stands now, GUI tools only try to edit these configuration files, which is an ugly process. Therefore, configuration files need to be eliminated in favor of a GUI tool to apply settings.

No offence, but this would be just STUPID. What about those who run Linux as server and doesn't want GUI? Human readble configuration files are one of the best things in Linux. I don't say that there shouldn't be GUI tools. GUI tools are good, but why get rid of config-files? It's easy to have both.

[koenn]

What are your thoughts on this?

Threads like these are a waste of bandwidth.
You're used to how Windows works, you noticed, on the few occasions that you booted Linux, that it does things differently, and your conclusion is that Linux should do it the way Windows does it.
The people who actually build linux, like the command line interface and are big fans of configuration files. I doubt that your inconvenience will make them change their mind.

[Lord Illidan]

No offence, but this would be just STUPID. What about those who run Linux as server and doesn't want GUI? Human readble configuration files are one of the best things in Linux. I don't say that there shouldn't be GUI tools. GUI tools are good, but why get rid of config-files? It's easy to have both.

Same here. I've been using Linux for years, and I picked up the concept of config files straight away. Xorg.conf is a big one, but that should be getting fixed soon.

[happy-and-lost]

Linux is not Windows and GNU's Not Unix.

2. All configuraiton files should be eliminated. As it stands now, GUI tools only try to edit these configuration files, which is an ugly process. Therefore, configuration files need to be eliminated in favor of a GUI tool to apply settings.

Like the Windows Registry?