Where can we submit ideas for Linux Development?

[comcamel]

i have got a great idea for linux that could be maybe well revolutionary in future usage of computing, however i am not a programmer at all so well i am stuck. However, would there be anyway to contact the Kernel developers for Linux or any other place who may be intrested?

any information would be helpful thanks!

[M-Saunders]

What's the idea? You might not get a reply if you contact a kernel developer directly -- they're busy people. The best approach: write a clean, short and fluff-free description of your idea, and post it on the linux-kernel mailing list.

M

[comcamel]

i thought that a mailing list was where you recieved posts or emails from the developers, no wonder. thanks for that...

Well as you imagine throughout your computer in a directory you can only have one folder of a certain name else you have to rename a certain folder with other files. Me, well i get fed up of this in some cases and really as you look at life you want to see it on computers.

For example, on a table you have two penguin toys, each are identically the same but have something else inside them... Why cannot they have this on a computer system or least experiment.

Where virtually a small resource file and a daemon will collect any information from say konqueror or a message from the kernel when a directory or file is created in the same directory. When this happens each folder is given a certain extension such as having itself having an id on a database. Later this can be used when accesing the folder that has these similar files or folders.

Anyway it is something like that, however it may be a bit stupid in the sense that it may cause problems but be slow, however in many cases this is only one example of a further down virtual file system. This also relates to another idea where i want files in say konqueror to be colour coded for easy usage or look different, so that i can access them quicker and give them the property quick. Basically you can add extended options ontop of files like the permissions it gets...

any thoughts on that?

[Nobber]

any thoughts on that?

My only thought is that you need to give a detailed example, because at the moment I haven't got a clue what you're talking about!

[M-Saunders]

Aha. But what real, valuable use would there be for having two folders with the same name? At least with the toy penguins, it doesn't matter that they're identical because they're just toys.

If they had different contents, as you said, wouldn't it be annoying? If someone said "go get the Juice Loosener out of the toy penguin", you'd have to open up each penguin. Same for the folders.

So it'd be neat in a kinda, "wow, we can do this" but in the long run I can't really see any proper use for it. Unless I'm missing something astonishing?

Mike

[comcamel]

well, i can understand it is a bit stupid having two same named folders, but the concept should be invoked. The purpose could be used for something else, however anyway i just come up with crazy ideas: but still they may spark new things, still though do like the developers ask what people want out of linux?

what i mean do they ask people what features should be put in such as new hardware or security etc, or do they just put it in by themselves?

[bigbee]

I don't really see the advantages of folders with the same name (only the overhead on resources and time and problems with simple search algoritms)

development of new features, hardware support, apps or security patches happens on different levels.
One of the advantages of linux is you can develop software, drivers, ... yourself and post to a mailing list, mail them to coredevelopers or manage your own project. If they are good, they even get implemented in mainstream software. But before you start programming on a new project, it's often good to search for an already existing projects to join efforts (eg. for latest drivers development for webcams, wireless lancards, ...) or a mailinglist (e.g. kernel development...). Separated development has disadvantages (many forks, trees, need for version control system...) but mainly advantages (quick development ...) The OPEN in OSS made it possible to develop an 64bit kernel-system long before m$ released a 64 bit system.
Problems, bugs, new features for existing software, security issues: most of the time these are software-related and posted on usermailinglist, forums, ... of the existing project.
Besides these reasons for development, there is also the urge coming from commercial products(suse, mandriva, RH,...) or other distro's (like debian, gentoo). Most of the projects want a product that works out of the box, supporting as much hardware as possible, having little security holes...

So the choice is yours: contribute to one of the many user mailinglists, help develop an existing a piece of software or start your own project... So YOU actually CAN be a part of linux development, but don't expect a major role (if you're not willing to spend 95% of your live to a penguin)
For users without programming experience I would suggest: learn a language (only the will to learn and a lowlevel linuxbox is required) or participate at a usermailinglist.
To conclude I would not recommend posting to much vague ideas on these means of communication or contact core developers. Most of the people are experienced users or developers and will ignore your post or brake it down (while having their developers-break) if it's not funded on user- or developer-experience. Also don't think Linus is waiting for your mail or post

greetz
bb

[comcamel]

true, what you say about them not having the time, but simply i am not a programmer, i know that in Kde there is the bug section where you can submit ideas, but it isn't exactcly clear with say the kernel for linux. As, even if my idea is vague but really just an example - how is it possble for normal users to mass post their ideas where linux should go?
Really a system like a petition should happen where normal, maybe beginners to advanced users who do not how to program computers can submit their ideas and let other people see them and vote which ones could be developed if reasonable and doesn't burden the developers?

[M-Saunders]

"how is it possble for normal users to mass post their ideas where linux should go?"

If it's purely kernel related, the linux-kernel mailing list is the best place. It's a very high-volume list and a lot of things get lost in the frantic mess, but it'll certainly get to a great many people, some of whom could be interested. And if you know a specific kernel developer who works in the field related to your idea, you can email them -- but they're usually incredibly busy, and would rather have quick-fire ideas, neatly condensed, than rambling back-and-forth discussions.

