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Considering that I have been writing daily posts basically without missing a day for around a year now, there is obviously a lot happening in the world of Linux and open-source software. The question is: what do you want to happen in this upcoming year? Last year I asked for reader’s Linux dreams, and received a great response, so this year I am doing it again.
If you don’t remember from last year, the idea is to see what people would like to see happen in the upcoming year (related to Linux, of course). The “dreams” do not have to be realistic, specific, general, or anything, although they can be. The only rule is that they must be something you would like to see happen to Linux in the next year. To get an idea for this, check our the most popular dreams from last year.
This year, though, I am also adding another component. Throughout the process, I may pick out specific dreams/ideas and ask for broad ideas of how this could be accomplished. If this all sounds complicated, it really isn’t that hard. Here is an example:
A commenter responds to this post says “I would like to see more netbooks running major LInux distributions, not lesser-known distributions.” I might then pick that wish out and put it into a new post, asking for suggestions of how this might happen. Another commenter might come along to this new post and suggest that every major distribution should contact one manufacturer and try to get on their netbooks.
For now all you have to do is leave a comment with whatever you would like to see happen to Linux in the next year, realistic or not. The deadline will be around the end of December and will be announced when we get closer.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
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- Most Popular/Interesting Wishes for Linux in 2008 A few days ago, I asked readers to give their...
- The Most Popular Linux Dreams Forty-some responses (they got split up) and nearly a month...
My Dream would be:
1) that Linux Desktop oriented distributions try harder to leave a astonishing first experience by working with a panel of Noobs before they release their new software on the masses (this guy has a point, http://www.wolfmanzbytes.com/news/viewnews.cgi?id=EkkAAyAuFkguSKfMZN)
2) that Linux Desktop oriented distributions start partnering with OEM manufacturers, to get every single hardware “out there” supported on Linux.
3) that the Linux kernel guys and the Linux Desktop oriented distributions start to focus on Performance (real plus perceived)
4) that the Linux ecosystem’s giants (Linus, Stallman, Shuttleworth and many others) try to COLLABORATE even more
5) that the Linux kernel guys and the Linux (Business) Server oriented distributions start to focus on getting to run every (business) server type of application on their platform (pentaho, palo, talend, etc etc)
1. more natural-sounding text to speech
2. voice recognition
3. handwriting recognition
4. improved OCR
My Dream of Linux in 2009 is one person in the house have Linux inside their PC, In PDA Linux will be installed replacing WinxxMobxx. And It can install and uninstall easily, and replace with any distro we like, the same as a PC does.
More distro will come up with uniqueness. It´s more personal distro.
1) Increased adoption of synchronized release cycles.
2) Focus on even better out-of-the-box hardware support.
3) Remained focus on improving package managers.
4) Increased number of software packages available in package repositories.
5) Better software translations.
6) Better software documentation.
Easy video editing that is simple, works on all distros and doesn’t crash much. A simple 4 track timeline with effects. Yes, we alrady have this, but none are easy or they have to grab dv under root. That’s a killer to a lot of end users.
I know it’s difficult but my dream is that,I would like to see commercial devices works out of the box with linux.
Like my:
- TomTom Navigation system or
- Garmin-Connect USB device Forerunner 405 or
- Nokia 6500 / N70 …(with Nokia Connect)
etc. etc.
Regards,
clavan, Fedora Core user
I’d like to see more simplicity, following the Arch example. Instead of complicated audio servers just a simple one and insted of apt or yum a simple app like pacman or yaourt.
Simplicity is the way to go, is that or follow the Windows way and grow so big that the drivers will crush into the giantic kernel and turn the PC unusable.
And stop making GUI for everithing, forcing the user to use a CLI isn’t gonna hurt anyone, and maybe providing some kind of step-by-step manual for configuring some things on it for newbies.
Just wait for the release of Wi*do*s 7 and Ubuntu will be more downloaded than Firefox 3.0 xP.
