The perfect operating system....

[CommonTater]

Ok, lets see if this one gets some creative thinking going....

Think about the perfect operating system... what would it be like?

For me it would be totally modular.

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

It would have an easily replaceable User Interface... and hopefully there would be several different ones available. One for gaming, one for corporate, one for home use, etc.

The most common Drivers would be provided on the DVD or available for download, but they would not be bundled into the install. Only those actually used would be installed. If I have removeable drives etc. that are not present during the install, it should prompt me for the disk or download them... it should not waste my machine space with a ton of crap that gets installed "just in case".


It should be progressive.

There should be no big leaps, such as between Windows 98 and windows 2000... these changes should be driven by hardware and should be made available as user directed updates... not as "automatic updates" because most people just don't get what that's really all about.

Development should be progressive continuing to build upon and improve the core OS incrementally over time so that at no time do I have to reinstall an entirely new OS.


It should be tidy

New options and features should be available as they're developed but they should not be bundled. It should be possible to improve the OS in bits and pieces to suit my needs replacing older modules or versions and completely removing the previous ones without bloat or clutter on the hard disk. Updates and changes as the OS moves along should not cause undue growth in the OS. Moreover, it should be possible to completely remove features that are no longer needed; don't need networking... just uninstall it and get back the disk space.




Anybody want to add to the list?

 

[patio]

This would have been BEOS...after full development...

 

[Lordbob75]

Sounds like something that is a relic of the past to me.

The modular idea is not a bad one, but to have to purchase each and every one is excessive. Having a DVD with the CORE OS (with GUI) on it as well as tons of extras that can all be installed (like W7 is now, but with options of features to install, all included), with the apps like paint or WMM, etc up for sale instead.

Automatic updates is a necessity. Security updates and such NEED to be automatically installed. There are those that DO NOT like Auto updates, and if they want to NOT install security updates, then so be it...

The last part would be covered by both the modular part, as well as the core of the OS being extremely small.

~Lordbob

 

[smarteyeball]

Ok, lets see if this one gets some creative thinking going....

Think about the perfect operating system... what would it be like?

I have my own subjective opinions about what a perfect OS should be, but I currently know what the perfect OS is -

"Impossible to Achieve"

For me it would be totally modular.

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

The idea has merit, but the purchasing aspect of extras does not.

A central, absolute, logically itemised clean and easy to use GUI where free components can either be downloaded or ordered via physical media (cost for physical media to be minimal)

Essentially something like what the varying package managers in Linux distros do - but much 'less confusing and straight forward for every one'.

It would have an easily replaceable User Interface... and hopefully there would be several different ones available. One for gaming, one for corporate, one for home use, etc.

That would be nice.

Again, you can achieve something similar with different Linux window desktop environments / window managers etc - but it would have to far less 'bug free' and easy to implement for the masses.

The most common Drivers would be provided on the DVD or available for download, but they would not be bundled into the install. Only those actually used would be installed. If I have removeable drives etc. that are not present during the install, it should prompt me for the disk or download them... it should not waste my machine space with a ton of crap that gets installed "just in case".

Agree %100 there.

It should be progressive.

There should be no big leaps, such as between Windows 98 and windows 2000... these changes should be driven by hardware and should be made available as user directed updates... {sic}

Development should be progressive continuing to build upon and improve the core OS incrementally over time so that at no time do I have to reinstall an entirely new OS.

To a degree, that has already happened, albeit in a different method to what you have outlined. A core OS is continually developed and updated.

The last fundamentally different OS change was from XP to Vista. Prior to that, a lot of core and refined elements made it from one OS to the next right up to and including XP.

However as hardware evolves, so too does the way an OS needs to interact with the hardware. We are already limited by outdated methods that do not fully utilise the hardware to it's full potential as it is. So a perpetually progressive OS would only be possible if hardware technology progression was to be 'frozen'.

