Where is the Linux desktop at right now?

[Davemon]

This thread is kind of in response to the Fedora Sulfur thread.

Where DOES the Linux desktop stand?

Installing is easy and fairly trouble free. Configuring drives/partitions/working with Windows is well developed.

Hardware detection seems to be pretty good.

USB detection and mounting seems good. (Thumb drives, cameras, etc.)

Drivers for most hardware are available and good.

The 2D desktop is fine, If you want to run openoffice in 2D.

It seems that adding wireless devices has gotten better. Not sure if it's comparable to a commercial non free counterpart.

I have had difficulties adding advanced video drivers in Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Kubuntu, AND then getting resolutions changed, etc. It has been a while since I spent some time with other non Debian based distros and see where they stand, adding and using more advanced video options.(GL)

More than enough free applications.

Where do you think the Linux Desktop needs work/improvement?

What other critical things do we need?



Davemon

[stack]

Where do you think the Linux Desktop needs work/improvement?

Years ago I personally believed that the Desktop was ready. It offered everything that you could get in the other OS's only better. I believed it so much that I made the jump. I sold my Apple stuff and converted the Windows to Linux.

Is it perfect? By all means no.

In the latest Ubuntu release (hardy), it detects and properly initiallizes my sound card. However, it only has two volume settings. Completly and absolutely off, or full blast. [EDIT] Last night I was talking to people in the Ubuntu Forum and got a fix for this. It works perfectly now

We still do not have the detailed equivelent of CPUZ for Windows. Though there have been significant strides recently. (Yes it is possible to gather the basics with dmidecode and the like, but tell me what kind of ram you have without looking at the physical machine. Eg: Is it PC2100? PC2 5200? Details that CPUZ gives easily).

I have metioned this one before as well. Setting up multiple monitors is still a pain in the arse. Hardy has a new graphical tool to do it, but I can't get it to work properly. It will do one or the other but not both so far.

We can all sit down and come up with a list of places where improvement is needed/wanted. However, is it ready for the desktop? I have converted. My wife, my brothers, my sisters, my parents, and my grandmother are all capable of using it with little to no support from me. So I would say so.

What other critical things do we need?

Don't know about what is critically needed. I can think of a few things we can do with less of.
We could do with a few less stupid users....I am not talking about people with a lack of knowledge...just those that choose to be ignorant...
Oh also...we could do with less arguments from 1995....

What's that you ask? Why yes, I did just recently deal with someone who claimed Linux would never be more then a hobbiest OS because it was not standardised and it offered too many choices for users. And sadly, yes...one point of his argument was that it was too difficult for a normal person to compile their own OS. DAH!

Anyway...