I dream to see:
1- Average configuration of the OS all goes GUI
2- Commercial games native ports
3- Adobe and Autodesk products native ports
4- Active Directory and Exchange compatible open source servers and clients for Linux
5- A better reputation in commercial support for Linux
6- Redhat switch to apt
7- Open sourcing DB2
Nothing significant will happen until the “Linux community” gets its act together. This would require the freedom loving zealots to confine themselves within some meaningful constraints: standards, compatibility, transportability, quality bug-free software, quality technical and user documentation. Of course this will not happen. Canonical has the best chance to focus the chaos, but I doubt if they can pull the whole “community” with them. I believe the LDS project (standards movement) is being ignored, and their approach is “whatever is out there in the wild, include it in the standards”.
1. Faster Boot time
2. MyThTV fully functional
3.compatabiliity between qt and gtk apps
4. have big companies games ported to linux
1 Atheros drivers for ar242x in all distros by default.
2 CCSM to be included in all compiz installations
3 Deluge repositories, no I don’t want to go to your website to download a new version, that’s what repos are for.
4 Faster boot time
5 All in one theme manager, ie GRUB, GDM/KDM, Emerald, Background, icons all in one place
1) QUALITY – Linux looks cheap and looks like an OS writen by geeks for geeks, this applies to applications as well.
2) NOT the uncountable number of Distro’s. all this does is divide effort and ensures confusion and dilution of resources.
Too many cooks spoil the broth, too many distro’s destros the FOSS.
3) Applications: Get some, and get good ones, Open Office is a sad second base to MS Office. Access, outlook, and so on.
4) No elitest and fanatisms, people who use windows are not stupid, they want to get the job done and have a good experience doing it.
5) Get over it, Once upon a time, many years ago, MS windows was buggy and poor quality and used to crash, that was 1995, its now 2008, Windows does not crash and it works out of the box and easily.
Keep telling us we are wrong and we wont believe you as day after day we are USING MS OS and it just does not do what you say, and saying it just makes you look stupid. (and you dont want that do you ).
Make linux able and capable to compte with Windows on Quality and functionality, ease of use and you might just get somewhere.
Linux is used on 3.5% of computers now in 2003 it was 2.5% there in 5 years you’ve grown 1% !!!!
Does this not tell you something ?? I really hope so.
At that rate in 400 or 500 years you will gain 80%-90% market share.
Take a long hard and hostest look at yourself, your model and your progress.
Make you’re product better and compete in equal terms with the rest of the world.
MS Windows rules the world for OS’s now, because thats what the world has accepted as good enough for them
Once upon a time that title used to beling to UNIX, and IBM was the EVIL giant that want to lock-in users (and hardware and software).
Linux could be a viable alternative to MS windows and you could push and be pushed for better and better quality. so do it please.
You present model ensure poor quality code, as you expect to be pain for maintence of your code.
if you OS was reliable and stable and did not need maintenance, there would be no requirement for maintenance contractes.
********
there is alot wrong with linux, i hope its not too late to fix it, if you cant or wont see its limitations and state “all is good with linux” then expect to be a geek toy.
Here are mine:
1 For developers to realize that new users should never have to use a terminal or command line for anything.
2 For GUI tools to make it easy to network Linux PCss to other linux PC, and even Windows PCs.
3 For hardware manufacturers to create good fully functional drivers for Linux for their hardware, and release the source code to their drivers.
4 For software companies (especially games) to port software to Linux. We need games and other software to run natively in Linux.
And what happened to my posts to this blog? I don’t see any of them.
A better and easy-to-use Install/Uninstall utility. I never thought that a simple task of uninstalling an older version OpenOffice and installing version 3.0 could potentially break my Ubuntu (Hardy Heron) PC.
What I’d like to see for Linux is a truly standardized web. I have two reasons for this. One, I think the browser is taking over the desktop. I’m fully in the cloud now, and I’ve been more successful turning people on to iGoogle than Linux. If we could get every web app as functional on Linux as it is on Windows, it’d make my life easier and make switching to Linux easier to sell. Two, I want to move my daughter off Windows and the big blue E (she just turned 7, and that’s what she calls Internet Explorer). The problem is, some of her favorite sites just won’t run on Firefox on Linux. So if we had universal standards that people felt compelled to write to, I could switch her over. She doesn’t know or care which OS she’s on, right up to the point at which I have to say “Sorry sweetie, that doesn’t work on daddy’s computer.”
