[Desktop_architects] Knoppix notes for DAM 3

Klaus Knopper knopper at knopper.net
Fri Dec 8 08:48:57 PST 2006


Hello everyone,

I wasn't able to attend DAM-III this year, just dropping you a note
about things the Knoppix Team is currently working on (and being
interested in, naturally) desktop-wise, though not all of it relates to
an "architects" discussion:

- Common themes and interfaces for GNOME and KDE, so the look, feel and
  useage of programs is not too different when switching from one to the
  other desktop. In fact, it should be possible to turn a KDE into a
  GNOME session without logging out and in again.

- Integration/experiments with compiz and beryl as 3D window managers,
  in both Gnome and KDE. Works well so far, even without the need of
  proprietary drivers, and apart from the eye candy there are some quite
  useful desktop utilities like continuous realtime zoom and window
  overviews, and transparency tricks that are very useful for
  presentations. Main problem: X Composite extension is unstable in the
  (OSS) nvidia driver, DRI does not work for all cards, and there is no
  reliable API for finding out if the X server is really working
  flawlessly with all needed extensions. Not necessarily a desktop
  issue.

- The menu problem: Resorting Debian/XDG menu structures is a horrible
  scripting hack. There should be a way to hide "advanced users" menu
  entries unless the user sets a "skill level" from "easy" to
  "advanced", in order to keep the menus from being overfilled with
  too much stuff.

- Accessibility. We would like to have a desktop that can be used
  completely without a monitor and mouse (by blind people, for example).
  Currently, the only desktop that is able to do this in a way that we
  think is sufficient, is text console/dialog based:
  http://knopper.net/knoppix-adriane/index-en.html

That's just an overview of problems we are working on at application
level with existing Debian packages and some of our own scripts and
packages. Maybe some of it is of interest to other distros, and maybe
not.

No action or discussion required. ;-)

Hope to be able to attend next year!

With kind regards
-Klaus Knopper & Knoppix Team
---
Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Knopper                        Auf den Dungen 40
Phone+Fax: +49 6307 40 10 140                   67718 Schmalenberg
http://www.knopper.net/                         GERMANY



More information about the Desktop_architects mailing list