For me I love both Ubuntu 16.04 & Linux Mint 18.1. I have dual boot on both my machines, but on one I would like to change Ubuntu out with Mint by the install options asking which of the operating systems that were found on the hard drive that you would like to replace with the OS on the install DSC. Example if I happen to have windows os and Ubuntu as dual boot and I want to install Linux Mint to replace the current Ubuntu os by simply selecting Ubuntu as a choice and the install takes care of it automatically.

Respectfully,
Thanks very much for all the fine work you software guys do.

Phil

I have been with Linux since the late 90's. I really have no complaints and such. Linux has come a long ways since the days of winmodems and dependency hell.

However... I have to agree that there is a need for more current/updated documentation.



To all who have or are contributing to Linux, opensource and the BSD family I would like to Thank You. I can't imagine a world without any of that.

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The Network Manager does not automatically connect to wifi on startup (sometimes, usually, always?). I installed Wicd network manager, and it works as expected.

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Python version ambiguity has caused me grief twice recently. My work-a-day system (mint 17.3) uses python 2.7.6, but some software packages depend on python 3.x requiring installation of a second version of python. Every now and then these versions clash, most recently bringing down the mint menus. Developers who absolutely must use the latest version of the software tools they use to build software need to be cautious about building in dependencies that might break a potential user's OS. The dependency checks should be expressed as "python version > 2.7" rather than "python version 3.4.3"

My pet linux peever of the week; thanks for asking.

John

The biggest issue - - - programmers HATE writing docs - - - - so docs are usually at least a little behind, sometimes many versions, makes them quite not useful.

Another issue is keeping up with the ancillary parts of the system - - - when its complex software often the system needs to use software that is at least into only security upgrade or at worst software that has been deprecated and is recommended as a NOT to use level due to security holes or flaws.

Sorry - - - the web is loaded with installation recipes that are old, often 3 or 4 and sometimes many more versions old. Don't see many dates on such things - - - - boy it would be nice to know that things aren't up to date before I mangle my system trying to follow something that would be easy to deprecate if it had a date on it.

Something that I've been running into for the whole time I've been trying to use Linux is the attitude from those that are providing 'help' with some issue that I'm having is that I'm supposed to know all the often petty little regulations that are all too often different between every site, that I'm supposed to make this (running Linux) my life - - - - sorry - - - - computers for me are tools just like (even though they are different) machine tools and tooling and other equipment - - - - I use tools to do things to fix things to discover things. Tools that expect me to learn more tools (and then another layer and sometimes even more) are tools that are easy to replace and if they're not easy to replace - - - - well I start looking for other options.

I have other ideas but I'm thinking its time to say 'vale!'.

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to pgaboria
See the thread Dual Booting Systems. I wrote a response outlining the procedure that I use. Basically, I change hard drives.
KISS Keep It Simple S----d

There are three longstanding problems I have seen:

1) Commercial software permissions. I only regularly use one commercial package, Maple. But the way the installation defaults go, it seems they presume people run linux as root all the time. I certainly hope that is not the case, but I find myself adjusting permissions (especially regarding license checking) that were defaulted to the user being root.

2) Maybe improving, from what I read on this thread. I have given up several free (as in beer) software packages since they have never been updated to 64-bit. It has been 3 computers for me since I had a 32-bit machine. Why can't they get it? I do not want to be running two sets of these libraries all the time, so I simply don't use any 32-bit only pseudo-free software, such as Skype (may be fixed now), Acrobat Reader (is this fixed??). I know, you get what you pay for, but if they have any interest in supporting the linux community, the time for 32-bit software has long passed.

3) Non-free drivers for hardware. This also is better than it was, mostly because I can now find boot images that deal with the non-free drivers I need for networking. I know that it is a free-software purity test to be sure that nothing on your machine requires some non-free driver, but people, particularly new users but also longtime users like me who are either unaware of non-free-drivers needed for the machine they just purchased, or have compromised to get the best mix of affordability and compatibility in the kind of machine they buy, have to deal with unavailable drivers on boot images since they are not free enough.

The only niggling problem that I have with my Ubuntu 16.04 is that my screensaver still activates while watching sport streaming in full screen mode. I have added Caffeine and Xscreensaverblocker to my apps, but to no avail.

To dabeegmon,
Yes, I have been an engineer for over 50 years and I hate documentation, too. All I suggest is that when you are testing, snap a screen shot just before you press the GO button. Make that your documentation.
KISS Keep It Simple S----d.

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I'd have to say, that as far as I know a lot of new GNU/Linux users are affected by WIFI/Bluetooth/Audio issues. This is usually because drivers are needed or more advanced configuration is needed. Also, installing display drivers seems to be an issue among new users (and properly configuring the nvidia proprietary driver).

Incomplete boot:
no boot at all, boot to grub, boot to login, login not working, GUI not opening

Then library incompatibility csusing problems in updating.

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When running Kubuntu 12.04.5, I could have many projects, on as many desktops, and switch between them with ease. I could also switch between whatever screen resolutions I needed, with a simple, "Ctrl Alt + or -". Every distro I've tried since, gives me one, and only one desktop, (I might as well be running windoze). They also give me a screen resolution an ant couldn't read. The only way to change it, is through the system settings, (also unreadable), and I'm put through this for every reboot.

For my money, the big issue is returning traditional Linux functionality to all the distros.

Bill

I am running Debian unstable and see the occasional package dependency issue, but being patient does the trick. The Debian team does a fantastic job, no complaints from me.

It is the year 2017 and bash still prevails linux sripting. At least for non-pros this is an issue.
http://bashfailed.wordpress.com/
Expectations on usability increase and bash wont do it in the long run. The quest for alternative wont payout quickly but it is a pain and it needs to be treated.

I, too, very much embrace the kiss principle!!
What I have been doing is to save the process used on the terminal so that I can refer to it.

The screenshots help but that assumes that I know what I'm doing. When I don't and am looking at changing something and my recipe doesn't include any and 'failure' points or methods of change or recovery - - - well let's just say there is a real need for documentation!!

Thanks for the idea though. I am starting to work on the fringes of things (making new stuff) and this idea will very much help for my documentation (now to rectify the tremendous lack of 'official' documentation - - - I think that's quite another order of magnitude!!!)