12 ideas Ubuntu should steal from Windows 7

13. I know Rythmbox has tagging and DAAP supposedly built in, but neither have ever worked for me, despite many hours trying (with DAAP anyway). The shares appear on other machines, but are completely inaccessible.

The tagging often renames and resets depending on the internet library it cross references with, enough that I've stopped using it anyway.

12. This article is incorrect in some points.

I can't believe you comparing Rythmbox to Windows media player. On 9. where you say there is no sharing, clearly you have not even used Rythmbox for longer than ten minutes, Rythmbox has full DAAP music sharing BUILT IN! DAAP is the same protocol used by iTunes for their music sharing, in fact when I turn it on in Rythmbox it appears in iTunes on windows machines. Go to edit>plugins and check DAAP music sharing plugin. Was that hard??

5. There is full up to date help and support included in ubuntu! Go to System>help and support.

12. UAC - Simple right click a folder or file go to properties and permission. In there is the best UAC you could ever have. The Linux way!

I would also recommend docky instead of AWM - It combines the goodness of AWN with the search functionality of spotlight. In fact its quicker than any search and quick launcher out there.

I'm sorry this article needs some corrections.

11. 1 idea Windows 7 should steal from Ubuntu...

Don't crash when I try to do *anything*.

10. 12. User Access Control - The UAC generally is something most users click Yes anytime it comes up out of habit. Thus it's easy to install spyware or delete config files with it. In ubuntu, it only prompts for preset activities like installing software. If I try to delete xorg.conf, I can't easily, unless I'm an advanced user. Only an advanced user should be messing with such files. Also didn't MS steal the UAC idea from unix?

9. ....have you even used Rhythmbox? I just changed the genre tag for a bunch of songs by right clicking the song and going to properties you know exactly the same way as all other media players. And you think ticking 'share my music' in the music sharing plugin is convoluted.

And compiz already has a similar feature to windows 7 side by side resize with the Maximumize plugin. And besides dragging a document to the side of the screen sends it to the next workspace where there's no need for side by side shenanigans you can compare by flicking from one workspace to another.

8. Yep - see below. I use Ubuntu pretty much exclusively and have done for a long time now.

The UAC point is not that a third level of security is needed, but a more obvious way of letting you know when you need to provide permission. For casual users - and the idea here is about what Ubuntu could do to become more attractive to the iPod owning masses - sudo is a tricky idea to get your head around, and frustrating if you're trying to change a setting but can't understand why it won't save. A pop-up dialogue telling you that you need to provide permission to do what you're trying to do in all cases - just like when you log onto a wireless network in the morning - makes sense.

Note the word desirable - I never said any of these things were possible...

Adam

7. I'm really wondering if the author of this article has ever used Ubuntu before due to the way this is written. I mean, it looks like these ideas came off of some of the Ubuntu forums where users have been posting ideas or from the posts that Canonical has made about things that are up and coming to the latest version of Ubuntu. Number 12 makes me cringe that the author would even bring up, that's something that would NEVER get added into Ubuntu because it's absolutely pointless to integrate a THIRD level of security. UAC is absolutely pointless in the Linux environment.

As for 10, if you're going to be using Ubuntu I am going to go off on a limb and saying that an iPod isn't your first buy. You're more than likely going to use something that doesn't require specific software because you're using an OS that most people wouldn't be using because they don't just go with the flow, they want something with more customization and is pretty much just put in and go. They don't want to have to register the product, sync it, and what-not. A lot of MP3 players are merely a flash drive that is playable with headphones and without the headphones, and ubuntu works just fine with that. Apple doesn't even support the Linux community, so how can you expect us to be able to sync their device? Maybe you should make another article: "12 companies that need Linux support."

6. @noob - Good grief, you're absolutely right. Compiz does have a side by side view. Been using it for two years and never found it.

I guess that's where the documentation point comes in. There may be a help file for the calculator, but there isn't one for the display settings, which imo is more important (and the point I was making is that Help files tend to be overviews in Linux, not troubleshooting docs).

I should point out that I love Ubuntu and use it almost exclusively across five PCs at home. This article isn't a criticism of Canonical at all, just the features which would help, say, my Dad make the switch.

Adam

5. I don't use Ubuntu because:

1. (basically) no GAME support

2. The latest iterations of software like Photoshop, forget it, they wont work.

3. What kravlin said. Especially: "UAC is the first thing I disabled with vista and it's easily the best first move any power user could ever make." - Anyway- Blame the Corporations.

NVM ALL THAT- their problem is SUPPORT.

Canonical needs to heavily invest time advancing and integrating WINE.

Until the average user can just pick themselves up and sit down in front of a Ubuntu computer that acts like nothing more than a UI change and they can use all their previous software and all their printers work with the use of the driver CDs that come with them. (oh and Ipod sync etc) Ubuntu wont count for s**t.

When this happens people (when told about Ubuntu) will start to migrate (as they then don't have to pay for windows), Corporations will then have a reason to natively support the OS ---- Hang on, WHY?? ---- Actually if WINE is really so integrated, why spend more time developing drivers software to work natively for both OS...)

Now I've thought about it I can't see why a Home user will ever be able to benefit form a LinuxOS. All the "kool" but at the end of the day useless UI effects/gimmicks could/can be developed for windows.

NEW IDEA - Linux OS remains an OS for hackers (lol) and Servers. Due to its stability and versatility when in the hands of an expert.

AND Adam Oxford this article should be re-written for "12 ideas Windows 7 should steal from Ubuntu" then their be no need for an alternative.

1. Price

2. Beryl (not Ubuntu's but hey..)

3. Root, (default permission levels) but retain the user friendly UAC instead of typing sudo in prompt. This will drastically reduce/remove the infection rate windows currently has.

4. Ubuntu forums, a one stop shop for ANY problems you have.

5. Windows 7 has been as stable as F for me... but I guess Linux must get an edge from somewhere, ill leave it to the experts to attain better stability.

I think that's it really....

4. Frankly, most of the above issues can be resolved if Ubuntu switches to KDE4 as default i.e. Kubuntu.

GNOME default look and feel is so 90's now. Skinning it is more overhead, IMO. KDE4 is fresh and good looking while offering everything that Ubuntu has to offer, especially in its Kubuntu avatar!

3. 10. This is BS. Most of the reason that ubuntu doesn't sync with your ipod or your zune or whatever is because most corporations don't support it. Before you say that the Ubuntu corporation needs to fix these problems why don't you convince the companies that create those devices to actually give developers the tools and information so they can create sync programs. I've never had a problem syncing things because i don't buy propietary ******** for devices.

12. You're right. Sudo and SU require that you put them in before you do an action like that but that was back before 9.04. In 9.04 you usually have the choice to unlock or it does prompt you to input the password before hand. plus UAC doesn't really do all that much for the consumer. It asks the user if they'd like to do it but the average user has no idea what they're clicking ok about. UAC is the first thing I disabled with vista and it's easily the best first move any power user could ever make.

2. Weak article.

Side by side view: Compiz -> Grid -> CTRL + ALT +Keypad

That part about Rhythmbox not supporting Genre tags is plain BS. And it doesn't do media sharing because it IS NOT DESIGNED TO DO MEDIA SHARING.

The Alternative CD of 9.04 already includes encryption out of the box. For the desktop version it takes about 20 seconds to add it. Much better than paying big bucks for and "Ultimate" feature.

F1 Help is already supported by pretty much everything that is installed by default. Hell even the System Monitor and Calculator has it.

Syncing, Sound and Suspend problems arise mainly from the lack of FOSS drivers. The manufacturers need to release the code. The Ubuntu devs can pull it out of thin air or steal it from windows for that matter.

Taskbar: The default is fairly plain because it needs to work on pretty much any hardware +resolution and still be massively customizable...unlikely Win7/Vista which needs a powerful gfx card and doesn't do customization without a bunch of hacks.

UAC: It was a *disaster* for total MS and now you are suggesting that Ubuntu should steal that "feature". Are you serious?

1. Articles really shouldn't keep referencing BitLocker as a feature - it's essentially a £100 addition for users of Home Premium as they have to upgrade to Ultimate. It's absence from Professional is baffling too!

Imagine (were BitLocker widespread) how many of these 'USB stick left by X politician on Y train' could be ignored if nobody could open the files anyway.