"What does Linux need to do to compete more successfully on the desktop?" We came up with several pain points, but some of them are clearly hurting Linux more than the others.

Number one with a bullet is one that most of you never think of but, trust me, the PC vendors and developers are painfully aware that Linux needs to do a much better job of managing power. With more and more of us doing our work on laptops, netbooks, and the like, getting the most out of battery life is becoming increasingly important.

Yes, Linux has long had support for ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface), but that's only the start for power management. To really get the most from a battery requires power-aware device drivers, power-aware applications and fine granular control over each component in a system. Linux has miles to go before it can equal Macs or even Windows in this area.

Next up is applications.

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