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You may have heard that GIMP and F-Spot aren't safe for inclusion in 10.04. 700MB isn't much space to work with Why not question all the applications in Ubuntu, then? What should be in the default installation? I'll look category by category, but I'll talk a little about why the current defaults are chosen first.
Ubuntu is first and foremost a GNOME distribution. It takes GNOME applications unless there's a definitive reason not to. For example, Firefox was originally used instead of the GNOME default Epiphany browser because Epiphany was in a terrible state at the time, and FF is still preferred because it's a very poplar browser and serves as a familiar signpost to switchers. But mostly, you've got Totem, Nautlius, Evolution, and all the gang. Ubuntu thus looks much like any other GNOME distribution.
But it doesn't have to be that way. The questions about The GIMP are great -- they represent a critical look at what should be included. How many people do advanced photo editing? Few, probably. I would guess that the same can be said for PIMminess. Has the average user even even opened Evolution? Most home users handle all their personal business through web services like Yahoo! or Google.
First of all, UBuntu needs to decide whether it wants to be a home or professional operating system. Pro users want different things out of the box. Trying to please both sets of users with one CD is an exercise in frustration. Take a look at the table below to see what groups I think want various features (and keep in mind that it's easy to install these bits if you are an exception).
| Application Class | Current Choice | Home User | Professional User |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessories | Printing, Calculator, etc. | Yes | Yes |
| Games | GNOME Games | Yes, and more | No |
| Photo Manager | F-Spot | Yes | No |
| Bitmap Editor | The GIMP | No | No |
| Vector Editor | OO.o Draw | No | Yes |
| Image Scanner | XSANE | On insertion of a scanner | On insertion of a scanner |
| IM Client | Empathy | Yes | Probably no |
| Personal Information Manager | Evolution | Not likely | Yes |
| Web Browser | Firefox | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop | VNC Client and RDP Client | No | Yes |
| Bittorrent Client | Transmission | Yes | No (a hundred times, "No!") |
| File Synchronization and Back-up | Ubuntu One | Yes | Yes, but not this one |
| Presentation Software | OO.o Impress | No | Yes |
| Spreadsheet Software | OO.o Calc | Maybe | Yes |
| Word Processor | OO.o Write | Yes | Yes |
| Disc Burner | Brasero | Yes | Maybe |
| Video and Audio Player | Totem | Yes | Yes |
| Music Manager | Rhythmbox | Yes | No |
Using very rough calculations (via apt-cache show's size), the home user profile above would shave 75-80MB. That's more than enough to add more themes, a video introduction on first run, a video editor, cool games, or other things deemed useful for the home user. The corporate user will only get 60MB or so, but you could then make a case for removing Tomboy so that Mono could be ripped out, saving even more space. What would go in instead? Certainly the would be tools for connecting to directory services. Tracker should be installed and Nautilus should have Tracker functionality re-enabled.
Ubuntu devs are constantly fighting amongst themselves about which applications deserve to be on that tiny, 700MB disk. Serving two different customer bases with one CD just makes that problem worse.
You can combine Totem and Rythmbox together by using Banshee.
ReplyDeleteinteresting, having looked at the new ubuntu app store. What they should do, is redesign that, take ALL the apps out of Ubuntu, other than ff add adobe flash and as many codecs, 3g ethernet and wifi drivers as they can get away with, then redesign the app store, so if you want printing, you install it from there, if you want evolution, gimp whatever you install it from there..
ReplyDeletethen have a generic and advanced view for tabs like music, generic view would provide you with totem, banshee rhythembox, advanced would display ripping tools, editing tools and other music apps..
just a thought..
Fieldyweb,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about that last night after I wrote the story. My thoughts are too long for a comment so I'll make a new post.
rip out Open office and put in ABI word more than enough for most home users
ReplyDeleteI like Abi, and the new collab features are awesome, but compatibility with MS Word isn't very good, and that's likely to be the measure of the word processing app.
ReplyDeleteIf I understand this, they are just not going to automatically install the app, it will still be available for installation by anyone who actually wants it. Evolution should be in that same category.
ReplyDeleteI want pine or mutt or perhaps Thunderbird instead.