It should be tidy

New options and features should be available as they're developed but they should not be bundled. It should be possible to improve the OS in bits and pieces to suit my needs replacing older modules or versions and completely removing the previous ones without bloat or clutter on the hard disk. Updates and changes as the OS moves along should not cause undue growth in the OS. Moreover, it should be possible to completely remove features that are no longer needed; don't need networking... just uninstall it and get back the disk space.

Once more, I have to mention Linux, for to a certain level, that does already occur.

However, unlike Linux - the process should again be straight forward and much more user friendly.

Just to clarify, I am not purporting Linux distros (blanket coverage) as being candidates for a 'perfect OS', because they simply aren't.

Anybody want to add to the list?

Not really

If I were part of a paid Think Tank, or there was even a slim chance that any ideas/input would be utilised, I would put a lot more productive thought into it. Since neither category is applicable...

So with that in mind and unrealistic as it is, the 'Perfect OS' would be:

• one that runs flawlessly on any hardware and at all times
• would be easy to use for a 'nanna never touched a computer' user
• conversely it could be as complex, flexible and rewarding for the most tech minded users.
• Contain intuitive 'fanboi' blockers
• Completely and utterly Free

Since perfection is impossible to achieve, and everyone's definition of perfection is different - that is why there can never can, nor ever will be a 'Perfect OS'

 

[pezzonovante]

Windows 7 IS the perfect OS for me. Well almost. I would like to have a built-in PDF viewer and archiver software. And Windows Live Essentials should be built-in. I hate installing third-party softwares.

 

[hubris]

My "perfect OS" would be anything better than what i have now. Win 7.

 

[baarod]

Ok, lets see if this one gets some creative thinking going....

Think about the perfect operating system... what would it be like?

I have my own subjective opinions about what a perfect OS should be, but I currently know what the perfect OS is -

"Impossible to Achieve"

For me it would be totally modular.

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

The idea has merit, but the purchasing aspect of extras does not.

A central, absolute, logically itemised clean and easy to use GUI where free components can either be downloaded or ordered via physical media (cost for physical media to be minimal)

Essentially something like what the varying package managers in Linux distros do - but much 'less confusing and straight forward for every one'.


That would be nice.

Again, you can achieve something similar with different Linux window desktop environments / window managers etc - but it would have to far less 'bug free' and easy to implement for the masses.

Agree %100 there.

To a degree, that has already happened, albeit in a different method to what you have outlined. A core OS is continually developed and updated.

The last fundamentally different OS change was from XP to Vista. Prior to that, a lot of core and refined elements made it from one OS to the next right up to and including XP.

However as hardware evolves, so too does the way an OS needs to interact with the hardware. We are already limited by outdated methods that do not fully utilise the hardware to it's full potential as it is. So a perpetually progressive OS would only be possible if hardware technology progression was to be 'frozen'.

It should be tidy

New options and features should be available as they're developed but they should not be bundled. It should be possible to improve the OS in bits and pieces to suit my needs replacing older modules or versions and completely removing the previous ones without bloat or clutter on the hard disk. Updates and changes as the OS moves along should not cause undue growth in the OS. Moreover, it should be possible to completely remove features that are no longer needed; don't need networking... just uninstall it and get back the disk space.

Once more, I have to mention Linux, for to a certain level, that does already occur.

However, unlike Linux - the process should again be straight forward and much more user friendly.

Just to clarify, I am not purporting Linux distros (blanket coverage) as being candidates for a 'perfect OS', because they simply aren't.

Anybody want to add to the list?

Not really

If I were part of a paid Think Tank, or there was even a slim chance that any ideas/input would be utilised, I would put a lot more productive thought into it. Since neither category is applicable...

