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Can The Games for Linux Argument Apply To Applications
Many independent game developers have been arguing recently that porting games to OS X and Linux is a good idea, not because you will sell a lot of Linux copies, but because you get a lot of free advertising which leads to more sales on all platforms. Can this argument work with general applications, too, though?
Unfortunately, I doubt it in most cases. There are already so many great Linux applications that a new application, closed or open source, doesn’t really make much of a splash unless it is already well known, which largely defeats the point of gaining the PR from the port.
For example, look at the recent releases of commercial, closed-source comic and book organization software for Linux from RadicalBreeze. As much as I would like to see these applications succeed, they haven’t gotten a huge amount of attention, despite being something of a test of Linux as a target for commercial development.
As a counterexample, though, Dropbox seemed to get a fair amount of attention for porting their software to Linux. The difference in their case, I suspect, was that they had enough attention already to really be noticed, but not enough that they didn’t benefit from the port.
While for some companies porting applications to Linux may yield a big PR spike, most companies are, unfortunately, probably either too big to care or too small to be noticed.
I recently lost a hard drive to what is (as far as I can tell) a major design flaw in the Dell XPS M1530, which means that almost any pressure you put on the palm rest gets transferred to the hard drive). As long as I was getting a new hard drive and reinstalling Ubuntu, I thought why not upgrade to the latest version? I got out the restore DVD I burnt when I got the computer and reinstalled from that disc. Then, I upgraded to Intrepid Ibex.
The upgrade process went relatively smoothly, but ever since upgrading, applications were crashing more often, there were some wierd bugs (audio was haivng trouble and choosing print in GMail crashed Firefox), and the computer seemed to be generally not working very well. Eventually, I got fed up with it and installed Ubuntu 8.04 again, which worked perfectly.
The thing to remember is that issues can be very hardware specific, so making general assumptions based on one case is usually a bad idea. Here, though, 8.04 runs fine, but the later version, 8.10, does not. That is a problem. It is still true that variations in hardware can make a difference, but a computer sold with Ubuntu, should not have issues being upgraded to the latest version.
More and more, the idea of a six month release cycle is seeming like a bad one. Having a fixed and constant schedule is great, but expecting a stable release with major new features might be a little much. I have nothing against quick releases, but until I am convinced that quality is not sacrified, I would love to see a different schedule.
Easy Guaranteed Computer Compatibility
Buying new computers, particularly laptops, can be a bit of a challenge for Linux users. Sure, you can just go buy any random computer, but you are not guaranteed compatibility. Yes, all the essential parts will almost certainly work, but you never know for sure without doing some research. The best option at the moment is probably to buy a computer from Dell, System76, or another vendor that offers your favorite distribution pre-installed. the problem is, that leaves you with one major name and a handful of decent smaller vendors.
Hardware support for Linux is already rapidly improving, but until it is perfect, that does nothing to assure people their computers will work with Linux out of the box. A better solution would be to set up a system where a certain number of computers, say three, are guaranteed to work with Linux every 6 months. This could be sponsored by a major distribution or by a separate group.
For example: the group would choose three computers that are well reviewed and popular. They would then assess how well those computers worked out of the box. If there were issues, they would fix those issues and insure that you could install Linux on any of the three computer models and know that it would work perfecty out of the box. During the next six month period, another three models would be chosen.
The idea is that there would always be a rotating list of popular models that you could confidently buy, in addition to the growing selection of computers with Linux already pre-installed. This would give any Linux user or perspective Linux user a good selection of models he/she can buy without worrying about compatibility.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, profanity is a lot more common in open source than in closed source software. Also not surprisingly, some people find it offensive while others view it as nothing more than an exercise of free speech.
For me it depends on the situation. Using the word f**k in kernel code comments is one thing – I highly doubt that anyone can write code for the Linux kernel without having heard the word f**k before. (See the updated Linux kernel f**k count.)
Another slightly trickier issue is Damn Small Linux. (On a side note, I don’t understand why I have to choose between recommending Puppy Linux or Damn Small Linux to people. I really can’t decide which is worse. If you find yourself in a similar situation, try NimbleX.) Anyway, aside from the abundance of strange names for small Linux distros, the Damn Small Linux FAQ says this on the topic:
Why the name?
It’s really just a way to emphasize the incredible small size of the distro. If you are offended by the name, just do what most people do. Call it “DSL”.
