I just looked up Beryl. V3RY N1C3!

I like the fact that I can change something I don't like by simply editing a config file. The customization possibilities available with Linux are almost endless, and easy to do. If, for example, I want to change the XP bootsplash, I have to mess about with ntoskrnl.exe, as the bitmaps are hidden inside it. Not really an obvious place to look. To change it it Linux, I just point lilo to a different initrd. I can do all this by using the command line, which is much faster than any GUI.

First, I need to acknowledge not reading every post in this thread.

My reaction to the statement above is that there are MANY things I would like to see fixed in Linux before making the GUI better. To the extent that Open Source is dependent on a community effort, there need to be some priorities.

Have there been any polls here at LQ on what people think are the most urgent issues? If not, let's start one...(I'll do it tonite if someone does not beat me to it.)

Come on. Most of you know -- and the rest should learn -- that the looks is just up to you yourselves ("you can make it look just the way you want to, if you want it enough"). As far as I understand, Linux isn't any less graphical than any other OS (actually, Linux is not graphical at all -- the kernel I mean -- just the GUI things people have written and drawn), and you've got all the tools you need to make it just as graphical as you want to.

"When we're 5 years old we learn by looking at pictures. When we grow older, we learn to write."

Hopefully you'll read this before carrying this out.

I agree that this sort of poll is required and would be interesting. But we also need a call to action. If we can identify the top ten issues as defined by LQ members, wwe then need volunteers to take those steps forward - whether by submitting patches or programs or by contacting the project devs.

A poll on it's own is absolutely useless - just think, we as LQers could effect a change!!

If you do start a poll could you please link back to it in this thread just in case I (or someone else) can't find it or miss it etc. Thanks!

There are TOO many distributions out there. I've used quite a bit of them over the years, and some of them are dogs.

Another issue is when linux tries to copy windows to attract windows users. Linux should stay unique, fun and challenging.

These are just my personal feelings.

I wholeheartedly support this idea if LQ.org management believes that this is a function within the LQ charter (as it were). I think LQ.org has the reputation, status, and professionalism to be taken seriously by most any FLOSS project. It needs to be controlled similar to the annual reader's choice polls to be effective, not just a thread with Tom, Dick, and Harry replying that they'll tackle issue number 3, 7, and 9. If it's not handled professionally, the various developers will quickly route the input we provide to /dev/null.

Someone from LQ needs to take leadership for top 10 forum member identified issues and "keep tabs" on the LQ members volunteering to run each down. Not going about this correctly could hurt the reputation of LQ. Point being, we either take it seriously or start another "Why Linux Isn't Ready for the Desktop" thread. My .

See above, we can't leave this buried in a thread that will soon be forgotten.

I have started this thread to get inputs for what to put in the poll.

Well, I guess some folks get all in a bundle when you suggest that they take the time to learn what comes with the system they install... in the case of Linux, that means the commandline and all the manuals that are available in most distros or ONLINE.
And as a side note to Jiml8: Yes I do repair my 1989 Ford F250 4-wheel drive(all by my little lonesome). However I am also of a mind to take our Toyota to the dealership for servicing since it is under warranty. And yes, for the past two years I have been re-buiding our house up here in the North Woods of Minnesota. Why, I even have a tractor!!! (O heavens!!! he speaketh blasphemies!) and yes I even built my own system... and as soon as I get my library/office finished I hope to set up a render farm for a VRML research project I have been working on for 10 years.
I have been involved in building systems since around 1983, and for the government at that. I even trained people in the assembly of such.
AND I started out as a machine code coder... how's that? Bring forth the commandline that I may crush it under my dancing fingers and laugh derisively at it!!!
BUT,.. (and I have a bigger one now days!) I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist, or an engineer to use linux... I do think you have to use the brain you have been given instead of just opening up your skull and letting M$ and their like pour whatever they want in though.
And that is my point plain and simple.
So you have to work the commandline... or change a property of a file, or choose a new background image, big deal. P.S. Don't be so ready to get hot-headed until you know what you are talking about... net and web are inter-changable in our day... it's cool.
Respectfully yours,
'MasterofNanako'

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"The opinions expressed here are the property of the author and in no way reflect the general community's mentality in any way. However they are intended to instigate action and provoke others into reading the instructions before opening the mouth." -from the writings of "Flung-doo"