I wish to see a universal installer/compiler that takes binary or source packages and installs them on any system, custom made or not, as a simple package manager built into the kernel. Any shared libraries can be pre-packaged so that if the user does not have them installed, it installs it for them.
Similar to windows installer and mac dmg files. It can also tell the user that the package is available in their respectable repositories, and let the kernel compare the binary to the package in the repositories, to make sure it isn’t malware.
This is simple.
I’d like to see Linux not have to compete with Windows on it’s terms. Specifically from the end users I’d like to see:
1. The command line accepted as the powerful and complete tool that it is.
2. Users bothering to learn something new instead of expecting that Linux should work in any way shape or form like Windows.
3. People understanding that open source (gaming and the like), has nothing to do with whether corporation A B or C is writing games for Linux.
4. People discussing GNU/Linux rather than Ubuntu. Popular or not it is one of many many distros and not the only one.
For years now the arguments have been. It’s too difficult, it’s too different, it doesn’t game, it doesn’t run my windows software. Linux does not need those people, they can stay with MS as far as I’m concerned.
But. All of those fit into the category of “end user” comments. Only education can change perception. The people need to change, not the model, nor GNU/Linux.
What Linux needs is it’s own identity. One where no-one even acknowledges that “other” OS.
I wish:
That Microsoft would go totally GNU
1) for really nice robotics design software.
2) That all my Lego Mindstorms stuff had a nice gui interface
3) That my WiFi netcam that uses .NET would work 100% functionality in Linux. Without .NET it is like 60% right now.
4) that Sandisk Cruzer encryption software worked under Linux
5) Linux porn. Lots and lots of Linux porn.
6) Games – [and for me, a computer that could actually run them]
7) That Linux was a US federal and state government standard.
if the coders could get suspend/hibernate to work properly it would be nice.
1) wpa_supplicant & wpa_gui to replace kwfi or networkmanager for wireless control on distros
2) Games would be great
3) More recognition for all of the hard work these programmers put in for us
A return to OpenGL by game developers & thus more versions for Linux+Windows; like id software games of not too long ago.
DirectX 10 does offer more than DX9, but MS lied when they said only Vista would run it; hackers got it working on XP, proving otherwise. MS still not released DX10 for on XP AFAIK.
With lower power netbooks & PC’s in general, OpenGL could be an answer.
I would like to see secure corporate grade centralized management tools implemented. This and a closer collaboration with the hardware vendors on both hardware support but also distribution (as in educating users) will improve linux’s market share dramatically.
I would like to see more of the web 2.0 – 3.0 brought into linux.
More multimedia out of the box, more interactive/social/learning software ported to it.
If linux can be established as a vector platform rather then an techie thing, then it has a chance. A real chance.
There are some linux games out there but there are 2 drawbacks with them:
- Most of them are published years after the windows release
- The price is far too high
Both of these problems are somewhat connected since the windows version of a game drops in price very fast. Here in Europe you get a new game for about 40EUR but after a year for 20 EUR. After 2 years you often get it for 10 EUR. And after 3 years you get it in a games collection which effectivley sets the price per game to less than 5 EUR.
Now consider the linux port of the game. It is sometimes releases 3 years after the windows release and then for 40 EUR. This is far too much. 10 EUR would be OK. The problem is that the porting is not done by the original producer but it is outsourced to a specialized porting company.
It would be cool to have a linux games collection (containing maybe 10 of the older linux games). This would be worth 40 EUR.
Computers and computing are just a tool to me, I am a materials engineer/scientist. However, what I would really like as a gift, is for people (computer/IT and non-computer/IT) to clue in that the problems of software and business-process patents are not restricted to software or business-process. They WILL happen with all patents, it is just a matter of when. Please look for the generic/universal solution, not the computer/IT specific solution.
I’d like for people to quit saying “Linux” when they mean Ubuntu and vice versa. And I’m an Ubuntu user, not a hater; I just like people to be precise.
I’d like to see some cool new desktop paradigm emerge from the maturing of KDE 4.x.
I’d like to see Debian Lenny and Koffice 2 get finished.
