What do you think Linux really needs?

I was struck by a somewhat depressing realization today: desktop Linux at this point has everything I need. It works so well that it's gotten boring. Server stuff is another matter - there's always more to learn there - but I'm more interested in the client end of things right now, and unfortunately that stuff Just Works for me.

So I figured, now that I've mostly exhausted projects for myself, I'll see about projects to make things more convenient for everyone else... Thus:

- What applications (graphical or CLI) do you feel are notably unavailable on desktop Linux distros?
- What features do you think Linux distros could use in their base systems, that are currently not available.
- What useful or necessary features do you think the desktop stack (Xorg, ALSA, widget toolkits, etc.) is missing?
- What misfeatures peeve you the most in major Linux distros? In your favorite desktop environment? In your favorite desktop applications?

I'm quite interested in how other current, former, or prospective Linux users respond to these questions - if I see a coherent pattern in what people are saying, I'll try to do something about it, assuming I have (or think I can acquire) the necessary skills.

So - any thoughts?

 

I don't have too many complaints when it come to applications Linux offers. Linux runs most of what I want and need. I would, however, really like to see Linux run MS Office without the need of Wine. My only other complaint is I can't watch Netflix on linux, because it needs MS Silverlight.

As for other complaints, I think it needs to fix Printer driver and nVidia driver issues that seem to plague some people, including myself.

 

Hands down winner: Printer/Scanner drivers figured out. This keeps me from ditching Windows completely. I hate Windows, but I need the scanning drivers, even if I only use a windows VM to do it.

 

1. Printer/scanner MP970 drivers for XP and Win7, 32 and 64 bit. Canon only has drivers for Windows and Mac(I think). None for Linux.
2. Firewall like Kerio on XP

 

I have a Canon PIXMA MP620B, and it's working beautifully with Linux (printing and scanning).

 

Office, games, printer support.
Mrk

 

OP and Lucy,

Let me clarify my request. You might even consider this a "weakening" of my original request. I need for LINUX to have a way to override or bypass low ink warnings being sent from my wireless printer. Lucy, I can print fine as long as the printer see everything in a perfect world. I am a low volume printer user and my low ink warning comes on when the cartridge is only about 1/3 used. Any windows driver allows me to override this and print away. I can print for what seems like eternity after the ink warnings come on. An ink cartridge can last me for two years (again low volume) so the printers must think the ink is gone or dried out.

OP --- how about a simple command to just over ride a low ink warning and print away Windows does it all day long!!!!

 

- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
- device manager
- Ctrl Alt Del
- Full iphone support
- Full Microsoft Office support
- Easier theme installation and management
- in general more GUI and less terminal stuff

 

in sum, Linux needs to be more Windows

 

I don't care if linux does any Windows stuff or not. I'd just like to see an overall improvement in quality control with a higher emphasis on stability and bug squashing.... but I can live with a few of them as is pretty much.

 

Apps... it needs the apps, which is what most of the stuff posted so far can be summarized into.

 

Scientific Linux doesn't have much bells and whistles, but it's the most stable, rock-solid OS I've used so far.

 

Linux needs to be commercialized, and a better publication.

 

Legacy proprietary Nvidia & ATI video drivers. So that much older hardware can become useful much easier. Instead of trying dozens of distros to find one that works ootb.

 

That's unfair. Nvidia still has drivers for as far back as the 8k series and plans to keep them going until 2016, for both Windows and Linux.

AMD is a whole other thing, but the open source drivers are a great replacement due to AMD devs directly contributing.

 

more GUI less terminal i agree with that and quick and easy openvpn gui i no you can set it up in network manger with certificates etc but that does no always work

 

What are Nvidia 8k series & when were they introduced? Tried googling.

 

I think he means this

 

Ok then these nvidia 8k series started 2006.

I'm talking about video drivers for much older hardware. There's still a lot of need for cheap/donated computers.

 

more apps.

 

Very strange...
Anyway I use a driver which does not provide the ink and toner levels: therefore no problem for me.
I use the CUPS+Gutenprint V5.2.10-pre2 from the driver database.

 

MS OFFICE, Adobe applications (acrobat, photoshop, etc)

 

Seems most people are wanting device drivers (depends on manufacturer of electronics releasing code) or proprietary applications (protected through copyright &c and tending to produce lock-in).

As Gullable Jones wants a *project* I'm going for sound.

Not device drivers. Just sorting out the sound stack so I can have Jack audio/pulse audio/alsa all working transparently. Want to watch a Youtube? Fine. Want to pull up Ardour and pop down a track? No problem, no starting Jack/clicking. Want to process a voice feed through a puredata patch? Just plug the mic in.

How's that?

Might keep you going for a bit.

 

In my mind setting up a VPN on Linux is much easier than on Windows. You don't have to trouble yourself with DNS leaks and you don't need to configure stuff manually if you don't want to. A simple click on "import" and the downloaded file from your VPN provider does the trick.

It works for me on all popular distros I tested. I don't see how this could be done any easier.

I do hope that Linux will never be commercialized. I had another experience with the "beloved" MS-Office. I have Office 2013, which is said to work without an internet connection (I thought so). I don't like to connect to the Internet when using Win7. I opened a document and all of a sudden a window opens telling me to connect to the internet or else the main functions will be locked.
That is exactly what happened. I couldn't use it without the internet. I don't want such behaviour on my computer and I certainly don't want to pay for crap like this anymore.

I am used to Word and PowerPoint but I think that with LibreOffice one can do the same. It will take a little time to get used to the differences. I guess that's the main reason why most people keep on using MS-Office.

I do NOT want programmes like Microsoft Office on my Linux computer. I don't like the way they work and I don't know what they do (phoning home etc.)
What I want, is support for streaming services (Silverlight is said to be dead for years. Just die already!) A professional programme as an alternative to Photoshop would be nice. Maybe it is already out there? I don't know.

To all the Linux users wanting their OS to become more like Windows: Why don't you just install Win7/8 in virtualbox?

 

Scientific Linux Version 6.5: Worth mentioning that Urs Beyerle does a Live ISO of Scientfic Linux that has Flash and mp3 codecs installed already. The small version (fits on a CD-ROM) has Gnome/IceWM and no LibreOffice, the DVD image (2.7 Gb) has LibreOffice and a choice of Gnome 2.30, KDE 4.3 or IceWm as UI.

Back on thread, the a given release of Enterprise Linux (RHEL/Oracle Linux/Scientfic Linux/CentOS/Springdale Linux) might provide a very stable platform against which to develop something. Each release has support over a 10 year period and there are guarantees of ABI/API stability over delta updates within a release.