My first contribution and really a list of feature requests, not just one. Pleas be patient
I just recently got a mini pc to replace an old macbook, was tired of the closed garden and wanted to give Linux another go after not having used it for years. I tried a couple of distros and loved Manjaro (with KDE Plasma), was able to customize it to my liking in just a couple of hours.
I am overall extremely impressed, save for some issues with grub. As a returning “new” Linux user this is the kind of OS I was looking for: fast, highly customizable, but not forcing me to learn how to troubleshoot constantly.
I found very easy to install new software from the pamac UI, even when it’s not supported by the official repository, the build process from within the UI is really smooth. However, I think it misses some features that could make it a killer app. Thinking especially of the app discovery UX in Browse tab, and in particular for users new to Linux:
Give an option to hide apps already installed (there’s already a tab for those), and hide by default
Bring the groups under categories, to allow to search and filter by groups. For instance, under Development, would be nice to be able to select/deselect tags eg QT, IDEs, Python, etc.; or under Communication & News: RSS feed readers, remote connections, crypto, etc.
This could also be used to group together alternative apps (e.g. Chrome, chromium, edge) in the browse list view, and/or to show alternatives in the app details screen.
Add tags to packages to identify apps, extensions, libraries, etc.
When AUR and/or flatpack are enabled, the same application is shown from multiple sources (sometimes with different versions). It would be less confusing to group under a single list entry, then give the option to pick the source from the app details screen, with a recommended one
Support sorting apps by Manjaro users rating / # of downloads / project activity or star rating on github.
I cannot do anything else but downvote this…those suggestions might sound nice on first glance, but only on first glance. When you really think about it…they are all bad ideas or not doable.
that will only cause people to lose the overview…and what is so hard in seeing the red uninstall icon which means it is installed
there are groups already…this, and probably the tags idea, are probably dependend on arch and all the package maintainers, just as the current grouping
see above
you want the sh…y ubuntu software center…then why not use ubuntu. You can actually probably install their snapstore under manjaro too.
Again, just as 1, this is just a bad idea. Everything hiding information from the advanced user is a bad idea.
that is one of the things that are impossible to implement in practice…even the current system is very unreliable, people do not really bother to vote.
And i do not want anybody to recommend me anything, i am not a windows user and i do not like ads in the start menu, settings, clock, software center, screen saver, or wherever… i can do my own research.
I package versions and types are confusing, how can we expect the user to tend his pacnews for example. And why is the user enabling third party sources if he does understand them…those are the people not reading the warning or the announcements and then posting topics they cannot update or they cannot build because they are missing base-devel. And we reach again the famous article “is manjaro the right distro for me”
If you want ultra simplicity, in pamac options menu there is a “software mode” that hides a lot of packages and maybe will make you happy.
Well, it isn’t impossible to implement; and it may be true that not many would use voting systems, generally; but even if they did, frankly, that!
While it gives a warm fuzzy feeling to recommend a package to other users with a single click, knowing that you might have done someone a service, however minor, there is also this thing called a down vote: When a package is not fit for purpose, one can also give others an indicator of this, with a single click.
The problem with down votes: The majority of these are given [historically] because a user lacks the basic knowledge to make the package work as intended; or perform the necessary configuration; or they are just plain dumb 's (read: too new to Linux in general and/or not prepared to invest any required time or effort to accomplish a task).
The ratio of up/down votes is therefore is not reliable, from the onset.
The OP’s other suggestions; reasonable at face value; though the options would probably require someone familiar with the code base, and willing to give up a substantial amount of their free time; for free.
If the OP has any coding experience, they might consider researching how they might get involved, and donating their own time to the cause.
that!