best chance linux appears to have is to become user friendly before the vista is released thatway the community will be able to make a big impact and if the vista release of windows contiues to drop features chances are people are not going to spend 400-500 pounds on a release that will not have all the features introduced until later

64bit/linux versions of: Winamp, Opera, F@H, limewire, nero start smart and of course flash.

I hate to break the chain but I doubt once Vista comes in anything will change at all, marketing is all to powerful + prices wont' go anywhere.

Wow..its been over a year since I first signed up and this is my first post..........w00t!

How about a gui based vpn client similar to the WinXP network connection setup or the Cisco client.

Not for me of course, but I have to support certain Sales types that can't seem to do anything without a gui but for certain reasons have to run Linux.

We need a 1-click DVD backup program like DVD-Rebuilder ported to Linux. This is a freeware application, like DVD Shrink, but more robust. I have not seen one for Linux yet. Also, the very powerful, very high quality encoder it makes use of: Cinema Craft Encoder, is not available yet on Linux.

Tar would be a much better choice, since you can tell it to split archives into DVD sized chunks and then you can extract them all again later. perhaps you'd like a front-end for tar?

thats rely all that linux needs - front-ends or beter front-ends

A real goo front end to tar ...... is kde

I really want Windows Aim, Windows Msn, Windows Yahoo .. since they dont even want to work with Wine or Crossover or has anyone gotten it to work?

Gaim is not enough and doesnt have all the features/capacity these windows im clients have

wow i even use Gaim on windows. I think that the simplicity is better. Also it looks alot cleaner then AIM.

The new kopete supports webcam support.
Kopete does support all networks including IRC.

DO realize the complexity of most terminal apps? adding an interface compatible with tar would be massive, and would still prevent you from doing anything with the input or output.

There are lots of great front ends already, take gnome's 'file-roller' archive manager. There are lots of great front ends.

More to the point, you're right linux does need more front ends, but I'd rather see good apps with crummy front ends than have a bunch of great front ends that don't accopmlish the neccesary tasks. Perhaps one ought to learn that simplest way is often the best, and the commandline is a simple implementation. You can use php, python, perl, c, c++ c# gtk# Qt, and others to create great front ends, but not everyone will agree whch is the best to use, and I'd rather be able to back-up my data without needing a graphical environment, if you ask me.

I think the Key Here is that noone has tired or cares. I left windows becuse I was looking for alternatives to almost every software available for that platform. I don't understand what those programs offer that kopete, or gaim, or one of a dozen others doesn't.

Perhaps if you explained further... but most of the fetures that are notabley missing related to security risks in exposing your system via instant messenger. What's more, why do you feel that having the 'bnus' advertising is a feature.

As I said above, please explain your complaints against gaim, kopete, et al.

I agree but some people have a fobea of the command line, me, I think that M$ has turned into "a bunch of great front ends that don't accomplish the necessary tasks".

3D acceleration support

Sorry? I think you need to a little more research, mate. I HAVE 3d acceleration support. Where have you been?