Software for our distribution
This suggestion must be reworked. Maybe it will be completely rewritten.
We must reduce the number of apps that come with the base distribution. Look at Linux: most distributions are packed full of software (and many games) and I still can't get the most basic work done.
Put the function first and then a list of apps that solve the task in an acceptable way (Haiku should replace each with one simple app per function). Only mention good apps in the example list! Please don't add Unix geek stuff like console apps. Depending on the number of applications we could consider releasing two editions. Everything in Base Distribution is automatically installed.
Please put apps that are available for BeOS at the bottom, so we can find the more important tasks first.
Base Distribution
Needed in daily use:
Default Install
- native media player (native widgets (MediaPlayer)) with playlist, encoder/ripper (same function), CD/DVD/Blu-Ray-support, mass tagger, http-stream-client (Video: BeOS:Video Lan, but simpler, Audio: Win:WinAmp)
- simple CD/DVD burning app with UDF and full multisession support (Win:Nero Express)
- simple imaging app (extend ShowImage to scale, cut, and convert images and have minimal set of filters)
- scanner interface
- easy to use, binary package manager
- Java
- synchronization app for folders, mobile, PDA (Java:DirectorySynchronize, Win:FMA, maybe OpenSync-based?)
- TV app (simpler than BeOS' one, more auto-detection)
- PDF/PS/DVI reader (BeOS:BePDF + Win:GSview + Win:Yap)
- instant messenger (BeOS:im-kit?, Win:Miranda, Gaim)
- archiver, integrated into Tracker (BeOS:Beezer?, Win:7-Zip)
- browser (BeOS:Firefox) or a native one like Net+ (see Talk:Software_Wishlist)
- real email client with IMAP and LDAP support (BeOS:Thunderbird)
- simple text editor (BeOS:StyledEdit)
- address book (BeOS:People)
System Tools
- FTP-client with SCP support
- BitTorrent client (OSX/BeOS:Transmission); integrated into browser or global download server???
- file system encryption (Win/Linux:TrueCrypt, please port this one!)
- hex editor (DiskProbe should not limit the file view to 512/2048 bytes)
- Terminal launcher (BeOS:Summon)
- Terminal with the features of a "real" terminal like (Linux/*BSD: XTerm, Aterm, Eterm ...)
- IRC client (BeOS:Vision)
- VNC
- Ruby
- Python
- Perl
- Io
Additional Software (Extended Edition?)
Mostly complex applications. User should decide what he likes and needs:
- office suite (Linux:OpenOffice or AbiWord+Gnumeric+some presenter)
- easy to use audio editor
- advanced imaging app (BeOS:Pixel (commercial), Linux:GIMP/GimpShop?)
- advanced vector drawing app (Linux:inkscape?)
- simple video editor
- LyX
Optional/Specialized Software (not shipped with Haiku)
Only for experts:
- professional DTP app
- professional synthesizer and audio suite
- professional rendering software (BeOS:Blender?)
- professional video authoring app
- Awk & Sed?
- Lua?
- Tcl/Tk
- http server
- FTP server
- database
- scientific apps (Maxima, Octave, Scilab, Gnuplot)
- LaTeX with UI (BeOS:teTeX/BeTeX)
Comments
Re: Software for our distribution
Security
I wish this new OS have a memory execution prevention system, and in the same way the compilers that made code for it has that implementation.
With this in mind we could get a stronger base, to run our apps, in a more secure way than in other OS's. This should take down the data/stack execution, and further more we must check the danger of buffer overflow/stack underflow.
So that the apps bugs couldn't damage the OS kernel stability.
Graphics
I guess we wish accelerated graphics 2D/3D.
A powerfull (and if possible, yet simple) graphic API to build great looking games.
Burning
The CD/DVD (HDDVD/BluRay) Burning software could get advanced features just like Win:Nero, Lnx: K3b. To burn advanced DVD/CD formats such a Boot, Mixed, Hybrid, UDF/ISO, etc.
Re: Software for our distribution
What can I say, apps bring the users. Users bring the corporations and big software titles. Pack it full (or at least make it accessible) of top notch Open Source apps to get users moving is key. Here's my list of preferred apps which are in some cases cross-OS.
PROGRAMS
Browser: Firefox
Email: Thunderbird or Evolution
IM: Pidgin
Video Player: VLC
Torrents: Transmission
Scanner, Webcam, Camera Tools:
MP3 player Tools: EasyTag
PRODUCTIVITY
Office: Open Office
Graphics (pixel): GIMP
Graphics (vector): Inkscape or Synfig
3D: Blender3d
Video Editor: Jahshaka or HyperEngine-AV
Audio Editing: Audacity
Web Editing: NVU
Text/Code Editor: Bluefish
Virtual Machines: VirtualBox
Burning: Nero Linux or K3b
FTP: Filezilla
CD/DVD coping: K9copy
SYSTEM TOOLS
VNC
IRC
NMap
LANGUAGES
Python
PHP
Perl
GAMES
Solitaire
Re: Software for our distribution
NET: TOR port against some attacks and Privoxy port for removing ads, banners, pop-ups and other obnoxious Internet junk?
Re: Software for our distribution
Thunderbird +1 (i like Mozilla group)
Inkscape +1
And... i want Geany like, simple software developer tool ;)
Re: Software for our distribution
Hi,
can I suggest you to take a look on the apps included by default in Zenwalk Linux (http://www.zenwalk.org/)?
Since it focus on being:
# Modern and user-friendly (latest stable software, selected applications)
# Fast (optimized for performance capabilities)
# Rational (one mainstream application for each task)
# Complete (full development/desktop/multimedia environment)
# Evolutionary (simple network package management tool - netpkg)
I think it delivers a really good set of programs for every day use... ;)
Re: Software for our distribution
Old (2006 !) but interesting discussion.
I (always) believe/hope that Haiku would be a media os, so it should focus on it IMHO.
My main suggestion is to port a good player/transcoder such as MediaCoder (GPLd).
To me the advantage is that it has the Extension support that allows to simplify its use for newbies. This also means that you can use it as a player too (remember that Mplayer is already been ported to Syllable...) !
CD/DVD buring: a muxup of InfraRecorder (interface) and cdrtfe (features) would be great.
Imaging: OpenImageManager
TV: DScaler, of course !
...more to come...
Re: Software for our distribution
But then again, if we were to have all these applications ported to Haiku, it would lessen its identity. If every platform has the same run-of-the-mill programs, the distinction between them is blurred more to the end user, who cares very little about backends and how things work behind the scenes.
Er, that belongs to the list of programs that are cross-platform that we 'need'. Drupal insists on showing it somewhere else. Uh, Okay!