So with that in mind and unrealistic as it is, the 'Perfect OS' would be:

• one that runs flawlessly on any hardware and at all times
• would be easy to use for a 'nanna never touched a computer' user
• conversely it could be as complex, flexible and rewarding for the most tech minded users.
• Contain intuitive 'fanboi' blockers
• Completely and utterly Free

Since perfection is impossible to achieve, and everyone's definition of perfection is different - that is why there can never can, nor ever will be a 'Perfect OS'

SONG is the perfect OS. And the author is Sting. "To search for perfection, is all very well, but to look for heaven, is to live here in hell."

Be happy with what you have. If you're not ask nicely. Perfection is an enterprise of idiots, selection is the enterprise of nature, and Seven is the enterprise of the masses and as such will bend toward the will of the former two.

 

[severedsolo]

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

not sure about paying for features seperately, fair enough say "if you want them download them" but they should be included in the price of the original OS and thus free on the download page.

The most common Drivers would be provided on the DVD or available for download, but they would not be bundled into the install. Only those actually used would be installed. If I have removeable drives etc. that are not present during the install, it should prompt me for the disk or download them... it should not waste my machine space with a ton of crap that gets installed "just in case".

agreed for myself, but what about those non techy users who dont remember where they put the disks? or get it preinstalled, they probably never ever look at those disks again, they want it to just "work"

It should be progressive.

There should be no big leaps, such as between Windows 98 and windows 2000... these changes should be driven by hardware and should be made available as user directed updates... not as "automatic updates" because most people just don't get what that's really all about.

agree with Lord bob about the updates, and smarteyeball about the rest, sooner or later the kernel will need to be rewritten in order to make use of newer technologies at a basic level, also, if its a commercial product (talking about credit cards so im assuming it is) then how exactly is the company going to make their money once you have it you have bought your OS and downloaded your modules that you want?

Development should be progressive continuing to build upon and improve the core OS incrementally over time so that at no time do I have to reinstall an entirely new OS.

see previous post about kernel rewriting

It should be tidy

New options and features should be available as they're developed but they should not be bundled. It should be possible to improve the OS in bits and pieces to suit my needs replacing older modules or versions and completely removing the previous ones without bloat or clutter on the hard disk. Updates and changes as the OS moves along should not cause undue growth in the OS. Moreover, it should be possible to completely remove features that are no longer needed; don't need networking... just uninstall it and get back the disk space.

agree 100%

 

[celldweller1591]

For me its openSUSE 11.2.Its has got everything i need .Windows 7 is the runner up

 

[zzz2496]

Ok, lets see if this one gets some creative thinking going....

Think about the perfect operating system... what would it be like?

I have one: Linux...

For me it would be totally modular.

Linux is TOTALLY modular.

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

It's called package manager, in Linux...

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

CD burning "module" under Linux, you can find aplenty, want a GUI version? They have it. Want a console version, the have a few...

It would have an easily replaceable User Interface... and hopefully there would be several different ones available. One for gaming, one for corporate, one for home use, etc.

Already DONE, KDE/GNOME/XFCE/Enlightment/BasicX/old CDE/and plenty more...

The most common Drivers would be provided on the DVD or available for download, but they would not be bundled into the install. Only those actually used would be installed. If I have removeable drives etc. that are not present during the install, it should prompt me for the disk or download them... it should not waste my machine space with a ton of crap that gets installed "just in case".

Already packed...

It should be progressive.

There should be no big leaps, such as between Windows 98 and windows 2000... these changes should be driven by hardware and should be made available as user directed updates... not as "automatic updates" because most people just don't get what that's really all about.

Development should be progressive continuing to build upon and improve the core OS incrementally over time so that at no time do I have to reinstall an entirely new OS.

Every Kernel release is very "progressive", rarely Linux developer makes big leaps...
Whenever a "reinstall" is needed, most of the time, the reinstalled system will be ready in less than 2 hours with all your apps already installed...

It should be tidy

New options and features should be available as they're developed but they should not be bundled. It should be possible to improve the OS in bits and pieces to suit my needs replacing older modules or versions and completely removing the previous ones without bloat or clutter on the hard disk. Updates and changes as the OS moves along should not cause undue growth in the OS. Moreover, it should be possible to completely remove features that are no longer needed; don't need networking... just uninstall it and get back the disk space.