Whatever happened to Netscape-Browser/Mail clients?
Exactly, J. This just determines what will go on the CD (and is a dependency of ubuntu-desktop).
ReplyDeleteperhaps use the install to simply install a base system with full connectivity and hardware functionality, then on first boot after install offer options for package installs that would include a comprehensive list of 'favorites', into whatever groupings would be deemed most appropriate. this would give the new users a full install without loading down the cd. just a concept to consider
ReplyDeletejm5379,
ReplyDeleteSee http://blog.ibeentoubuntu.com/2009/11/is-ubuntu-too-big-for-its-own-good.html
In short, I agree in full.
Ubuntu may need to do what Red Hat is doing, and release the OS on a DVD. It's nice with Red Hat / Fedora is on DVD, and gives you the option of installing the extra items at the time of the OS install. Then they can be added from DVD at any time.
ReplyDeleteFOSS is all about choice and freedom. The majority of people would want their prefered applications installed by default. As the song goes, "You Can't Please Everyone So You Got To Please Yourself".
ReplyDeleteSo I please myself by using Kubuntu instead of Ubuntu. I end up with a more homogenous desktop environment with better applications and most of all, I avoid any politics involved decisions and so far have been without any Mono desease.
As for Ubuntu, I personally don't care what you include or remove, just make sure the App. Center is flawless (easy, friendly, inclusive, robust, reliable, etc...). Do that and no one would have a reason to complain. Hhm, I take that back, everyone will find a reason to complain.
Ubuntu offers a good set of applications.
ReplyDeleteI would probably remove TomBoy and a few Games. ("Robots"? Have you ever played that???)
I would keep GIMP and OpenOffice, because they compare very favorably against Microsoft's Paint and Wordpad.
The Software Center could be improved by offering two additional sections: "most popular" and "staff picks".
It would be also convenient if the installation process asked this simple question: "Would you like to download and install additional plugins (Flash, Java, codecs) automatically?"
I'd suggest stripping the basic CD down and including more sophisticated installation scripts that configure the installation more tightly to the actual hardware being used. Removing unnecessary modules could improve performance and reliability.
ReplyDeleteThen, create meta-packages for application genres, like graphics, media, office, etc. I think you could actually simplify installation while saving bandwidth.
Geez, what a bunch of GUI-dependent weenies these people are.
ReplyDeleteMake them install Slackware. It makes you select specifically what you want, or everything, from ASCII screen menus. Since the average user wouldn't know what most of the stuff on the package menus are, they'd install everything anyway.
Then comes the first boot to the installed system. Bang! You're at a command prompt! OMG, now what?
Now they'd either have to figure out how to fire up a GUI. Or they could be real geeks and configure everything by hand from the terminal using vi.
Once they get the system running the way they like it, they can start adding those apps not packaged on the install media. Nothing more fun that watching someone download source code and wander into the dependency maze when something doesn't compile.
Actually, all kidding aside, this is how I prefer to do it myself, but then, I'm not the average first-time Linux user.
I guess what I'm trying to say is...what the hell is the big deal about what goes on the install media? Get the system up, then provide them with a software installation application that gives them the rest of that "basic" stuff. Not Syaptic or Adept...an app that lists the most commonly used applications (I think there's already something like this in Mint) and installs them from the repositories with a click or two.
Maybe they ought to install Linux from a stack of 3.5" diskettes, like we used to do! Weenies!
Joe,
ReplyDeleteWhile I did my share of text installs of Slasckware, Linux FRom Scratch, and the BSDs in the 90s, I don't want to go back to the days when you could fry your monitor with a bad X modeline.
Ubuntu aims at being a good beginner distro. It should try harder to meet its market's needs. That's all we're discussing.
Remove F-Spot, TomBoy, Mono and you will save around 70MB!!!!! Have Solang and GNote and you will have space left for something else.
ReplyDeleteI like open office but it is just to big for most desktop users, ODF format should be the standard to strive for not MS, impactical possibly for now but worth striving for
ReplyDeleteWhy not have a basic install with NO apps, and then present the user with a quick tick list to install via the web?
ReplyDelete