--- title: 'Dustin Kirkland: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Desktop Default Application Survey' description: 'Back in March, we asked the HackerNews community, “What do you want to see in Ubuntu 17.10?”: https://ubu.one/AskHNA passionate discussion ensued, the results of which are distilled into this post: http://ubu.one/thankHNIn fact, you can check that link, http://ubu.one/thankHN and see our progress so far this cycle.  We already have a beta […]' url: https://canonical.com/blog/dustin-kirkland-ubuntu-18-04-lts-desktop-default-application-survey?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Dustin Kirkland](https://canonical.com/blog/author/kirkland "More about Dustin Kirkland") 21 July 2017 # Dustin Kirkland: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Desktop Default Application Survey [Apps](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/apps) [Snap](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/snap) [Ubuntu Desktop](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/ubuntu-desktop) --- Share the article Back in March, we asked the HackerNews community, “What do you want to see in Ubuntu 17.10?”: A passionate discussion ensued, the results of which are distilled into this post: In fact, you can check that link, and see our progress so far this cycle. We already have a beta code in 17.10 available for your testing for several of those: * [GNOME replaced Unity](https://insights.ubuntu.com/2017/04/05/growing-ubuntu-for-cloud-and-iot-rather-than-phone-and-convergence/) * [Bluetooth improvements with a new BlueZ](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bluez) * [Switched to libinput](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libinput) * [4K/Multimonitor/HiDPI improvements](http://ubu.one/hiDpi) * [Upgraded to Network Manager 1.8](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager) * [New Subiquity server installer](http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/daily-live/current/) * [Minimal images](http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-base/daily/current/) (36MB, 18% smaller) And several others have excellent work in progress, and will be complete by 17.10: * [Autoremove old kernels from /boot](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unattended-upgrades) * [EXT4 encryption with fscrypt](https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-security/+archive/ubuntu/ubuntu-security-staging) * [Better GPU/CUDA support](https://medium.com/intuitionmachine/how-we-commoditized-gpus-for-kubernetes-7131f3e9231f) In summary -- your feedback matters! There are hundreds of engineers and designers working for \*you\* to continue making Ubuntu amazing! Along with the switch from Unity to GNOME, we’re also reviewing some of the desktop applications we package and ship in Ubuntu. We’re looking to crowdsource input on your favorite Linux applications across a broad set of classic desktop functionality. We invite you to contribute by listing the applications you find most useful in Linux in order of preference. To help us parse your input, please copy and paste the following bullets with your preferred apps in Linux desktop environments. You’re welcome to suggest multiple apps, please just order them prioritized (e.g. Web Browser: Firefox, Chrome, Chromium). If some of your functionality has moved entirely to the web, please note that too (e.g. Email Client: Gmail web, Office Suite: Office360 web). If the software isn’t free/open source, please note that (e.g. Music Player: Spotify client non-free). If I’ve missed a category, please add it in the same format. If your favorites aren’t packaged for Ubuntu yet, please let us know, as we’re creating hundreds of new snap packages for Ubuntu desktop applications, and we’re keen to learn what key snaps we’re missing. * Web Browser: ??? * Email Client: ??? * Terminal: ??? * IDE: ??? * File manager: ??? * Basic Text Editor: ??? * IRC/Messaging Client: ??? * PDF Reader: ??? * Office Suite: ??? * Calendar: ??? * Video Player: ??? * Music Player: ??? * Photo Viewer: ??? * Screen recording: ??? In the interest of opening this survey as widely as possible, we’ve cross-posted this thread to [HackerNews](https://news.ycombinator.com/), [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu), and [Slashdot](http://slashdot.org/). We very much look forward to another friendly, energetic, collaborative discussion. Thank you! [twitter.com/@DustinKirkland](http://twitter.com/@DustinKirkland) On behalf of [@Canonical](http://twitter.com/Canonical) and [@Ubuntu](http://twitter.com/Ubuntu) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q is available for pre-order with Ubuntu pre-installed](https://canonical.com/blog/arduino-ventuno-q-is-available-for-pre-order-with-ubuntu-pre-installed) London, UK – August 25, 2026 – Following our initial collaboration announcement in March 2026, Canonical and Arduino (a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.) are excited... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 25 August 2026 [### AI with AMD ROCm on Ubuntu: your questions answered](https://canonical.com/blog/amd-rocm-on-ubuntu) AMD ROCm is now available in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. Learn what how to make the best of it, and find out what this will mean in the coming years for development in Ubuntu. [Kevin Cazabon](https://canonical.com/blog/author/kcazabon) 3 June 2026 [### Canonical releases Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Resolute Raccoon](https://canonical.com/blog/canonical-releases-ubuntu-26-04-lts-resolute-raccoon) The 11th long-term supported release of Ubuntu delivers deep silicon optimization and state-of-the-art security for enterprise workloads. [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 23 April 2026 [### How to manage Ubuntu fleets using on-premises Active Directory and ADSys](https://canonical.com/blog/manage-ubuntu-fleets-active-directory) The “hybrid fleet” is today’s reality: organizations diversify operating systems while Microsoft Active Directory (AD) remains the dominant identity “source of truth.” IT... [Massimiliano Gori](https://canonical.com/blog/author/massigori) 31 March 2026