Simple things that should work, but don't.
Agreed - same as Windows and MacOS and Android and OS/2 and Solaris and CP/M....
Nemo has some good features, but chokes on big files, pastes files or folders into subfolders instead of folder you drag it to. Can't seem to set default view.
So you're using Cinnamon - not always the best choice but opinions vary. Agreed Nemo is a bit limted. So, install Thunar.[/quote]
Selecting a file like a JPEG doesn't open an app I've selected as the default, instead it opens a dialogue where I choose from five apps
I'm guessing Cinnamon has a Preferred Applications tool in its Settings/Control Panel? I have found that the normal method of Right Click>Open with Other>Select application>Tick Always do this... does not behave properly in MATE with Caja. Lasts till the end of the session then forgets. So had to use Preferred Applications.
Only 2 full featured email programs, both of them lacking. It's like the Evolution devs (I use evolution) hate html. I can't drag old email into a new one as an attachment, as Microsoft Outlook can't read mbox. Gotta turn them to PDFs. Can't cut or copy and past messages between folders.....need to drag, sometimes a long way. Can't select specific font sizes when composing. Keeps forgetting email account passwords. And confusion about what the default Gnome email app is.
Evolution is an acquired taste. Cannot comment on the Outlook thing. If you want to move a message from folder to another just Right Click>Move>Select destination That way it doesn't matter how far it has to go.
Fonts size - well Outlook uses the Word engine whereas Evo uses a standard HTML composer - they're different.
Use five different programs. Get five different file choosers (file open/close dialogue box), some so screwy I can't figure out how to use them. THAT IS MY SINGLE BIGGEST DAILY OS FRUSTRATION. Column widths in choosers not remembered.
Agreed - mostly due to different toolkits - GTK2/GTK3 etc I'm lookin' at you!!
..... And the repository versions of important software is SO out of date.
Hence Snap and flatpak......though Appimage is probably better. It depends on the App. I use Appimage for Scribus and a couple of others. Repos will always be out of date. If you demand cutting edge then it's Arch type stuff for you. Gentoo, etc etc. That way you'll really enjoy getting your hands dirty!
Lack of a medium feature image manipulation program like paint net. Either too complex like Krita which has terrible text tools, or Pinta, which goes onto and out of active development.
Far too broad a statement. Image manipulation can be anything from Photo editing to Painting by Numbers.
Some great apps, OS stability, great networking tools. But what a disappointment if you are looking for a usable system.
So of you are a hobbiest with time on your hands, it's fine. For real world business, no way. I'm semi retired so it works for me. If I was busy...no way.
It's a mess. It will always be a mess and never get more than hobbiests as long as there is fragmentation rather than a team that focuses on solid consistent interface and software, getting it right and then moving on to the next project.
That is why Gnome is doing what it is doing - and I have no qualms with that apart from some a******e telling me that some guideline says you need 3 clicks to shut down the machine..........