I have quite high hopes for the next Ubuntu LTS release. Currently, I expect that:
• LTS releases will never ever be used as a platform for propagation of new technologies...
... such as the pulseaudio fiasco in Hardy. I still don't understand why pulseaudio is a Depends, not a Recommends. I hope this kind of thing will never happen again in an LTS. Seriously.
• Ayatana be widespread used in most or all officially supported applications.
I hope it will be used in all default installed applications. I'd like to see this happening as soon as 10.04, the proposed target for the next LTS. This will leave LTS-only users with jaws dropped for sure.
Tracked here.
• Fully featured PIM suite.
Seriously, Evolution is well integrated with Gnome, but I guess (citation needed) Thunderbird has a more widespread user base. It would be good to also have Thunderbird as the center of a whole alternative full PIM suite, that could sync with Evolution, mobile devices and the cloud (Google calendar/contacts, MS Live, Apple, coff... Squirrelmail coff..., etc).
I'd like to sync my PIM applications with mobile devices, like my Palm PDA, and in the future, a cell phone. However gpilot is less than complete (in comparison with e.g. kpilot), and since PalmOS is basically dead upstream, I don't expect much development in that front. OpenSync looked like it would be the way to go, but now it looks like vaporware - it's stable release 0.22 is years old, and the 0.3x development branch progresses slowly. It worked in my tests in Ubuntu 9.04, didn't in 8.04, but it seriously lacks a proper interface. Granted, I'm geekly enough to use it, but it feels very arcane. Definitely not ready for Ubuntu widespread usage (Kubuntu users might disagree, since kitchensync seems interesting, YMMV).
Also, I'd like that my PIM was stored (or synced) in such a way that it would be accessible with either evolution, thunderbird, alpine, my Palm TX and my cellphone. (Akonadi, anyone?)
I know most of what I just mentioned is not Ubuntu specific, but upstream work, but if Canonical considers itself in such a position to drive development, it should use its weight to direct a clean PIM infrastructure, be it opensync finally releasing something new and usable (either 0.2x, or 0.4x), or something else. Please, do it for the next LTS and I'll stick with it for quite a few years.
• Firefox should time out the addons upgrade window
Every now and then, when I open Firefox, it helpfully informs me that there are newer versions of addons I have installed, and offers to upgrade them. But because I cultivate obscene amounts of tabs open, I don't often wait to see firefox opening since it usually takes quite some time. This is when this window makes me throw something out the window; it prevents firefox from opening until I take some measure, either to upgrade or dismiss. This should clearly have a time out and dismiss after a few seconds (I guess 15 would be more than enough for a someone to aim at the OK button, and click it. Even if the user misses the time out, there is a chance of doing it afterwards, so it's not really necessary to do it at the start.
• Home cloud
Sure, why not? Canonical is soon launching Ubuntu One, I sure would like them to bundle a similar sync suite that could sync my PIM data across my desktop and laptop (and my PDA), media storage available over the wire for my music and videos, and various other potential applications. Who has the time to sync their whole hard drive with the cloud? Let me sync my important (small) stuff with the cloud, and the more heavyweight stuff remain at home. Palm is doing this kind of PIM could sync with the new pré smartphone.
And please give me the option to not have to trust anyone with my PIM stuff, it's too important to be left at third party servers, thank you. Home cloud, I always loved you, even though I never met you.
• Quickly be released quickly (get it? get it?)
This is something that I miss since I started programming for my project, it will really help me keep my test and workstations up to date. I already love it since the blueprint.
It's targeted to Karmic, AFAICT.
• Separation between 'Interface' and 'Infrastructure'
This is something worth a more in depth explanation, so warrants it its own post.
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