The next version of the world’s most popular desktop Linux operating system (that’s Ubuntu, for those playing dumb) comes with fewer apps available out-of-the-box.
Daily builds of Ubuntu 23.10 now ship with just a super-slim set of default software. These are designed to cover basic computing needs only.
For anything else, the idea is that we, the user, fire up the Software Store (though the new one isn’t included in daily builds yet) and install what we want for ourselves.
As an idea, it’s not without merit.
But in practice, I think it’s a potential misstep.
Basically, Ubuntu will no longer ship with LibreOffice, an email client, Shotwell, or a host of other applications and tools. While there’s certainly a market for slim distributions that install a lean and mean base installation for the user to expand into exactly the installation they desire, I doubt users opting for such an approach are interested in using Ubuntu, of all distributions (use Void. It’s the only Linux distribution with the official OSNews Seal of Approval™). In other words, this seems like an odd choice for a distribution aimed at relative newcomers to the Linux world.
But then again, Fedora is a better choice for those people anyway.
This is such an interesting debate because if you replace “Ubuntu” with “Windows” the debate would have a Very different tone.. the default in an OS matter. And Libre office has effectively monopolised the office app space on Linux for decades (in its various names).
I want my desktop OS to let me choose the apps I want to install, not decided in advance I want Candy crush.
One of the things historically that always frustrated me about Ubuntu was their caviler attitude with regards to security.
IMHO, not creating a hacker’s “playland” is a step in the right direction.
Worse for the (apparently absolutely stupid) end user, sure, but it should be. Nothing good comes from convenience due to ignorance.
This has hints of the path that SUN took when they shifted from SunOS to Solaris2.
SunOS had a full dev environment (including native C compiler, etc).
With Solaris2, the native dev tools were a separate add-on.
This drove many on our campus to no longer consider future SUN systems as viable generic platforms.
The same type of “focus adjustments” seem to also be happening with RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, etc.
Fedora? Why?
I had the same question, especially coming from Thom who (as far as I recall) is a huge proponent of Linux Mint. Mint is far more beginner friendly than Fedora, from the installation process to the fact that on Fedora one has to jump through hoops to get multimedia codecs and even some popular apps, whereas on Mint it’s straightforward and quick to set those up.
And mad props to Thom for mentioning Void, it’s the best Linux for us Slackware expats and about as close to old school Linux one can get and still have a sane package manager. Any of my machines that don’t run OpenBSD these days run Void (including the HP Stream “toy” laptop I’m typing this on while on vacation in the mountains of North Georgia).
Experienced users know how to manage the software packages they need/want/dump. Basic users, and especially new or new-to-Linux users, need their hand held a little bit to get them started. Next, what do most typical users expect from a new install? Do they expect to have to research and decide on what software to manually install to do even basic things such as support “office” tasks, audio/video consumption, view/edit photos, etc.? Most users, I’d bet, don’t like a new install to be either too bloated or too thinned out to where they can’t even hit the ground running. There’s an acceptable balance somewhere in the middle of those two extremes and that’s the sweet spot. That’s where you’ll find the most users. Users of any experience level tend to not think much about all the users who aren’t like them. They’re interested in what works for them and if that doesn’t work for you, that’s your problem.
By the way, am I alone in noticing people picking a distro that doesn’t suit their needs/wants very well and then complaining to no end about its perceived short-comings, rather than just picking a better suited distro from the beginning?
friedchicken,
Haha, yeah. I struggled with this myself. I made tons of CDs for different distros. Linux may need an authoritative guide to the distros.
Thom, if osnews published such a guide, I think it would be quite popular 🙂 I wonder if such a thing could be crowed sourced somehow without being too biased?
For new-to-Linux users, at least many of the ones I’ve spoken to, the ocean of distros/choice is actually a detriment and turn-off. The average user doesn’t want to test-drive multiple distros, especially when they’re new to Linux and already in uncharted waters. People tend to want to install, have everything work out of the box, and they get to whatever they want to do without a bunch of hurdles or trial-and-error in the way. People typically want the path of least resistance. The more experience users have with Linux, the more apt they are to explore the choices. Those users don’t need much hand-holding for that. But new-to-Linux users, Grandma, or the technology illiterate… Make it simple for them.
Choice is a good thing until there’s too much of it.
friedchicken,
I agree. I’m recommending mint for my brother currently. But if he had to test dozens of distros himself I know he would get discouraged.
I’d rather have too much choice than too little, like an oligopoly. But yeah we could slim down the numbers distros. Thousands of people build their own distro, which is fine for their personal use, but it’s far too much for the world.
https://distrowatch.com/images/other/distro-family-tree.png
This is why I’ve made no attempt to publish mine. It’s nice to be able to build and optimize a distro around my needs, but the linux tree doesn’t need “yet another linux distro”.
Although I would have liked to commercially peruse my own operating system further when I was in university but I needed money so I had to throw in the towel and got a job. In hindsight, seeing what happened to other OS projects like mine, I know I made the right choice financially, but it still hurts that I didn’t get to do what I really wanted when I was younger.
Agree. It reminds me of the reason for Window’s Start button.
Considering the amount of Ubuntu users using primarily google docs followed by online office 365 I think it isn’t surprising.
There is something to be said for it and something against it. Since people are busy installing anyway, maybe a screen in between which gives a few categories they can click and choose, so they get a basic setup going, without getting either a sparse OS or an everything and the kitchen sink monstrosity.