Ok, this may be dumb so take it for what it is worth!
I'm loving projects like the Ubuntu "MID" Edition (is this still being worked on?) but one of the key problems with a typical linux installation - Ubuntu or otherwise - is that the *applications themselves* are not manageable by touch. Having a nice touch oriented launcher is great but ultimately useless without applications that can be controlled just as easily.
Now, I realize this isn't directly an Ubuntu issue. I'm simply curious what would be required to make apps behave in a uniform touch capable manner. Complete GUI rewrite? New Widget kit? Could code be written to take current design layouts and convert them to a finger friendly model (relatively) automatically? It just seems a waste to have to write new software specifically targeted for touch.
I ask because I'm really interested in the idea of a completely touch oriented 10"-12" tablet. I think the form factor has a lot of potential and desktop layout styles simply don't suite the form factor - even with a stylus (a stylus would be perfect for drawing/sketching/painting and hand writing but not as the main means of interacting with software).
Is this something we could ever possibly see in a mobile Ubuntu variant?