Shift One


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A meta-thread for all suggestions and ideas along with discussion. I'll update the list here as more ideas come in.

Installer

I took a look at the competition...mostly GUI, other than Ubuntu's Alternative Install CD. Here's my idea. We drop the Alternative CD and as a boot option on the Live CD/DVD (our only CD/DVD), we add the option to just Install. This would either load up a dedicated install application, or it would load up an X server and then load in Ubiquity, the installer application.

Also, we would surely modify Ubiquity to make the process even easier, and more personalized to Shift.

The Public

James7, Barney, others -> We'll need lots of advertising. We should aim for a perfect distro. Plus, let's not only stick to one news site this time around. We should prepare an official press release for all.

Applications

Avant Window Navigator, installed, an option...turned off by default, however.

Compiz basics installed by default, easy to install Compiz Full version.

Affinity search in Gnome Menu

Ubiquity customized.

Various applications revisited, the experience should be updated (lots of apps look bad).

Focus on a clean interface - New Theme

Clean/Working Boot screen

Font manager removed?

Simon, Crimson -> Preload? (sudo apt-get install preload) ... Seems to be something for hard drives, aka, after install.

For the N00bs

Easy Boot options: Start Shift; Install; Boot from Hard Drive; RAM Test...

Noobs should not use Terminal, ever, ever. If anything, make the simplest apps and scripts, just keep them away from the Terminal because once a noob gets in there he'll choke and die. :p

Include our own documentation

Include Shift Tips - Videos showing how to use Shift (instead of Windows)

Ideas include: How do I read RSS, How do I set up email, how do I manage my iPod, how do I add a printer...

Windows Tools

Hardware check on Windows before install, see if your hardware will work!

ISO burning app for Windows? Why not...haha. Nice, simple 20 minute project.

Restart app, linking to these tools.

A link to a script that warns user that it's basically illegal to download the plugin, but can - easily.

Max -> GDM theme idea (from openSuse): http://files.opensuse.org/opensuse/en/a/a6...dm-userlist.png

CD Covers.

Simon -> Usplash and boot graphics.

A screensaver! Could just be a fading Shift logo, nothing big...

MORE wallpaper (nature!)

CrimsonRedMk -> Fixed 0.5-0.6 theme.

This post will be continually updated.

Edited by CrimsonRedMk
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I'm liking these ideas :D

I hate to say it, but the current theme does need a lot of work. I love it, but the menus are a bit off, and tbh there isn't enough attention given to the frontmost window. I know a theme is a lot of work, and for the most part our current one is awesome, but not perfect ;)

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Nice work there, Mike!

Definitely agree about publicity as well. Barney asked me to lend a hand with publicity. I'll get my head round that once I've got a few things going with the Wiki.

Wiki update: I have spent most of today writing things (from an outline I've been working on for a while now) for the Wiki. Maybe I can put some of it up tomorrow. And maybe then people here can then give me feedback, change what they want, add what they want, etc. :D

We want the Wiki presentable when 1.0 hits. Likewise, we want the word well out before so we can build a bit of anticipation.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Preload? (sudo apt-get install preload) ... Seems to be something for hard drives, aka, after install.

This is supposed to be a bit like Vista SuperFetch. I have had it on my machine a few days. I don't know that there is much difference but maybe there is....

I read that Ubuntu are putting this in Hardy Heron by default.

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I'll try and get working on some things in Gnome this weekend, but I'm gone for a while after then, and won't be here for most of the weekend anyway. But I'll try.

Might even give a GDM theme mockup a go.

EDIT: Playing around with the idea in my head, is there a reason for our Live CD menu to have more than one option? There needs to be an option to "Press F1" or something anyway, so why not make it for anything besides starting up Shift?

Edited by simon360
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Boot from hard drive?

True, but we need to be very minimal. We could take the (gasp) Microsoft approach and boot from hard drive if there is no response. I dunno, the idea of a single boot option is very attractive to me.

But I guess I could live with 2 or 3.

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