I’d like to see Linux on netbooks continue to succeed, and people who bought winXP home netbooks suddenly realize what a useless piece of junk they bought.
I’d like to see someone make a 3D platformer game starring Konqui the dragon.
I’d like to see the community come up with a free(libre) computer curriculum aimed at gradeschool/middle school kids based around Linux and FOSS rather than the usual suspect.
I’d like to see Debian/Ubuntu come up with some kind of tagging system for their package repositories, to make it easier to find software you want to install. With over 25k packages, we need some more specific, heirarchical categories to browser through.
Another xorg release would be nice too. Hopefully in the first half of the year.
I think that’s enough wishing for now.
|(3V1L99 said: Gaming Gaming And more gaming.
What you really mean is high profile commercial games.
I’ve just recently delivered two Linux games machines to people who wanted budget games machine for their grandchildren. Each of those nachines is loaded with between 20 and 30 games, including 3D FPS (kill as many people/monsters/Aliens as you like) and RPGs, flight simulators and 3D car racing games, on line. the only thing of note about the games is that they are not well known commercial titles, and they are all Free Software.
Sorry I lied, I included a full set of games from Grubby Games, who develop commercial games, of the type that many of the people I sell computers to like to play (hint: non violent, lots of movement, pretty colours, puzzles), for Linux, .
First of all, for being the 1% platform, I think it’s doing pretty well…but instead of one distribution to rule them all to bring commercial apps and games to linux, I’d like to see LSB 4 come out of beta and be supported and pushed as necessary by the community, developers and the movers and shakers of modern day computing a la Red Hat, IBM, Google etc etc. I think this would accelerate a lot of development for linux. While some fragmentation is good, excess fragmentation will slow the evolution of this excellent platform.
No more problems with ATI and Nvidia graphics drivers. Seamless compatibility across the whole spectrum of screen resolutions. This is the single most important brake on the adoption of desktop Linux. What could be a bigger turn-off for new users than not to be able to get a GUI screen? I can’t think of any.
No serious progress can be made on the desktop without it. Given how good much of the X-based content has become, there is nothing undermining Linux adoption more than this. Everyone needs to lean on the big Linux underwriters like IBM Sun and HP to get them to lean on AMD, Nvidia and Intel.
Agreed all Adobe CS 4 apps including Elements apps ported to Linux. We need good Video and Photo editing apps!. Professional and Amateur. Also more good Astronomy apps would be nice. The SKY 6 and Starry Night are way better than KStars and Celestia. They have way better telescope support. Also good software for CCD, and DSLR imaging.
I think that the single most important thing that can happen is for a wealthy benefactor to pony up the cash to purchase and then free Cedega’s commerical Windows compatibility layer.
If the source was free to be assimilated into the Wine project or allowed to develop independently, It would give Linux the compatibility with commerical Windows apps that is currently holding it back.
Secondly, work needs to be done to simplify the file structure in Linux, or to simplify it to the end user so that they have a single directory for application installations, etc. The top level folders (Music, Documents, etc) are great, but the underlying file structure should be either hidden (but remain unlockable through terminal) or redesigned for clarity.
I would like to see a complete 3D CAD Open Source application in order to be able to make the complete switch to Linux and forget MS.
Cheers!
Gaming Gaming
And more gaming. Ive seen major increases in just a years time.
Wine has been great. Also maybe a better concentration of development in a single distro. More ppl working towards making One peticular distro more user friendly for ppl considering making the swap from windows to linux.
What I’d like to see for Linux next year is for the gains made this year, and they have been significant, to consolidate, and for Linux to become a conscious choice for consumers, rather than something, that they are largely unaware of, that is included on the item they’ve purchased.
Next year my partner and I will begin trading with our retail business Feral Penguin Computers, so obviously I’d like to see Linux become a conscious choice by many many more potential customers.
Simple really. Given that Windows is pretty much seen as a ‘must have’ to sell mainstream PCs, and given that Linux is free, I would like to see the major manufacturers retailing DUAL boot PCs. This would cost no more, but would offer a value added perception, and increase Linux awareness/use.
Personally, i would love to see that there are distros that are able to instantly recognize my hardware laptops.
