Need Help - Linux Desktop Likes and Gripes

I am very excited! I was invited by the Linux Foundation to their Collaboration Summit in April. The SUSE Linux Desktop Team asked me to bring my joys and complaints to the conference. I will serve on a panel explaining to the bright people who make Linux work how well Linux Desktop OS works with consumers and enterprise technology people.

I need your help. If you are a user of Linux Desktop, please let me know what distribution you use and post what you like and don't like. What do you think it does well and what would you like changed? I need this feedback by April 7th but it would be great if I could get some feedback before March 15th, as I will be seeing some of the SUSE Linux development team at Novell's Brainshare at that time.

I will start:
I've used SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop for 3 years (the first year it was called Novell Linux Desktop). I have it deployed on about 20 desktops and 640 laptops that are used at school and at home.

My Likes:
Beautiful interface (compiz)
Love the cost
Love the security and lack of viruses and spyware
I love that most programs are configurable with either the GUI or easy to manage configuration files
Love the documentation both on the box and in the community (I'd like better writing but this is the case with all technical manuals)
I love Firefox
I love that the Linux platform puts me in the epicenter of open source development allowing me to afford applications that I can't afford on the commercial side allowing for greater creative outlet and innovation

My Gripes:
I want web cams to work right away
I want every piece of built in hardware to work without fussing around:
*Function keys
*ThinkVantage Button
*Finger Reader
*DVD player
*wireless
*Audio Headsets
*External VGA port to work with projector
I want rpm's or an msi equivalent for every software package I want to install on my computer
I want Linux versions of the software I want to buy
I want WINE to run Windows versions of software I want to buy if a Linux Version does not exist


I will add more later. However, I wanted to get the ball rolling. When I started using Linux, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I'm kind of a "Ready - Fire - Aim" guy. However, I am extremely pleased with the decision. That being said, I'm never one to shy away from expecting the stars and moon. Even if you think it's not feasible, if you want it, put it on the list.
Comments et to be reviewed on this blog because too many people post commercials otherwise. However, please add your comments and I will readily post them.

Starting a Laptop Program

I would like to thank Lenovo and Captial Technology & Leasing for asking me to present on Preparing your school for a One-to-One program in Milwaukee. I spent 12 wonderful years in Wisconsin and it was nice to "be home."

The presentation can be found here.

The presentation is derived from the work done on the 1:1 Readiness Instrument developed by Educational Collaborators. This group has over 125 years of collective experience leading K-12 One-to-One programs and can help schools with their programs, beginning with this free tool.

The Great Laptop Debate

I just learned of a fantastic blog giving us a wonderful peek into the debate of a community whose public school district is seeking to implement a 1:1 laptop program. They were kind enough to include a link to this blog, though I do not know if they seek to include Linux in their program. However, it really doesn't matter. Though Linux can save a lot of money with laptop programs, the goal is not to save money or deploy computers. The goal is to help students learn how to become great learners in the ever-changing global marketplace of the 21st Century.

The town is Oberlin, Ohio and the blog is called Community Diaries. I encourage you to take a look. Though I am sure many great things will be added to this discussion, I would begin with the comments made to the bottom post on the blog.

Enjoy!

Brainshare '07: SLED in a 1:1 Education Environment

I am currently at Brainshare, Novell's annual conference to celebrate and learn about Novell Technologies. We are heavy user's of Novell's products, primarily SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 (SLED 10) and Zenworks. I am giving two presentations at the conference.

The first is Using SLED10 in a Mobile 1:1 Education Environment. The presentation was created with OpenOffice but is distributed here as a PowerPoint file for those users who don't have OpenOffice. Obviously, if you have OpenOffice, you know you can open PowerPoint files.

I am learning a great deal at Brainshare and hope to find the time to share some of my discoveries.