[ubuntu-uk] Ubuntu Direction

[Rob Beard]

On 11/09/10 16:39, Daniel Case wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I have just tried the 10.10 Beta and here are my thoughts.

Okay to be fair I haven't had chance to try the 10.10 Beta yet, when I 
free up some space I'm going to to give it a try.

>
> Is it just me, or does anyone else think Ubuntu is losing its direction
> from its initial philosophy? I have seen it happen all too often with
> company-owned software, first it will be open source, then it will have
> some closed source stuff (which Ubuntu now gives you option to install
> at the install screen - despite it being closed source)

Yes and no.  I'd be the first to admit I wasn't keen on the UI changes 
in Ubuntu 10.04 although now I'm used to the changes.  AFAIK Ubuntu has 
always offered some closed source stuff (closed source drivers and 
things like the option of adding Flash, Adobe Reader etc).  I guess the 
idea of adding closed source software to the Ubuntu Software Centre is 
so that Canonical can maybe take commission on sales of software.  IIRC 
for a while they've had the option to add commercial software, possibly 
not so easily but it's been available (things like video codecs, 
CrossOver Office maybe).  More and more people are getting used to 'App 
Stores', possibly because of the sheer popularity of the iPhone/iPod 
Touch/iPad.

Personally I think if adding a Software Centre brings in more users then 
that has to be a good thing.  Plus we're not being forced to buy 
commercial software or even download free proprietary software if we 
don't want to.  If we do however want to add non-free components (Flash, 
codecs etc) then it's being made easier (especially for new users who 
possibly come to expect this sort of thing when they're coming from 
Windows/Mac).

Thinking back a few years ago, one of the complaints that I heard from 
some Windows users (one complaint I had myself when I first started 
using Linux was that I couldn't download a setup program).  Some people 
kind of expect this too and I think maybe the simplicity of the Software 
Centre is a good thing until they learn that they can add repositories 
and install deb (or even rpm packages with Alien and .tar.gz packages).


> There is also now a paid software section in the Ubuntu Software Center
> and finally...a tiny one, but the one that really annoyed me, the fact
> that ctrl+alt+d no longer takes you the desktop as it does in every
> other distribution and did since Ubuntu was first thought of, it is now
> "WINDOWS+d".

You can always change it back.  Personally I change it to Windows + D as 
I use Windows at work and it's just habit for me.  Same goes for Windows 
+ L.  Maybe they'll change the Ctrl + Alt + L shortcut to Windows + L 
before the final release.


> Just my 2p (since its UK ;))

That's fair enough.  At the end of the day we do have plenty of choice 
on distros, themes, desktop environments.  In a way I think we're lucky 
that we're not stuck with one thing, and I also think we're really lucky 
that we don't have to purchase a specific version for specific features 
(as with Windows where you get Windows Media Center on Windows 7 Home 
Premium and Ultimate or the ability to add to domains on Windows 7 
Professional or Ultimate).

Rob