Actually it’s more of a dream that when i install linux, there would be a way to detect all my hardwares, and search for drivers automatically, then i can save the drivers to use on whichever distro i wanted to try on.
The second is about gaming, the last barrier for windows using people like some of my friends, then we could say goodbye for the enigmatic windows major market share, and move on to improve the OS of our dreams……….
Video editing software that is usable but still decently powerful (like iMovie, MSWMM)
I’d like to see more acceptance of Linux in particular and open source software in general. We are a Windows shop at work and the expensive software and the occasional virus scares have not been enough to convince the powers that be to even consider Linux as an alternative. The open source advocates in IT have successfully lobbied for a few open source applications to be used on the network but there have been only minor victories so far.
I’m working on what the desktop will become and I am making a Web OS entirely based on the web because use outside of the browser is dwindling. There will be an optional Linux base of course. If anyone would like to help all they would have to do would be to drop me an email at dandart googlemail (dot) com
(nospam)
I’d like to see an extremely easy to use interface which attracts all sorts of people and beats the market. (Like these Netbook Linuxes). This is what I’m trying to achieve in my Web Based OS, just apps that don’t appear in the browser as much making a unified launch into the browser….
This is difficult really – and from a quick browse over last year’s requests I have to admit that I do not agree with a few of them.
Off the top of my head I would like to see:
#1 – Lets get Pulse Audio working. Just get it stable out of the way and be done with it.
#2 – Commercial games! One of the biggest questions that is hard to answer about Linux is “Does it game?”.
#3 – Free and Open Drivers that are equal to or better than the proprietary ones. Open Sourcing of the proprietary drivers would be even better.
#4 – Have people trained in Open Source Software.
Everybody is trained in Microsoft Office… Fair enough it is a good office suite, but the last few versions of Open Office match MS Office feature for feature and I still don’t know how to use half of them!
#5 – Make Linux (and Open Source) for the “Cool Kids”.
All sorts of stupid and useless stuff becomes cool just because a few popular people say it is. Linux in the main stream could pose some new challenges but it could also be very rewarding.
MY WISH – really is to eliminate all the FUD around Linux and Open Source.
Anybody asking for the terminal and config files to be put away – should be beaten up and then slapped silly. Having said that, it would be reasonable (and nice) to create a GUI for all of them. Perhaps even possible.
…So I hear there might be a Steam Client for Linux floating around Valve’s office… Well one of my wishes is half way here!
What I would like to see is a commercialized Linux distributor focus more on specifics in the end-user industry. With great companies such as Red Hat, Novell (SLES), etc. the focus has been in providing the Linux Operating System as a solution to enterprise computing. Too many individuals have come to equate Linux with advanced administration when it has become so much more.
Canonical on the other hand has been trying to provide the end-user with a very affordable and easy-to-use solution in their Ubuntu Linux distributions but they have spread themselves too thin. My interest is to see a company such as Canonical focus on a certain aspect of end-user computing and hit it hard. The rest of the industry will follow.
As a good example, the foundation of the Microsoft Windows platform rests on three unstable pillars. If one were to fall, the rest will follow. These pillars are: (1) Education, (2) Productivity and (3) Multimedia related. The easiest and more influential to go after initially would be education. Not only would it be cheaper for a school to deploy and run the Linux Operating System but the students come out with familiarity in the platform. By the time they go into their respective careers, the seed would have been planted. It also would not stop a student from purchasing a Linux-based PC for their home computing seeing how they would be familiar with it at school.
My dream would be to see more of the Linux Operating System utilized by the end user.
I want commercial games in linux. Games like Need For Speed or Commandos.
I’d like MID’s to finally come out and Ubuntu MID to start shipping on them.
1, Although its not a too realistic expectation for 2009, id like Autodesk, Adobe and EA to port their apps to Linux.
2, Better compatibility between KDE and Gnome, would be nice if qt apps ran as nicely in gnome as in kde, same goes for gtk apps in kde.
3, Dramatically faster boot and application load times. Already planned for 9.04, if I’m not mistaken.
4, Inclusion of apps like Skype and Real Player in the Multiverse repos, so people don’t have to hunt for them on teh intarwebs.