I guess I can sympathise with the email below somewhat - Xubuntu should stay true to its core: reliable and light (of course with this in mind, I still don't understand why it comes with gnome-network-manager instead of wicd:) ).

More generally, though, I think decisions about default apps and/or GUI config come down to what the long term objectives for Xubuntu are:
If the desire is to to keep it "pure", the user base is probably limited to a relatively small group of at least somewhat computer savvy users.
If the desire is to expand the user base, i.e. grow market share, the current market must be targeted which - like it or not - is Windows for the most part.
So, if the target market for growth are by comparison folks who are not as computer savvy as members of this group, what's likely going to be more sucessful: making it easy out-of-the box for unsavvy users with savvy users being easily ably to re-configure to their liking or the other way around? For current Xubuntu users it's trivial to move tha task bar, for others not so much.

The other in my opinion more important thing to consider: many people work with computers at work and are not free to choose that OS - it's more often than not Windows. A big concern using a different OS for a personal computer is that data files need to be seemlessly compatible. I do like Xubuntu a lot but I have to admit that I spend a noticable portion of my time reading and fixing DOCX and XLSX files I receive from business associates. I am not sure that too many people would pout up with that. It got MUCH better with LibreOffice 4 compared to 3, but it's still not seemless. Using AbiWord and gnumeric as defaults is likely to cause frustration in this area.

There are many things where ?buntu is IMHO more user friendly than competitive OS'es, for example installing applications (I don't to put CD's in and restart half a dozen times). On the other hand, I have observed many non-savvy users, the biggest turn-off is a change in the UI paradigm. If anybody trying Xubuntu out is put off by the unfamiliarity, he/she will likely not even get to the point to appreciate the benefits. In this context, I think former XP users would be much happier with Xubuntu if it comes packaged right, than Windows 7, simply the GUI paradigm is more similar to what they are used to from XP


Lutz Andersohn

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On 03/24/2014 08:58 AM, Chris Lucas wrote:

While I agree with the value in attracting WinXP refugees, my opinion is that release decisions (default apps, styling decisions, etc.) shouldn't be made based on what "might" make them more comfortable.  I feel Xunbuntu should stay Xunbuntu and continue to make decisions in that spirit and mindset.  I feel that if the focus is purely on creating the best version of Xubuntu, people will either like and use it, or move on to something else. 

Let Zorin OS worry about being a Windows clone.  Let Elementary OS worry about feeling Mac-esque.  It's an entirely different topic, and my own estimates, but most Windows users are more likely to migrate to a pirate copy of Win7 than anything. 

I would hate to see Xubuntu release a distro that gets so tied up in trying to attract new users that it becomes something less than it should be.

Keep the bar on top.  Decide on default apps using the same methodology that had worked so far. Don't pander to WinXP users.  Those are my votes.

Thanks

Chris

On Mar 24, 2014 9:02 AM, "Jimmy Sjölund" <[email protected]> wrote:
On Sun, Mar 23, 2014 at 6:18 PM, Joel Carlson <[email protected]> wrote:

I wouldn't move the panel at all. That is one part of Xubuntu that makes it unique. Instead I would just add some text in the installer to tell them it can be customized and moved to their liking. I usually show ms people the ease of which it can be moved and leave it at that. 

I agree. The first thing I do when working on a Windows system is to move the panel to the top. 

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