Linux (depending on one's view) is very TIDY. I mean, if you don't want "this", remove it, you don't want "that", remove it, want console only installation? you got it, you want to run it on a cell phone, have a hack of it... It's the "perfect" OS...

Anybody want to add to the list?

You should have added very consumer market friendly (ie. Similar to Windows)... Which is the only place where Linux still fail... FOR NOW - MWAAHAHAHHAAH~~~

Ok, that last part is just a spur of my ego - please don't flame me
Well, that's my version of a "perfect" OS...

zzz2496

 

[zzz2496]

For me its openSUSE 11.2.Its has got everything i need .Windows 7 is the runner up

One of my favorite distro/version

 

[loaba]

The perfect OS? Perfect for who, you or me? What I want isn't necessarily what you want.

I want my OS easy to use and I don't want it to get in the way. I need it to be customizable, but have that reset button handy.

I need my OS to do lots of things right out of the box, I don't want to have to go and pay for a bunch of features (that I think should be included with the purchase price).

I want to own my copy, not just lease it.

I need my OS to be affordable.

 

[zzz2496]

I think the proper word for the perfect OS is an OS that looks like Windows, works like Windows, don't have Windows's weakness, have *nix stability, scalability, security, have to be cheap, can run Windows's 3D games natively and run it at same or better performance than Windows, can run EVERY Windows applications out there including and not limited to Adobe's products, Firefox, iTunes, Winamp, Foobar2K, and Microsoft Office suite (along with it's accompaniment products like Exchange Server, etc). I think that's about it... The main theme is still one same true theme, it got to be able to run Windows's apps... Every Windows apps, or else - it's not ideal OS...

zzz2496

P.s: It's name will always starts with word "Windows"... what an irony...
P.p.s: If it's name has "Linux" or "ux" or "ix" or "buntu" on it, then it won't work, because it will hinder the usage model, and it's not Windows - although it has every options/features/benefits that surpasses even the most expensive Windows doesn't have. Too bad, it's doesn't start with "Windows"...

 

[CommonTater]

Automatic updates is a necessity. Security updates and such NEED to be automatically installed. There are those that DO NOT like Auto updates, and if they want to NOT install security updates, then so be it...

If my system is running fast and stable... why on earth would I jeopardize it by throwing a bunch of totally unknown changes into it?

Seriously... think about it... how many people here are complaining that things were fine until the last updates came out?

Why would I risk that?

 

[CommonTater]

Buying the latest version would give me the core OS, the multitasker, the driver interface and a "load up" tool. nothing more.

From there I would add what features I wanted... and only those features I want. Don't need CD burning... don't install it! The extra modules would be either downloaded (have your credit card ready!) or purchased on separate disks.

not sure about paying for features seperately, fair enough say "if you want them download them" but they should be included in the price of the original OS and thus free on the download page.

Think about a $39.00 operating system kernel and add-ons at $2 and $5 each... rather than envisioning something like Win7 as your base think of a tiny installation with nothing but a small catalog sitting on your screen where you select your extra options to add... Those options could be highly varied... different shells, differing features, third party apps... etc.

Back when Linux was still the new kid on the block, I downloaded a copy of Slackware and it did just that... you got the installer program, the OS kernel and the command shell... from there you chose your Window Manager, your networking options, your various applications... and then there was this loooooong download... (Dialup...)

 

[Lordbob75]

If my system is running fast and stable... why on earth would I jeopardize it by throwing a bunch of totally unknown changes into it?

Seriously... think about it... how many people here are complaining that things were fine until the last updates came out?

Why would I risk that?

Updates are not completely fool proof or perfect. No one claims that (at least I don't). I am saying this more for security updates.
If you don't mind being hacked, then feel free to not install these.

