Longer release times for better quality?

[loki_NC10]

Windows XP ist still the best Windows for me even now that Windows 7 is out to enslave us all. Why not create a stable well featured and nicely customisable version of Kubuntu so that Linux would finally be able to compete with Windows? It seems that it is not given that the next version of Kubuntu will be better than the last one.

[bastard_lunatic]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

How much better do you want it to be?? First off, it's free. It works right away for another thing, and all of the software for it is free. Linux is as customizable as you're willing to take it. Downloading software is as simple as typing a couple of commands into the terminal, as opposed to having to surf to a website> Clicking on the download> Confirming that , yes, you wish to download whatever.exe, >Waiting for it to download> Clicking on the file >Confirming, that yes (for the second time) this is really really what you want to do (I hated feeling like I was being treated like an idiot that didn't know what I was doing).

Customizing is as either as simple as tweaking settings, or it can be difficult with some things, just like anything else in life. Some things are simple, some take a little more work and time to take care of.

Plus with Linux you really don't need all of the superfluous AV, firewalls, clean up and defrag software that Windows needs to be even remotely functional.

The fact that someone needs to learn a new way of doing things doesn't mean that Linux is unstable, I'm running Karmic and it hasn't so much as hiccuped, absolutely flawless, and it hasn't even been officially released yet!!

As far as significant changes, boot times for me are almost twice as fast as when I started with Jaunty, and everything else runs much faster too. There are many other changes as well.

Some people may have problems with it, but that's life. There are always problems in life to solve, that's what makes it fun and interesting, and it's the attitude with which you roll with it that makes all the difference.
Linux does perfectly fine competing with Windows, to me there isn't even a question of which to use.

I don't know what the hell talking about Kubuntu not being well featured, as soon as you are up and running you have

A fully featured Office Suite
A full featured E mail client
A couple of media players
Very functional and feature packed imaging software (GIMP)
An IRC client or two
An Instant Messaging program that has support for all of the major protocols (I think that's what you call them)
And is all ready to go right out of the "box" as some people term it.
Along with many other things that Windows doesn't have right away.
And doesn't have, or need, a lot of the things Windows needs.

Or do you mean better as in buggier, loaded down with crapware, leakier security wise (and leakier in every other way), not to mention slower? Painfully slow as opposed to Kubuntu If this is what you mean by better, then yeah, Windows wins hands-down at being bloated, resource hungry, and just generally crappy.

**This is all just my opinion, based on my experience, with a few facts thrown in. Individual mileage may vary.**

[Ole Juul]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

You can't compare FOSS directly with something like MS. There are just too many things that are not related. The fact that XP is an OS and Kubuntu is also an OS is not much to go on. In many cases they are used for different kinds of reasons by different kinds of people. If the OP is not clear on that then I respectfully suggest you hang around the FOSS community a little more and keep your ears open. If you don't hear stuff you like then perhaps it's not for you. To me, the main difference here is that you are allowed to make that choice.

That said: I know XP was out there for a long time and that it is a very functional OS, but Ubuntu is on a 3 year LTS cycle and Kubuntu is just a configurable (meaning you do what you want) shell on that. I personally am using 8.04 and plan to stick with it until it expires. I also notice that it is not that different from 6.04 which is still functional. The length of usage of (K)Ubuntu is comparable to any closed source MS OS out there, is it not?

[loki_NC10]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

I haven't tested the new Kubuntu yet, but:
-the last ones were having troubles updating,
-Amarok 2 was worse than previous
-Open Office isn't better than MS Office
-there is no player like Media Player Classic with it's minimal view where i can pause with a space or a left click
-after insalling K-Lite package there never was a need to download another codecs in windows, something that might not work with windows 7 now
-system messages were kinda troublesome
-Firefox wasn't displaying internet pages correctly so i had to use konqueror from time to time
-organising bookmarks isn't just as great as in windows version


Windows will soon turn my PC into a sort of a mobile phone, where i can't even use my hardware to full power. So i am looking for options, and it doesn't matter that Linux is free, i would have gladly bought Windows 7 if it wouldn't mean to abandon programs like Daemon Tools. If i could use Windows XP forever i wouldn't even consider changing to another OS, i rather like bloated(wich just isn't that bad) and polished windows than quickly bootin Linux that is just as quick at breaking, wich never happens to Windows.

Just an example, on my nettop i had a series, some 15gig, i tried to delete it. Deletion failed because there wasn't another 15gig space in the trashcan. Now i have 15gig less space because i am too lasy to look up a solution, because i never should have to. OS should be like tools not hobbies.

[loki_NC10]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

On my nettop i have kubuntu version previous to 9.04 and yesterday i saw 129 available updates, started updating and the update process resulted in some crash, have any of you ever experienced it with windows? It is enough to backup stuff in case of hdd failure but for a system to almost break because of some update.

Btw i have tested the 9.04 on my desctop PC and didn't like the new Amarok 2, that's why i haven't updated my linux on the nettop. Its all about small things you just don't want to give up.

Edit: Another thing. As i tried to install some antivirus software onto my linux it installed fine but wouldn't activate or update or what ever the reason an experienced use like me couldn't bring it to work even after looking through some forums, i don't remember the detailes anymore sry. But havin to go through all that trouble to install some program, thats why companies pay huge money for windows licences, because no linux can be trusted to just work. Thats why i think that there should be atleast one release that would work as stable as the light switch.

[finifly]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

Windows XP ist still the best Windows for me even now that Windows 7 is out to enslave us all. Why not create a stable well featured and nicely customisable version of Kubuntu so that Linux would finally be able to compete with Windows? It seems that it is not given that the next version of Kubuntu will be better than the last one.

