• Security should be the priority
• Support for hotplugged devices
• Network transparency
• Performance
• Customization
• Ease of use
• Good, complete user programs

Currently, neither MS Windows nor Linux support all of these. MS is trying to improve its security, with mediocre results. GNU/Linux/XFree86 seems to be focusing more on server capabilities that user needs.

What is needed is a new O/S that combines the best of both worlds. This is an achievable goal. Now, all that is needed is a group to take up the task.

This new O/S would have:

• A command line mode for maintenance and server use.
• A simple, ease to use system configuration system.
• A native GUI. The GUI should be a module that can be removed for system that don't need it.
• A command line application, like xterm.
• The keyboard driver should actually use the keys on the keyboard. Pause, Break, and SysRq should work.
• A better file system. Maybe, one that is journaled, and has a better attribute system.
• A clean dynamic device system. It could be a DevFS like system or something totally new, but the /dev/ directory has to go.
• The GUI will allow the user to change the look by installing a different widget set. Widget sets should be distributable as themes. The widget interface will be well designed and clean to allow third party theme development.
• When a user logs in, he only see the things he has rights to use. When the user looks at the file system, his home directory appears to be the root of the file system and he can only see those files, directories and devices he has access to.
• Network services should not be installed by default. Services should only be added on request and configured as a part of the installation.
• Services and Deamons should run as a special user with the bare minium access needed to run. They should NEVER run with root privilages.
• The sys admin should be able to specify what devices and files are available over the network for the general computer. The user should be able to share his resources over the net as desired. Nothing should be shared by default.
• Applications should tell the O/S what widget to use, where to use it, and what to fill it with. They should not have their own widgets. The apps will be able to send the widget requests over the network, transparently. Apps will look the same no matter where they run.
• Application communication over the network should be encrypted by default.
• A native distributed computing client (like Beowulf) would be nice. It would be load on request and allow networked computers to share processing power.

What else would make a better user desktop O/S? I will add things as I think of them and any comments or suggestions are welcome

What exactly is a "Modern Computer"?

With this comes the questions:

"What is a properties of a modern O/S?" "What can a modern O/S do?"

So, tell me, what do you consider to be the features and properties of a modern computer and O/S?

I think it is less important who innovates more, but rather who innovates better, and who provides the more usable end product. This is a problem for the OSS community.

Having used Linux for many years, I have noticed that OSS projects will get to a certain level of usefulness and then stop. Generally, when the "sexy code" has been written, development slows to a crawl, minor functionality code and minor bugs live on.

Microsoft and other corporate software companies pay people to put the finishing polish software. This makes their software easier to use and more complete.

In my humble opinion, if OSS and other want to lure customers away from M$ and other closed source, the programs need to be polished up and made more usable.