M

[bigbee]

I don't think linuxdevelopers are waiting for petitions on which things they have to implement There are many reasons why software gets developed: corporate-linux user requirements, community based problems, idea's... The direction linux is going is not precisely defined and main-stream linux consists only of some basic packages (kernel, gcc, c-libraries, basic commands...). You can have developments that solve the needs of large usergroups, but there are also programming lunatics writing software gimmicks of which the use will maybe clear by the year 3546. This all to say, development is also free and open. Solutions are always an implementation of requirements, wherever they may come from.
If I was you, willing to have influence on mainstream linux, I would hook myself up to some forum or mailinglist from one of the main linux projects. I would plant some seeds of my inventions or ideas and if they are really an improvement to linux, there certainly will be a guru willing to implement it into a side branch - alpha-beta test it and finally put it into mainstream software. So get out there, convince people of your idea and maybe we will soon bow for you as the inventor of linux²

[comcamel]

thansk for thats suggestion, i will se what i can do, however really an example of how blatent the problem is between the normal linux user and developers of the kernel could be made by this.

Linux has a problem of not being none well, which is agreeable, unless you want to know or are shown by someone you may give a twirl, else you are stuck with windows. In this cases it was like firefox, however as soon as spreadfirefox campaign got going and publically generating revenue for ads, it started to take off.

Why cannot they do this> get a group to make up an advertising place like spreadfirefox.com and try to raise money and sponsers to get it on tv?

ideas like this are so basic simple, but i don't understand why they aren't ever done in the first place. Personally i only got to knew linux twoyears ago , when someone on a forum said "Linux is better than windows" and listed reasons.

Another thing i would like to mention, is something i heard ages ago, \\Microsoft's windows took off and became used as it simply was advertised more on television as in windows 95\\ why cannot things like this happen for Linux, i have only seen internet ads from IBM. That is all, if we get people to sprout simple ideas like this to large, more powerful people, everything would be a lot better!

[bigbee]

That is all, if we get people to sprout simple ideas like this to large, more powerful people, everything would be a lot better!

hehe I remember "linux advocacy" on one of the last LXF issues
Spreading linux is going on at this moment but there are still lots of other factors not in favor of linux (as a desktop). When you are dealing with businesses you have to convince managers to use linux despite the extra costs of retraining people (of which 90% are indoctrinated with the conservative idea of "please don't change anything, I don't understand anything of a computer but I can hit ctrl-alt-del so i can use windows"). Managers often don't see the benefit of OSS because it can't be put into $$$ directly... (although reduced licence costs may become important)
Fortunately some development countries are juming on the linux train because they have to train people anyway (and they profit from reduced licence cost). Even more admirable: the transition of major companies and government institutes (e.g. Germany)
So a long way to go, although I like your idea of spreadlinux.com

[comcamel]

well, i would say trying to advertise it to businesses, IBM, Red Hat and Novell do all that business. We would need advertising for the normal people, who are fed up of viruses and windows crashing, they are forced to get virus protection or suffer through.

They want an alternative, i am sure of that, but they don't know where to look. When i showed my parents linux - they didn't have a clue what it was and soon as i told the features they soon wanted to here more. The only problem though was the fact they had a lot of applications that couldn't be run on wine... However IT IS DEAD IMPORTANT, strategically that Linux gets advertised before the release of rubbish longhorn, after that release people will be brainwashed into getting new computers or upgrading. Really I think you can easily learn linux within an hour or so, with KDE 1 expert could customise it so it behave like windows, such as copy and pasting commands, but aswell they can still use cross over office for the important business apps.

The problem with Linux is that it is still in the South Pole, it wants to be brought into more contact of the world. Aswell future releases will struggle possibly as children are being brought up on windows - they aren't given the choice of what they want to use - bascially the world is a large dictatorship of you being forced to use windows from birth and it is harder for you to get to know linux... The government or a university should setup a testing scheme in a primary school and a secondary school aswell as other areas such as business, to see how people can adapt with a small tutorial beforehand.

[jer1ch0]

Where can people - non programmers, contribute to the Linux cause.
I use it and would like to contribute back to it. But the only way I can do that, I think is to write some help or man files maybe. I am not a programmer.
How can I help out?

[nordle]

I dont know, I think there may be some mileage in creating a more flexible filesystem, or filesystem views.

Very similar to the now ditched WinFS.

I'm a database developer by trade, and it is sooo much easier to deal with large volumes of data (ie a filesystem) if you can create lots of different views of the filesystem.

The current structure of directory --> files = very flat / rigid. Wouldn't it be great if you could view your entire filesystem from the point of view of properties, NOT location. So you can view all files of a type, or all files related to a particular topic, or all files which are of a particular set of properties.

ie Imagine the whole filesystem organised in a manner similar to the way KimDaBa does, ie you can view all photos taken which contain a certain person, or location. View all types of media, be they .wav, .ogg, .xvid, .divx etc that contain certain people or styles or years etc

Basically have a filesystem which works based on metadata.

Unless of course this has already been done, and I've totally missed it (gnome vfs??)