"Commonly Added Features" section in Xubuntu documentation.

[Jari Rahkonen]

vidd kirjoitti:
> Jim Campbell wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Given the ongoing back and forth regarding app choices, what would 
>> people say to adding a section to Xubuntu documentation outlining 
>> common ways to add more functionality to your Xubuntu system? We could 
>> ship a default system that utilizes (most of, some of, all of . . . ) 
>> the more lightweight choices, but then provide detailed instructions 
>> on how to add options that might provide the users with more features.
>>
>> [SNIP]
>>
>> Jim
>> P.S. I'm not sure of the section title . . . it's just a proposal.
> Excellent idea
> 
> vidd
> 

That is exactly what I've been thinking, but didn't have the time and/or
energy to put into words.

I'm willing to bet 95% of the people installing Xubuntu for the first
time won't be surprised if it doesn't have every single thingamajig and
doodad that it's big brother has, as long as it works well on that four
year old box Ubuntu tends to crawl on and is an efficient and modern
working (or surfing/whatever) environment for us with more capable
systems. All the extra eye candy and unnecessary (even if nice) features
for normal home/office desktop use should be easy to get but not in the
default install.

I have no problem with things with gnome in their name or favoring
usability over resource usage, but lately the purpose of Xubuntu has
become a slippery little animal. I know there's a spot for us somewhere
between the "system resources trump usability" approach of Fluxbuntu and
the "outbling other major OS choices to bring linux to the masses"
approach of Ubuntu. I'd be extatic if we strived for "a simple and
effective desktop without sacrificing aesthetical appeal and usability"
à la Xfce. And yes, simple does mean "less features" in some cases.

If we don't have every shiny little thing Ubuntu does, it's not
necessarily a problem. Neither is it a problem if the latest Xubuntu
does not run on the same piece of antique hardware that a two year old
version of the distro managed to resuscitate. Those thinking one or the
other is a major problem seem to be tearing the whole distro apart
simply because there's no clear sense of what Xubuntu would like to be.

The former camp would clearly be happier working on Ubuntu and Gnome
while the latter group might want to consider putting effort into making
Fluxbuntu a bit more user friendly. The rest of us should probably
discuss this through and come to an agreement about the goals of the distro.

- Jari


PS: Sorry about all the parentheses, I'm too tired to edit them out...