I sincerely hope someone from the Ubuntu/Kubuntu team is going to read this.
My suggestions :
1. The ubuntu core project and the Gnome based distro must have different names. It's quite confusing in many occasions.
For example, today on osnews.com, their title : Ubuntu Linux 6.04 Flight CD 2 Released. Logo used : brown stuff from Ubuntu. Text not mentionning Kubuntu but only Ubuntu. The same on distrowatch.com (the link provided) kubuntu not mentionned, only the name and logo of ubuntu. Apparently, it's not only confusing for users but also for news websites. I do understand the project cannot control the way sites all over the net are going to report a news
In numerous ways, kubuntu users are confused or don't know there is something new about their distro since it's all about Ubuntu and/or the ubuntu logo is used and/or only Ubuntu is mentionned.
I am no kubuntu or kde zealot but it's rather annoying. That is why I think the core must be dissociated from the Gnome distro.
The same applies for numerous official web pages with the logo, the name Ubuntu and brown colors everywhere when we are supposed to be on dedicated pages for kubuntu (even the pages supposed to be common). Quite confusing and some might even think kubuntu is not a real project/distro but some kind of third party project not being true part of the whole project. Very confusing.
It may sound just esthetic stuff but I do think it's much more.
2. All distros belonging to the core project should have some kind of mascot. A little character reinforcing the global image of a distro.
3. The official websites look desperately empty and dull. It also lacks some vital links accessible directly on the first page to guide new users to install, customize their distro, etc. Some of those links are 'hidden' and the users have to naviguate and click several times to find what they look for. So some improvements there would be nice and helpful for new comers.
Edited : sorry wrong place I should have posted in the 'New Feature Requests' folder on top. can someone move this post over there ? Thank you ;-)
Edited on 12/17/2005 (new suggestions) :
4. A meta package called something like ' Nvidia drivers' and 'Ati drivers' which will install everything needed according to your config. As a matter of fact, installing nvidia or ati drivers remains a heavy problem for most beginners. A search through adept or shell with the keyword 'nvidia' for example gives a bunch of packages and the new user have no idea what is needed or not and as good as apt can be managing dependencies, the user is lost and can encounter problems. The tech forums all over the net show that.
5. An app 'during install' or 'post install' to set up correctly the dpi settings which is something the distros don't care to set up when it is reponsible for 99% of the problems with fonts rendering (wrong or just plain ugly in a VAST majority of case). The first look the user have on the his desktop is essential and it does not look good (or it does but is, in fact, all wrong). That would make kubuntu/ubuntu the leading distros for what they are the best at so far : the desktop.
6. Create a division in the ubuntu/kubuntu project in charge of the fonts. With every release, the users see some new fonts and some are gone. Checking the fonts with the control center (kde or gnome), the user can see some fonts with different and quite weird names looking absolutely identical or tiny and strange changes. The information about the choices made by the distro makers is equal to zero afaik. We do need a global strategy about the fonts with coherent and clear choices AND communication about the changes (if any) from a distro version to another.
My suggestions :
1. The ubuntu core project and the Gnome based distro must have different names. It's quite confusing in many occasions.
For example, today on osnews.com, their title : Ubuntu Linux 6.04 Flight CD 2 Released. Logo used : brown stuff from Ubuntu. Text not mentionning Kubuntu but only Ubuntu. The same on distrowatch.com (the link provided) kubuntu not mentionned, only the name and logo of ubuntu. Apparently, it's not only confusing for users but also for news websites. I do understand the project cannot control the way sites all over the net are going to report a news
In numerous ways, kubuntu users are confused or don't know there is something new about their distro since it's all about Ubuntu and/or the ubuntu logo is used and/or only Ubuntu is mentionned.
I am no kubuntu or kde zealot but it's rather annoying. That is why I think the core must be dissociated from the Gnome distro.
The same applies for numerous official web pages with the logo, the name Ubuntu and brown colors everywhere when we are supposed to be on dedicated pages for kubuntu (even the pages supposed to be common). Quite confusing and some might even think kubuntu is not a real project/distro but some kind of third party project not being true part of the whole project. Very confusing.
It may sound just esthetic stuff but I do think it's much more.
2. All distros belonging to the core project should have some kind of mascot. A little character reinforcing the global image of a distro.
3. The official websites look desperately empty and dull. It also lacks some vital links accessible directly on the first page to guide new users to install, customize their distro, etc. Some of those links are 'hidden' and the users have to naviguate and click several times to find what they look for. So some improvements there would be nice and helpful for new comers.
Edited : sorry wrong place I should have posted in the 'New Feature Requests' folder on top. can someone move this post over there ? Thank you ;-)
Edited on 12/17/2005 (new suggestions) :
4. A meta package called something like ' Nvidia drivers' and 'Ati drivers' which will install everything needed according to your config. As a matter of fact, installing nvidia or ati drivers remains a heavy problem for most beginners. A search through adept or shell with the keyword 'nvidia' for example gives a bunch of packages and the new user have no idea what is needed or not and as good as apt can be managing dependencies, the user is lost and can encounter problems. The tech forums all over the net show that.
5. An app 'during install' or 'post install' to set up correctly the dpi settings which is something the distros don't care to set up when it is reponsible for 99% of the problems with fonts rendering (wrong or just plain ugly in a VAST majority of case). The first look the user have on the his desktop is essential and it does not look good (or it does but is, in fact, all wrong). That would make kubuntu/ubuntu the leading distros for what they are the best at so far : the desktop.
6. Create a division in the ubuntu/kubuntu project in charge of the fonts. With every release, the users see some new fonts and some are gone. Checking the fonts with the control center (kde or gnome), the user can see some fonts with different and quite weird names looking absolutely identical or tiny and strange changes. The information about the choices made by the distro makers is equal to zero afaik. We do need a global strategy about the fonts with coherent and clear choices AND communication about the changes (if any) from a distro version to another.
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