The document discusses issues with desktop Linux and proposes solutions. It argues that Linux has problems with audio, hardware support, packaging differences across distributions, and a lack of professional multimedia editing tools. It states that large, complex software like video editors require significant funding to develop properly but current open source models have failed to provide adequate funding. It proposes that Linux distributions and companies should help fund important projects through donations, software stores, and promoting commercial options to encourage further software development for Linux.

1. Why Desktop Linux Sucks. And What We Can Do To Fix It.

4. It's customizable.

5. It's stable.

6. It's open.

7. It's, generally, pretty bad-ass.

9. How about Wi-Fi issues?

10. Maybe updates that broke core functionality?

11. Perhaps the lack of particular software (or type of software) forces you to use another OS? Long story short: Linux Sucks. But let's get specific: Why? And how do we fix it?

13. Mobile Linux (Phones, PDAs, Tablets).

14. Embedded Linux (Routers, etc.).

15. Marketting.

17. Pulse?

18. Gstreamer?

19. Open Sound System?

20. aRts (Analog Real Time Synthesizer)?

21. Phonon?

22. Are you kidding me?

24. Do not create a new audio framework.

25. Do not create a new framework that wraps other audio frameworks.

26. The real key is which API developers use.

27. Pick one. Here, I'll show you how easy it is:

28. Gstreamer. There. Done.

29. Now everyone just use that.

31. Multi-monitor setups are problematic.

32. New versions of X.Org and distros break existing video drivers too often.

33. Configuration can be... annoying.

34. Wireless drivers.

35. New versions should not have less functionality on modern equipment.

37. If modern video cards work with a current release of a distro (or X.Org)... do not release the new version of that distro (or X.Org) if that video card is no longer fully supported.

38. Same goes for Wireless Cards and all other hardware.

40. .RPM?

41. .tar.gz?

42. Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, OpenSuse, PCLinuxOS, Gentoo... Often need different packages for each.

43. Many people duplicating effort packaging same software for different formats and distros.

45. LSB (Linux Standard Base) says RPM is it.

46. Deb is far more popular (as Ubuntu is in the lead usage wise).

47. But, really, it doesn't matter. Just pick one and everybody freaking use it.

48. If every distro can utilize the same packages - awesome .

50. Most of them are not even functional.

52. ReZound?

53. Jokosher?

56. Nothing cuts it. At all.

57. Lives? KDEnlive? Kino? PiTiVi? Cinellara?

58. HD support is sketchy at best.

59. Hard to install.

60. Unstable.

61. Lacking expected features.

63. They require a large investment in time and developer resources.

65. Linux is not even on par with Windows and MacOS from the mid 1990's.

67. The funding must be reliable.

68. … Let's come back to this topic in a bit.

70. CAD, Pro-level design, Image Management

71. Animation, Screenwriting, etc.

72. ”What about Photoshop?”

73. Large applications, that require a large resource investment.

75. Games are huge. They drive system adoption.

76. Some have come to Linux (Doom 3, Neverwinter Nights, Penny Arcade Adventures).

77. The list is small.

78. Sales are not large enough for most developers and publishers to consider a Linux port.

79. Open Source games don't cut it.

81. There have been many, many attempts at Open Source projects to address these needs.

82. The time and resource (manpower, etc.) requirements for these projects make their success unlikely.

83. So we must fund these projects. But how?

85. Open Source with Corporate Funding?

86. Open Source plus Paid Services?

87. Closed Source?

88. Commercial with Source Available?

89. Sure! Anything! But let's think about numbers for a second.

91. Let's say it we need 3 developers and 1 tester.

92. Each person earns $75k per year.

93. That works out to (without graphics design, documentation, marketting, server admin, project management or support) : $300,000 per year.

94. Developers need to eat.

96. A team of 5 dedicated, full time developers is typically going to be more productive than 50 developers who only putz a little on the weekend.

97. The Open Source projects that are commercially backed an funded tend to be the most active and have the most momentum.

98. Developers need to eat.

100. The developer is attempting to work on it full time (which is needed).

101. Monthly donation subscriptions: $2019.

102. That's only $24,228 per year. Not enough to rely on for living expenses.

103. Developers need to eat.

106. Or purchase closed source software for Linux in order to encourage the companies to bring more to Linux.

107. Or both.

109. Active fund raisers.

110. Build software stores into their distros.

112. To the distros: Man up.

114. www.JupiterBroadcasting.com

115. www.Twitter.com/BryanLAS