This is why there are LTS releases. If you don't want bleeding edge, then stick to the LTS. On the other hand, in order to find and fix bugs, the mentality is: release early, release often. Plus, all of the releases have their stable and unstable repositories, and it's up to the user to be on the bleeding edge with everything, or stick to what is available within the stable repositories.

Although XP has been around for what seems like an eternity and is arguably the best Windows version out there, it does not necessarily mean that it is stable. We have some XP machines in my lab at school and most of them get reformatted once a year.

Personally, I update with each new release as the number of bug fixes outweighs any sense of instability in the system.

[dibl]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

Why not create a stable well featured and nicely customisable version of Kubuntu so that Linux would finally be able to compete with Windows?

Yes, that would be wonderful! Why not?

Oh, wait ...

- no drivers available for many peripheral hardware items, like Lexmark and some Canon printers, and some scanners
- crappy drivers or no drivers for some common graphics hardware (Via, Radeon, etc.)
- crappy or no ALSA drivers available for some sound chips (the Realtek ALC272 in my Toshiba NB205)

except for that, it's a wonderful idea! :P


Or ....

Anyone who is interested could check the hardware compatibility list here, buy their hardware accordingly, install whichever *buntu they like, and end up with an OS that is better than Windows in many ways, and "free" (as in beer and speech).

[olembe]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

-Open Office isn't better than MS Office

Er...

Microsoft Office, standard edition = £350
OpenOffice = £0

I'd say that's an awful lot better, wouldn't you?

[carib]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

-Firefox wasn't displaying internet pages correctly so i had to use konqueror from time to time
-organising bookmarks isn't just as great as in windows version

I have dual boot (XP and 9.04).

Firefox works equal in both! What are the problems, or diferences, with you? About bookmarks, also all fine!

Another bit: I'm using Thunderbird in Kubuntu and the files (messages, calendar and addressbook) are located (and are the same) inside XP partition. If they are in Linux partition, I can't acces them from XP! Can you?

I have some issues, but, I can live with them!

Best regards,

carib

[monte48lowes]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

Another bit: I'm using Thunderbird in Kubuntu and the files (messages, calendar and addressbook) are located (and are the same) inside XP partition. If they are in Linux partition, I can't acces them from XP! Can you?

You can use http://www.fs-driver.org/ to add ext2/3 support for windows.

Mike

[carib]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

You can use http://www.fs-driver.org/ to add ext2/3 support for windows.

Mike

Thanks for the info.

"To live for to learn"!

[GreyGeek]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

If they are in Linux partition, I can't acces them from XP! Can you?

But, that would be a problem of XP, not Linux.

In the Windows tradition here is a tool that you can buy:
http://www.diskinternals.com/linux-reader/


In the FOSS tradition here is a tool you can install for free:
http://www.fs-driver.org/

[carib]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

If they are in Linux partition, I can't acces them from XP! Can you?

But, that would be a problem of XP, not Linux.

That was exactly what I wanted to say!
Please, read all paragraph, not only this part!

Another bit: I'm using Thunderbird in Kubuntu and the files (messages, calendar and addressbook) are located (and are the same) inside XP partition. If they are in Linux partition, I can't acces them from XP! Can you?

[sithlord48]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

-the last ones were having troubles updating,

my guess is that its kpackagekit related, please use synaptic fixed it in 4 ez steps:
1. press alt+f2 , type konsole in the box that pops up press enter
2. type sudo apt-get install synaptic , sudo will ask ur password
3. it will say if you want syanptic you need to install these also press Y
4. use synaptic to do your updates and program installs (find it in your k menu)
see how the install process is much easer (and less error prone) then before

-Amarok 2 was worse than previous

idk what version of amarok 2 you were using but i have been using it since it was earily beta and although it stated out much worse then amarok 1 its now as good if not better.

-Open Office isn't better than MS Office

what exactly does ms office do that open office doesnt?

-there is no player like Media Player Classic with it's minimal view where i can pause with a space or a left click

Vlc, best video player ever. (for windows,linux or mac)
simple to install
sudo apt-get install vlc
or look for it in your new synaptic package manager
oh and for codecs be sure to install medibuntu (google it)

-system messages were kinda troublesome

when is a system message not troubling?

-Firefox wasn't displaying internet pages correctly so i had to use konqueror from time to time
-organising bookmarks isn't just as great as in windows version

open firefox and browse to aboutlugins
this will give you info about plugins you have installed chances are your missing one.

hope some of that helps you out

[loki_NC10]

Re: Longer release times for better quality?

Well all i am saying that now is the time for linux to really shine, because all windows PC users who don't want to be enslaved by microsoft will try to look for options. And what they will be looking for is a linux dist that has the same usability like windows.
That is why i am looking at Kubuntu again:
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut00....html#thoughts

Can't use Gentoo on a nettop, compiling would take forever.

Things i miss in Kubuntu:
-Windows media player classic, i like pausing video with left mouse click and changing volume with the mouse wheel. WMP classic can also be stipped down to a bare minimum of the video screen and a search bar, i rarely need more and hate huge players that just take up space.
-Amarok 1 skin
-Some MS Office Fonts, and its integrated looks.


Thanks sithlord48 i will look at your post once kubuntu 9.10 comes out and i will have to face those demons again. Kubuntu is supposed to be for Human beings, so thats why i am choosing it right now, sometimes i just need an OS to work, like a car, to get me from A to B.