BOFs

Revision 20 as of 2005-09-16 07:25:11

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Ubuntu Below Zero - BOFs

As at UDU, the plan is to focus on "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) meetings at UBZ. These will be organised so that each BOF results in a recorded output. It might be a plan, a process, a piece of code, etc. In each case, every BOF should terminate with a written report of the BOF, the conclusions, and the action items (and to who they were assigned).

We'd like to identify as many of the BOF topics before UBZ as possible, to allow us time to prioritize these and look at assigning Leads and Seconds to each BOF topic before we get there. This will also give leads (and all interested contributers) a chance to research the topic before hand.

Ideally we are aiming to at least have a framework spec created for each topic, with a broad outline of the Introduction, Rationale, and some of the Scope and Use Cases listed so that everyone understands intent of BOF topic in advance.

BOFs will be related to one or more of the main tracks ie:

  • Ubuntu
  • Kubuntu
  • Edubuntu
  • Launchpad

Please help us by suggesting BOF topics which you think need to be addressed at UBZ.

Let's aim to get a record number of post-its right across the wall...(ask anyone who went to UDU if you don't know what this means or see: [http://jriddell.org/photos/2005-04-29-sydney-bof-wall.jpg/ UDU Wall of Fame])

Please also feel free to send feedback and suggestions on how to make our Developer Summits more effective. janew@ubuntu.com

Please list your suggestions of BOF topics below. We'll start creating framework specs from these shortly.

  • Xinerama - Currently, we have a fair amount of applications which don't behave very well in a multi-head environment. Xinerama is the X protocol extension which allows applications to know that there are multiple physical displays attached and make sure to put up windows which doesn't span multiple physical displays and similar problems.

  • Ubuntuforums integration with the rest of the Ubuntu community. [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ForumsCommunityIntegration?highlight=%28ubuntuforums%29%7C%28integration%29 Wiki page]

  • LinuxKernelRoadMapForServerandWorkstation - We will need a very traditional kernel for the server support (5 years) and probably a more flexible and open one for the workstation (3). This BOF is targeted to identify the different requirements and integrate them with other part of the system.

  • UbuntuClusters - Breezy had the first real cluster love (HA oriented). This BOF target is to evaluate all possible combinations of clusters solutions we would like to offer to the community (more high availablity solutions, high performance solutions, thinclients reusage into cluster environment).

  • UbuntuClustersDeployment - This might be a subtopic of the above, but it is more related to d-i integration in order to find a simple way to deploy cluster installations.

  • ZeroConfSpec - It would be nice to include zeroconf support in breezy, it is needed to discuss if this would be suitable to have setup by default.

  • FirefoxUpdates/Firefoxplugins - There has to be a nice way to make firefox not display the "install missing plugins" link but tell to use apt to install plugins. Same for updates

  • VariantSelection - easy switching between/adding of ubuntu variants (ubuntu,kubuntu,edubuntu,etc...)

  • Distribution update notification - Notification when a new Ubuntu version is released and easy (GUI) way to upgrade.
  • Expansion of add/remove programs - show screenshots, comments, ratings, installation of codecs/plugins or other commonly installed non-GUI programs, integration with launchpad.
  • Automatic updates - automatic/silent installation of (security) updates, possible even when current user has no sudo privileges
  • Removing default programs - better mechanism to remove programs included in the default installation. Not removing ubuntu-desktop, maybe somehow remembering this is a default installation minus program removed, so you won't have problems when upgrading to a new distro version.
  • Eyecandy - more (optional?) eyecandy in Ubuntu

  • Ubuntu installer for Windows - old mailing list post about this [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=48517 here]

  • Backports promotion - make people more aware of backports, provide an easier (GUI) way to enable them
  • Extra CD's - Making additional CD images available for download/purchase with software from universe with each a certain theme, e.g. a programming utilities cd. Mainly important for those of us that are not so fortunate to have broadband internet, who at the moment have a very difficult job installing extra software.
  • Smaller updates - Updates in the form of patches, I think suse is doing something like this? (even great when only as a last resort for dialup users)
  • Autopackage - Autopackage integration in Ubuntu to make it easy for commercial software to have installers
  • Faster boot - using something like initng? and have gnome start so fast that it doesn't need a splash screen. Have usplash continued when autologin is enabled until the full desktop is ready.
  • CD burning solution - evaluate solution used in breezy: many programs vs. one centralized program (e.g. gnomebaker)

  • Centralization is good, right now there are many programs to do similar tasks, for example, there's a ripper, a cd player, a music jukebox, there should be a centralized jukebox with support for playing cd's & ripping, maybe next version of rhythmbox? Do we need eog & gthumb? gthumb is better, and maybe f-spot gets better by the timeframe of daper (breezy+1).

  • Add your BOF suggestions here.

  • Looking Glass - If you wanna dazzle Vista wannabees, there's the package you'd want to consider. A 3D Desktop with much less requirements than Vista [https://lg3d-core.dev.java.net/ LG3D Site].

  • Existing Documentation - Fixing existing non-Ubuntu documentation (location, register to Yelp, etc.)

  • UbuntuHelp - work on a user manual that is Ubuntu-specific; contents of Breezy FAQ Guide can be tamed for this.

  • Inclusion of Documentation WIP in milestone releases - have the documentation team map out internal milestones that coincide with distro milestones, instead of doing much of the integration work a few weeks before release.
  • Migrating to linux with Ubuntu - Does Ubuntu have all the tools needed to effectively migrate to linux with it (this includes importing Outlook calendars + mail, browser settings/bookmarks, etc. from other installations and/or OSs)?

Below is the list of deferred Breezy Goals, most of which will also be discussed at UBZ: