Hi All,
I was just thinking what things would be nessesary to create a Ideal Desktop Linux Distro. When I say "Ideal" I mean that a Newbie should be able to operate it and should feel that it is more easier/as easy to operate as Windows.
Well, you can't have everything. With the ease of use of windows, comes great security threats. A Linux distro can be made 'easy' to use, but then a lot of aspects, especially security will be neglected.
I found current Desktop Distros lacking certain features . I have listed them below.
1) Lack of a graphical application installers (aka Installsheild) and a Add/Remove option in Control Panel (control panel discussed below)
Install Shield X is available but what about a GNU tool.
Which distro are you using? Most major distros come with good graphical frontends for package management.
2) Dependency Problems
How about a installer that bundles all the required dependencies and installs them if needed. I think I have heard of a installer called Autoinstall, but cant confirm it.
You have to make a choice thats 'apt' for you ;)
3) Office Apps (heavy OO)
I havent checked out OO 2.0 beta , but OO is pretty heavy on the system.
A lighter Office suite (need not have all the feature that OO has, 80 to 90 % of OO features will do). Should be fast
Abiword + Gnumeric + Dia + Lyx + magicpoint :P Maybe Koffice is usable now.
4) A light webbrowser and Mail Client (Mozilla was earlier bundled) Firefox has taken care of this :-). Evolution and thunderbird shine here.
Evolution?? Light?? Man, you must be having a big fat processor with big fat RAM.
5) Application in MSWin that allows Access to a linux FS. (A tool is available for ext2..cant remember name)
Could any body point to a Tool that allows Access to ReiserFS from win.
ext2fs. I don't know why you would need it though.
6) A light window manager (KDE and GNOME are still heavy for a 128 mb ram system)
XFCE/ IWM rock.
Afterstep. Blackbox. XFCE. WindowMaker.
7) Media Player with capablity to play all/most media files. Mplayer with plugins is great (Licensing issues have to be taken care of)
Kaffeine, Totem, Xine.
8) No need to edit any config file (Control Panel)
This has been taken care off properly by modern desktop distros but some distros still have multiple control panels
YAST is great in this regard but extremely slow.
Mandrake control centre is pretty good. Yast is better in terms of functionality. Try yast on the console, its much faster.
9) Behavior and look and feel a bit like MSWin.
This is what I think is not actually nessesary. Linux WM's can do a lot more but This is for those Windows USers who like operating windows.
XPDE is good. But could do better.
Firstly, Linux desktops are not meant to be windows clones, even in the look and feel. So I see no point in trying to go down that path. That doesnt mean that there is no point, its just that I cant see it :)
10) One app for one job. Desktop Distros once again shine here. But choice of apps not always good.
Choice. The problem is choice. -- Neo, in the Matrix.
Please let me know any comments/suggestions . Please also let me know what you would like to see in a "Ideal Desktop Linux Distro".
I'd like to see all my tasks done smoothly. My current distro does that. Its absolutely ideal for me. I use Debain Sarge.
-aditya -- ______________________________________________________________________ Pune GNU/Linux Users Group Mailing List: (plug-mail@plug.org.in) List Information: http://plug.org.in/mailing-list/listinfo/plug-mail Send 'help' to [EMAIL PROTECTED] for mailing instructions.
