Xubuntu "papercuts" and push for getting translations?

[Charlie Kravetz]

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On Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:33:39 +0200
Eero Tamminen <oak at helsinkinet.fi> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I don't have currently a working Xubuntu installation (disk broke), and
> don't have time to test Alpha/Beta ISOs, but I would have some suggestions
> on what to check from the test ISOs, based on looking at few different
> distros recent live-CDs with following requirements in mind:
> 
> 1. Well localized (in my case, to Finnish)
> 2. Robust, doesn't crash etc
> 3. Easy to use; automatic security updates, codec & locale installation,
>    geek stuff is behind andvanced settings, UI is consistent etc
> 4. Stable, doesn't change UI or apps in every release
> 5. Mature, has the basic features one expects from moderm desktop
> 6. Needs to work on older HW (0.75GB RAM, 1.4Ghz single core CPU,
>    not much 3D accel to speak of)
> 
> (The distro I'm looking for would be something I set up for older
> relatives.)
> 
> So far I've tested within last week:
> * Windows 7 (on newer machine)
> * Ubuntu Unity 10.10 -> web demo looked fine, live-CD froze at bootup
> * OpenSUSE Gnome 12.1 -> went to ugly/slow Gnome3 fallback mode
> * OpenSUSE LXDE 11.4 -> lacking in localization and app features
> * Debian Stable -> lacking on automation
> 
> Xubuntu 11.10 seemed more suitable than above ones.
> 
> 
> However, there were several trivial issues in Xubuntu 11.10 that
> it would be nice if somebody could check in the test releases
> and see if they could get fixed for the next LTS release:
> 
> * Calendar applet (Orage).  Unlike in all other distros/desktops
>   and unlike all other Xubuntu panel applets, right clicking on
>   the applet doesn't open the calendar below the applet.  You
>   need to double-click and Calendar opens inconveniently to
>   the middle of the screen.
> 
>   (Seems like easy to fix "papercut".)
> 
> * Many of the items in the applications menu have just "some wierd"
>   app name which doesn't describe what it is for.  For example:
>   Catfish, Leafpad, Onboard, Xfburn, gThumb, Transmission, Gigolo,
>   GParted, IBus, Abiword, Gnumeric, Parole (, gmusicbrowser).
> 
>   It would be good to have a proper name for each of the applications
>   on the default install (Parole was even lacking a mouse-over
>   description telling what it was for).
> 
>   Updating these needs localization changes too...
> 
> * While Xubuntu has fairly OK localization for a Linux distro, it's
>   clearly inferior to Windows or OSX.  Is there any effort before
>   releases to get localization coverage statistics for the default apps
>   and to get things which aren't fully translated, fixed by poking
>   translators and requesting translation help on the devel/user
>   list/blogs?
> 
>   (I could do some Finnish translations this and next week if somebody
>   handles pushing the translated message catalogs forward.)
> 
> * High contract mode makes some icons to lose nearly all contrast
>   they had because of the colors used in them.
> 
>   -> High contrast mode may need its own icons...
> 
> * Of all these distros, Xubuntu website provides by far least
>   info on itself, even the screenshots are just tiny/useless
>   thumbnails (Ubuntu "live" demo within browser was best...).
> 
> The roadmap blueprints listed an item for the website, but not much
> details and there were no mentions on roadmap about other points
> I mentioned above.
> 
> 
> 	- Eero
> 
> PS. This is what I skipped in my tests:
> - KDE4 stuff, I assumed it to have same issues as Gnome3 stuff
> - MiNT Linux, it lives on sponsoring and seems a bit on geeky side,
>   so its stability / long term prospects seem less guaranteed
> - Fedora, as it's not really intended for LTS like usage
> 

Please do NOT expect Alpha1 to be fully usable. This is the first
images of a new release cycle. They are expected to be installable, not
ready for users.

- -- 
Charlie Kravetz 
Linux Registered User Number 425914          [http://counter.li.org/]
Never let anyone steal your DREAM.           [http://keepingdreams.com]
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