Yeah, great idea – until someone asks you what it stands for. And except for the fact that that happens to be the same acronym used for a very popular type of broadband internet access. (- Hey! You should try out DSL. – I already have DSL. – No, I mean the Linux distro. – The what? What does DSL stand for? – Umm, well.) This topic sparked this thread over at LXer, which happens to be one of the funniest threads ever to appear in a Linux forum.
Still, despite the awkwardness of promoting DSL (yeah, try putting that on a shirt), I have to fall on the developer’s side here. After all, it really is his or her choice. DSL has never exactly been targeted at the average user and it is very upfront about the name.
I draw the line at rudely named packages in the Ubuntu repos, though. You can’t expect people to know that there are references to profanity in obscure packages and Ubuntu does market itself to the average user. In fairness, there are only three packages that mention the word f**k and all of those references are to brainf**k, which is apparently an actual thing, in the description. Still, this should not be there. For me, though, the issue is not that some kid could see it (after all, as has been pointed out, there are many other ways kids will learn these words), but that it is not professional. I want my operating system, no matter who develops it, to appear just as professional as Windows and OS X.
Even worse, in my opinion, are the random uses of damn in descriptions of other packages. Here the word is used simply as a word, not part of a name. Sure it is all just for fun, but there are other places to joke about that sort of thing with other developers. You don’t need to do it in release software.
This is not as big of an issue as it is being made into (yeah, yeah, I know I am not helping), but it should be changed.
Another Reason Open-Source Is A Feature: Apple Introduces HDCP
The problem with closed-source software is that sometimes a feature is not really a feature. Take, for example, Apple’s incorporation of HDCP into their new notebooks. Basically, HDCP is a technology designed so that everything between the content and your eyes (graphics card, cables, connection types, display) has to support HDCP and be designed to prevent leaks that could allow someone to pirate the content. Sounds like a great idea, right? No.
The effect of HDCP is, in reality, nothing more than bothering legitimate users and potentially forcing them to either pirate their content or buy new equipment. I could rant on forever about how DRM is a hopeless arms race that appears to have little effect except to lower the value of DRM-ed content and annoy users, but that is not the point I am trying to make. The point is this: HDCP is not exactly a feature that you would want in your computer. With proprietary software, though, you are stuck. You can complain, but you are at the mercy of the vendor.
If you run open-source software, on the other hand, chances are someone will have a version out without whatever anoying feature was introduced within a day. More generally, this means that even if you never want to see or touch a piece of code, there are still advantages, since others can. Really, it is just like opening up a phone to third-party developers. You will probably never write an application, but you will still benefit.
Where Are The Brainstorm Clones?
If you haven’t noticed, I am a big fan of Ubuntu Brainstorm, particularly the concept of allowing the end-user to propose ideas in an open and transparent way. One of the things I have been most hoping for, though, was the Brainstorm clones. Unfortunately, they have not come yet.
Quite a while ago, Dell introduced IdeaStorm, a site where people could submit ideas and other people could vote on them. It was as a result of this that Dell now sells Ubuntu pre-installed on some computers (like the one I am typing this on). I don’t know if Ubuntu Brainstorm was officially based on IdeaStorm, but is certainly does look (*ahem*) inspired by IdeaStorm.
After Dell and Ubuntu both adopted this form of user feedback, I was really hoping that it would catch on among other open-source projects. Imagine if every project had their own version of Brainstorm, so that you could submit ideas to any project. A while ago when Brainstorm as still young, Brainstorm project member Nicolas Deschildre even discussed the idea of the a so-called “decentralized brainstorm,” where all of these separate Brainstorms could share ideas between them.
The problem is, these Brainstorms clones just have not appeared. I am not aware of any other major open-source project using a system like this. For me, this is a big disappointment. I felt, and still feel, that Brainstorm-like approaches hold the potential to serve as an amazing platform for bringing the average user into the development and creation process. With an effective Brainstorm system, a project can truly be made by the users, even if only a small group of people can actually do the coding.
I would love to know why more projects have not adopted something like Ubuntu Brainstorm. Is it just too early? Are they not convinced it will help them in the long run? I have no idea, but I would really love to see more use of Brainstorm-like systems in open-source projects.
What To Look For In Fedora 10
Previously, I covered some features that might be included in Fedora 10. Today, here are some interesting features that have already been approved.
Fedora 10 will feature two new desktop environments: Sugar and LXDE. Sugar is the desktop environment used on the OLPC XO laptop, making it a very interesting choice for Fedora. Perhaps more US schools will adopt it? It will definitely be interesting to see where it goes.
