Ubuntu Wiki

• Launchpad Entry: desktop-lucid-default-apps

Summary

Review the desktop seeds for applications that we install by default and discuss which to remove/add/change.

Release Note

TODO

Rationale

We want to keep the default installation delivering a system which benefits most users and meets their expectations and needs. These expectations, as well as the applications themeselves, change over time.

Design

Game selection

So far we distributed the entire GNOME Games collection. A while ago there was a vote on the popularity of the GNOME Games (http://projects.gnome.org/gnome-games/survey.html) which showed Mahjongg, Mines, Tetris and Aisleriot to be the four most popular at the time. Since then Chess, Lights Off and Sudoku have been added.

Selection for Lucid:

• Aisleriot - Highly popular ("solitaire" variant); caveat: many variants, many of which are not obvious how to play); David Siegel volunteered to do an UI review
• GBrainy - "Brain" games are very popular at the moment. Interface and puzzles seem a little complicated when I tried it. Needs improved name in menu e.g. "Brain Exercise".
• Mahjongg
• Mines
• Sudoku
• Tetris - Highly rated in survey. The GNOME Games version is now in clutter and may cause performance problems on various systems.

To be investigated (Robert Ancell will make final call):

• Provide easy access to "Farmville" facebook game
• fagan to investigate sudoku telepathy integration

Video editor

Collabora supports/develops pitivi, which is a good and usable choice for easy video editing.

It currently has a lot of stability and some usability problems (simple use case of opening a video and using time line is very confusing). Include the application by default by alpha-1, and make final call on its lucid integration before beta-1, based on bug reports and feedback.

Fate of GIMP

The Gimp is a showcase for the power of FOSS, but also is complex, and basic photo editing tasks are taken up by F-Spot/eog. It is considered to be not a good first experience for new users.

Change eog to provide an edit button in the tool bar that opens F-Spot. Change F-Spot to offer edit tools in viewer mode, too (not just in collection browser).

Design team to look at F-Spot UI and identify inconsistencies with other apps.

Remote desktop viewers

We currently ship two remote desktop viewers, tsclient and vinagre. tsclient is planned to get merged into vinagre.

Popular applications page

As a target of opportunity, Software Center should get a new category "Popular applications", so we can keep the CD to a minimal size but hint to users what is worth looking at next. This should look like:

• Need more powerful image editing tool? Install The Gimp, it's a fully featured image editor
• Want to produce some music? Install Jokosher and jam with your friends

with one-click install links.

We would rework this page for each release.

Test/Demo Plan

N/A. Just verify that the changes above are in the life system.

CategorySpec