Think about a $39.00 operating system kernel and add-ons at $2 and $5 each... rather than envisioning something like Win7 as your base think of a tiny installation with nothing but a small catalog sitting on your screen where you select your extra options to add... Those options could be highly varied... different shells, differing features, third party apps... etc.

Back when Linux was still the new kid on the block, I downloaded a copy of Slackware and it did just that... you got the installer program, the OS kernel and the command shell... from there you chose your Window Manager, your networking options, your various applications... and then there was this loooooong download... (Dialup...)

This is a bad idea for 1 big reason:
99% of computer users just want to buy a computer they can take home and turn on and go. They don't care what else is on it, they don't want to choose exactly how it looks, or pick out each and every detail, they just want it to work.

Now, for users like us who DO want that choice, then that idea makes more sense.
However I still don't like it. Why?
1) I don't want to buy a kernel and then pay for each and every add on. Why is that? It will feel more expensive, it takes more time, I would like to have more options without needing to buy them all.
2) I don't want to have to pay for each individual thing
3) I don't want to pay for each individual thing
4) I don't want to buy each part of the OS separately
See a trend yet? It is a pain in the ass.
A solution to this would be to buy what I will call the CORE OS. It will sell for anywhere from $50 to $100 (depending on what exactly is included).
When installed, this will take you first to an option menu, where you can choose from a number of GUI styles (ALL of which are completely free, included in OS price). From there, the normal style of installation would continue, but with all the core OS components being free.
Then, anything that would not have originally come with it.

~Lordbob

 

[CommonTater]

If my system is running fast and stable... why on earth would I jeopardize it by throwing a bunch of totally unknown changes into it?

Seriously... think about it... how many people here are complaining that things were fine until the last updates came out?

Why would I risk that?

Updates are not completely fool proof or perfect. No one claims that (at least I don't). I am saying this more for security updates.
If you don't mind being hacked, then feel free to not install these.

And what exactly makes you think that NOT installing these updates is going to make me more likely to be "hacked" than if I didn't? I am neither visible enough or important enough for any hacker to even notice, never mind wasting his time on... Really, think about it... do you actually believe there's some kid in China who's picked your machine to mess with?

I have the hardware firewall in my router... I can give you my present IP and you wouldn't even know there was anything there... What more do I need?

 

[whs]

Quick question: Who of you guys is going to write this "perfect system"?

 

[loaba]

Quick question: Who of you guys is going to write this "perfect system"?

Heh - exactly!

 

[Lordbob75]

If my system is running fast and stable... why on earth would I jeopardize it by throwing a bunch of totally unknown changes into it?

Seriously... think about it... how many people here are complaining that things were fine until the last updates came out?

Why would I risk that?

Updates are not completely fool proof or perfect. No one claims that (at least I don't). I am saying this more for security updates.
If you don't mind being hacked, then feel free to not install these.

And what exactly makes you think that NOT installing these updates is going to make me more likely to be "hacked" than if I didn't? I am neither visible enough or important enough for any hacker to even notice, never mind wasting his time on... Really, think about it... do you actually believe there's some kid in China who's picked your machine to mess with?

I have the hardware firewall in my router... I can give you my present IP and you wouldn't even know there was anything there... What more do I need?

Ok then. Just because you have a firewall does not mean you cannot be hacked. Just because you are not important does not mean you will not be hacked.
If you have a computer, eventually someone will give it a shot (not necessarily successfully).

Now, what about stability updates? User interface updates? Service Packs?
Just because your system works now, does not mean it will in a week. Something you install (say a new program) can crash the computer. MS may have known about that and released a patch to cover it, which you didn't install.

See my point?

Quick question: Who of you guys is going to write this "perfect system"?

Let me finish college (and high school) first ok?
Just kidding.

For right now Linux would be the only thing that qualifies on that count, but needs to run Windows programs....
So for now it is simply a pie in the sky.

~Lordbob