LXDE is a lightweight (and modular) desktop designed for everyday use. Although I have not used it myself, it seems to be a fairly promising desktop for older and lower-end computers, making it a good choice for inclusion in Fedora or any Linux distro.
Another interesting “feature” of Fedora 10 is going to be better support for HDTVs and remotes. Improving support for these pieces of hardware is a very good move, in my opinion. Linux has a lot of potential on HTPCs due to all the incredible software out there for HTPCs, so making all the hardware work out of the box would be great.
Finally, there is First Aid Kit. The plan for this feature is to create an easy way of using common recovery methods to rescue a messed up system. There is really almost nothing you can do to prevent people from accidentally messing up their systems, so the best approach is to create tools, like this, that can fix these problems.
Between this and the artwork, I think Fedora 10 will be a good release.
Top 4 New Feature Proposed for Fedora 10
Since I have been writing about Ubuntu a lot recently, I thought I would look at some proposed features for Fedora 10. No features have been officially approved yet, so these are just proposals.
- Web-Based Software Portal - Somewhat similar to CNR or Linux Mint, it looks like Fedora might have a website users could visit and search for software on. To install the software, they would presumably download a small file that tells a special program how to install the program.
Wiki Page - Live CD Without the CD – Instead of creating a program like Wubi to let you do a special partitioning-free installation from Windows, the plan here is to make a Windows program that essentially lets you run the live CD straight from the ISO image on your hard drive.
Wiki Page - Improved Support for Fingerprint Readers – This means not only supporting the hardware, but also making it easy to use a recognized fingerprint reader as a primary (instead of a password) or secondary (in addition to a password) form of authentication.
Wiki Page - Fedora Lite – Similar to how Ubuntu has Xubuntu, a variant designed for older computers, Fedora could create “Fedora Lite,” a version of Fedora for older/less powerful computers.
Wiki Page
Obviously, there is no guarantee that these features will be part of Fedora 10, but if they are, it looks like it could be an incredible release, particularly for new users.
As Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex development continues, Phoronix is reporting that there has been some discussion on the ubuntu-devel mailing list about removing or disabling bullet-proof X, a feature designed to make it so that a user is never kicked into a command line interface (CLI) due to display problems. The basic argument for doing this is that there have been a number of unfixed bugs in bullet-proof X and, as pointed out by Phoronix, advanced users may prefer being kicked to a CLI to debug the problem.
While these are reasonable arguments, I don’t think dropping a good idea, in this case bullet-proof X, is, well, a good idea. To be fair, there is some discussion of replacing bullet-proof X with a more integrated solution to accomplish the same thing, which would be fine. What I am worried about is simply dropping it and potentially scaring new users away.
Right now nothing is certain, though, so don’t get too upset.
Top 5 New Features of Ubuntu 8.10 Interpid Ibex
As the Intrepid Ibex (8.10) development gets going, many people will probably be wondering what new end-user features they can expect.
- The new theme – Though it was planned for 8.04, the plan for a new theme was pushed back to 8.10, the upcoming release. While almost every new version has some visual changes and a new background, this release is supposed to have more radical changes to the theme. The basic color scheme will probably stay, but other than that, who knows? You can see some of the proposed art here.
- Encrypted “Private” Directory – While many OSs now offer whole hard-drive encryption, most people probably only have a small set of their files that they want to encrypt. Instead of offering an encrypt everything or nothing option, there will be a folder in each user’s home folder called “Private” that will be encrypted. This would be useful to store confidential documents and that sort of thing without slowing down access to less-confidential stuff, like your music. (Full Blueprint)
- Improved Flash Experience – I thought that being prompted to click next a few times the first time you wanted to see Flash content was a good enough Flash experience, but apparently the Ubuntu developers want it to be even better. I think it is safe to expect absolutely seamless Flash viewing in Intrepid. (Full Blueprint)
- LiveCD Installer Updates – While the current installer is functional, there are a number of improvements that could be made. The ones I am looking forward to most are the visual representation of partitions and the slideshow introducing new users to Ubuntu while they are waiting for it to install, as I proposed in a Brainstorm idea
. (Full Blueprint) - LiveUSB Creator – Like Fedora has already done, it will become possible to use a GUI utility to create a “LiveUSB” disc. Basically, it will be very easy to install Ubuntu to a flash drive and carry it around. The main advantage of a flash drive over a CD is that you can save changes back to the drive. (Full Blueprint)
If you are interested, you can find all the plans for Intrepid Ibex on Launchpad.