MobileUNRKarmicApplications

Summary

A complete review of the current default applications in UNR needs to be done, and decisions made on what changes to these apps or their behavior needs to be made to better support the netbook usage model.

Release Note

* Documented list of default applications and any changes to their ui from standard desktop installations will go here.

Rationale

Some applications installed by default in UNR don't make sense. Others need to be reviewed to see if there are user-modifiable preferences that can be made by default to make the applications better support the netbook usage model. A few applications are under investigation at the desktop level, and UNR tries to leverage from the desktop as much as possible. And there are some features of the netbooks that are either underutilized or not utilized at all.

User stories

* Derf buys a netbook pc with a screen limited to 1024x576 wide screen. When launching Firefox to browse the web or Evolution to read his email, the application fills the screen with toolbars and stats bars, leaving little space for actual information. After cursing the gods, Derf makes simple changes to the UI preferences to make the readable screen area larger.

* Rose wants to syncronize her mp3 player with her netbook. She hopes the default music player will support her mp3 player, which would be easier than using a file manager.

* Rambo is stationed in the middle east. He wants to have a video chat with his family back home before going on a mission. His netbook has a supported video camera and the sound system works perfectly, but there is no default application to easily allow him to do video conferencing.

Assumptions

Design

* Applications should be able to meet the video requirements of netbook pc's. Currently, this is limited to 1024x600 wide screen. Some applications can be easily modified through user-defined preferences. Others will either need modification, or have a wrapper application built to force them into the proper mode. A case by case review will need to be done to determine the easiest option.

* Some default applications included in Jaunty don't make sense and should be reviewed for inclusion.

* New applications and plugins exist that would better enhance the netbook usage experience.

Implementation

UI Changes

* Default settings for Netbook specific functionality

  • Firefox - removing bookmarks menu to increase screen layout space.
    • In UNR, Downloads dialog takes up full screen (due to Maximus)
  • Evolution gconf settings to reduce screen footprint.
  • Removal of vnode
  • Add gnome-do to classic desktop mode.
    • Integrating dokey with UNR
    • Search from UNR
    • Tying favorites in UNR with dokey on classic desktop

Code Changes

  • Review and configure maximus for specific apps.
  • Need to change Maximus behavior for some windows within certain apps (Firefox download window)

Migration

  • Migration issues should be minimal, as this only covers default applications on new installations.

Test/Demo Plan

Unresolved issues

  • The desktop team has discussed whether or not to switch to Banshee instead of Rhythmbox as the main media player. No decision has been made on this, and none is expected until shortly before feature freeze.

BoF agenda and discussion

* Discuss which applications are included by default in UNR

  • Skipover backend plumbing, discuss more of the gui apps.
  • Reduce duplicate functionality
  • Adding apps or app front-ends that are designed for netbook screen sizes
    • Mail
    • Web
      • Firefox (customized defaults?)
      • others?
    • Media
      • Banshee combines music and video
        • - uses Mono - desktop is considering moving to Banshee (session later today)
      • Rhthymbox
      • Elisa (video, music and photos)
      • Canola 2 (touch-friendly, would need work for use with mouse)
      • Consider running Moblin apps in UNR (revisit for Karmic+1)
      • F-Spot for photos
        • - Some concern about reliability
      • For all of these apps, what plugins should we consider installing
        • by default? - Flickr plugin for F-Spot
      • Totem for video
    • Webcam apps
      • Cheese (current)
      • Ekiga?
      • Video Blog app or plugin.
  • Default settings for Netbook specific functionality
    • Firefox - removing bookmarks menu to increase screen layout space.
      • In UNR, Downloads dialog takes up full screen (due to Maximus)
    • Evolution gconf settings.
    • Review and configure maximus for specific apps.
    • Removal of vnode

    • Add gnome-do to classic desktop mode.Anmar to talk to Jason & Neil offline.

      • Integrating dokey with UNR
      • Search from UNR
      • Tying favorites in UNR with dokey on classic desktop
      • ACTION: Create wiki page and/or set up session to discuss
        • general defaults for applications such as Firefox to work better in UNR (Pete Goodall)
  • Total package review - Anmar to take AR.
    • ACTION: Sweep the UNR seed for unnecessary apps (Anmar Oueja)
    • Gnome Du
      • - Use Docky in classic mode to present all default UNR apps
    • Cheese
      • - Fills a need, netbooks always have webcams - Needs to be easier to find the photos, videos it creates - Want better integration for web
        • - Video blog post - Already has Flickr plugins - Take picture of me and make it my default photo - Desktop integration with About Me - Possibly part of setup?

Recommendations

The following is a list of recommended default applications to be included with Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix. The list is intended to be a complete list of graphical applications to be installed by default. Any applications listed as "hidden" should be hidden by default from the user, but the user should have the option of unhiding the application using the Alacarte menu editor.

Default Favorites

  • Firefox 3.0
  • Empathy
  • Gwibber
  • Banshee Music Player
  • Help (GNOME Help Browser)

Accessories

  • Calculator - GNOME Calculator

  • Character Map (hidden)

  • Dictionary - GNOME Dictionary
  • Stardict - Dictionary primarily for China, Japan and Korea

    • PAG - Is it possible to install this for only the languages mentioned above?

  • Terminal - GNOME Terminal

    • PAG - This is hidden by default in most commercial products, but the end user for those products may be very different.

  • Text editor - GNOME Text Editor (gedit)
  • Tomboy

Games

NOTE - The gnome-games package currently has all games packaged together, but it is possible to package each separately. Of all the GNOME games only one (Iagno) was problematic with the typical screen resolution of netbooks (minimum 1024x576). There is also some duplicate functionality, such as more than one Solitaire program. These changes are reflected in this recommended list.

  • Blackjack
  • Chess
  • Five or More
  • Four-in-a-Row

  • FreeCell Solitaire

  • GNOMETris
  • Klotski
  • Mahjong
  • Mines
  • Nibbles
  • Robots
  • Sodoku
  • Tali
  • Tetravex

Graphics

  • F-Spot
  • Cheese

Internet

  • Mozilla Firefox 3
    • Should also have OpenJDK Java plugin (icedtea-webplugin?)
  • Evolution Mail
    • Note - This is a launcher for the mail component not the "Evolution Mail and Calendar" launcher - See the "Office" section below.
  • Empathy Instant Messenger
  • Gwibber

Office

  • OpenOffice.org Writer

  • OpenOffice.org Calc

  • OpenOffice.org Impress

  • Evince
  • FBReader
  • Evolution Address Book
    • This can be achieved with "Exec='evolution -c contacts'" in the launcher
  • Evolution Calendar
    • This can be achieved with "Exec='evolution -c calendar'" in the launcher

Sound & Video

  • Banshee Music Player
  • Totem
  • GNOME Sound Recorder

Notable changes are:

  • Including Banshee instead of Rhythmbox
    • Follows Ubuntu Desktop
    • Presents the user with both audio and video content in the same interface
  • Including Empathy instead of Pidgin
    • Follows Ubuntu Desktop
  • Inclusion of Tomboy
    • This is frequently requested - Unfortunately don't have anything to reference at this time
  • Separate links for each component of Evolution
    • The Evolution UI is already too crowded. I recommend turning off the switcher buttons by default (can be done with gconf)

Specs/MobileUNRKarmicApplications (last edited 2009-07-07 22:50:01 by cpc3-bror4-0-0-cust564)