notices of a newbie

[Max]

Dear Ubuntu Developers,I am new to linux and ubuntu, but want to say thank
you for the open source operating system and want to give some hints, what
problems I had from the switch from windows to Kubuntu.

- first of all, installing 9.04 was very easy. I had a few tries on cheap
desktop machines, which had a screen resolution for 800x600 after
installation. That was ugly and i did not get to manage to install a linux
driver for the grahic card, if there were any. So I switched back to
windows. No on a new laptop 1200x764 size  looks great. Solution: Make more
support for 1200 x 840 graphic cards. There should be a "Add Software"
category for graphic card drivers, you need to mirror.

- Now on Kunbuntu Laptop I have difficulties to install software. Some .deb
files are easy to install. It is like an windows .exe file. The new Package
Manager makes it as well easy to choose software. For that purpose, the
Package manager MUST be in the Favourites. Furthermore the offer for
software to download from your server needs to be bigger. There are many
apps from sf.net e.g., that are not in your repository. Would it be
possible, that there is a POST URL box in the Package Manager to suggest new
software? So users can post the website / and or the URL for the to be
mirrored ubuntu installer, and you either add this download-url or a human
beeing revises the website and adds the installer manually.  Other
installers like .iso files or .bin files or .zip or .bz2 or gz.tg or tg,gz
or gz.bz2  or whatever are unzipp-able, but what then? some zips i could
unzipp and find any icon to click, but here I had as well the problem, not
to know, in which folders applications are installed. So I made in my
home/name/install an folder called installs and firefox e.g. is installed
here in a sub-directory. So it is much easier to have a central download
over the Package Manager. Please add to the favorites Start-Kick-Off Menu
and add the category drivers + screen-drivers. Furthermore add more software
to the download repository. Fourth mabye a suggestion system so that users
are able to send urls for new software to you.

No one of the normal users will use sudo get-apt in the terminal. If that is
wanted to learn that, then the terminal needs to be as well in the
favourtite start menu. Please expand the repository for Package Manager.

- I still have problems to install e.g. java or source-zips, or the VLC 1.0
media player

- I do not even know, where to install files, i do not even know, where they
HAD installed. The Dophin File Manager is usable, but not good. A File
Manager MUST look like the file explorer from windows XP. So i tried to
install xfe File Manager from Roland Baudin. I just again could unzip it (a
subfolder of install) and add one start file to the desktop, but it is not
in the start menu, nor the search in the start menu finds it.

- I do not want to judge the work of developed software, but often, there
are alternatives and users have to choose. Firefox Linux is better than
Konqueror and xfe is better than dolphin file explorer and I tried to hear
some music with the new ubuntu laptop. Amarok needs as well to be learned.
So i tried to install VLC, which might be a better application in the case
to choose as well. So we need a process, to add alternatives to the default
and already delivered start Menu, in which the better ones are added as
favourites. Firefox in Favourites, Konquerer in Sub-Menu Internet. VLC in
Favourites, and Amarok in Submenu Multimedia. XFE in Favourites and Dolphin
in Submenu System.  And the Package Manager per default in the Favourites
Menu.

- The mini apps bar in the top right edge is not needed. Or is there any
Clock or CPU-Traffic watch like in Viste for it given? I even had the case
to delete the Main Start Menu Kick Off. Which right click had to be found,
to get it back without a fresh installation?

- The File Hiearchy is not quite clear, I installed an app and needed time
to find the pathes to be installed, are they in usr/shared or in
home/myname/.app . The .app pathes are hidden, so I do not find them. But
they need to be shown by default, Though then the MyFiles-Directory is
populated and in Chaos. So hidinng them is one option, I would though prefer
to have MY Files in an own Directory of Home/myname  and the .app files in a
second folder of that - but shown by default !!

- Ideally rename the folder, in which applications are installed: to
PROGRAMS. Like in windows. I hated as well vista having both Programs and
Programsx64 for the 64-Bit Applications, ONE Folder for the Software called
PROGRAMS.

- I still wanted to install Truecrypt. That was done. The Windows version
has the option to encrypt the whole operating system. Linux Truecrypt has
that not, maybe it is not implemented, maybe it is not needed. How can the
linux hard disk be encrypted? If i take of the hard disk and connect it to a
windows system, can i read and copy or backup the files? If I take out the
hard disk and connect it to another linux system, can I then backup or copy
out the files? Are only my home-path-files encrypted by the password?  Or
should I open a truecrypt container to make a new virtual drive to save
there all, i save in home/myname now?

- The same for the Password Safe "brieftasche" where is the file to make a
backup of it or copy it to another system?

- On windows a user needs to care a lot about firewalls and virus scans. Why
is there no firewall needed or integrated by default. IPTables?  If that is
possible, maybe rename it to Firewall IP tables and place it as well to
Favourites Menu, so that from windows  switching users get at least the
feeling, that they do not miss that.

- searching the web in the programs start menu refers to google by default,
as y well the konqueror has only google as a search integrated, I tested
http://sourceforge.net/project/screenshots.php?group_id=238964 which has a
p2p websearch integrated, maybe something to consider as well for kubuntu by
default for each installation? I just installed kdesvn to try to compile it
for ubuntu as currently only the win version is out.

- If the desktop starts, there is a splash with 4 symbols in it, what is
this? just start without it, as the user starts his apps over desktop icons
or the start menu.

-the ethernet and wireless connector, watch and power symbols are great. the
Package Manager as well, the Desktop walls as well, the mini-app-bar I do
not need, a clock and CPU and which processes are running on the desktop by
default is not bad.
Some apps are better than the default delivered, please evaluate that. In
general, make the best apps appearing in favourites and why not right from
the fresh install an icon on the desktop??

Applications users need are: Browser (firefox and one webkit alternative),
Mail, Chat Messenger (pidgin, skype, retroshare), an of cours the main
thing: the Package Manager, and the second main thing: the XFE File
Manager.

Please evaluate the ideas and make installing software and finding files on
the hard disk more easy.
Thanks for reading and to not stress the mailinglist, you can send back
feedback by mail.

Regards Max
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