X11 futureX11 futureDesktop EnvironmentsDesktop Environments

CERN IT/DIS/OSE:Paola Ciccarelli (Caspur)

Lionel Cons

Victor Robles Forcada

German Cancio Melia

PRESENTED BY:Philippe Defert

PlanPlan

Introduction What is a desktop environment Desktop Environments: KDE and GNOME KDE vs GNOME: Technology CORBA:

What is it? How is it used in KDE and GNOME? KDE vs GNOME.

KDE vs GNOME: Applications HEP conclusions and questions

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

UNIX/Linux is powerful and stable. Strong alternative for Windows => good user

interface. UNIX/Linux must be user-friendly. Average users don’t like: Command line, manual

configuration, etc. Many users expect: Menus, Panel, Drag & Drop,

mouse driven configuration, etc. CDE: First job related with this. June 1996. During the last 2 years Linux Community is

making a big job => KDE and GNOME

What is a Desktop What is a Desktop Environment?Environment?

Common Drag & Drop protocol

Common Session Management protocol

Easy dialog based desktop configuration

Unified application help system

Consistent ‘look and feel’

Common application development framework

Compound document framework

Network transparency

KDE KDE K Desktop EnvironmentK Desktop Environment

Dates: Project founded in October 1996 KDE v1.0 July 12, 1998 KDE v1.1 February 6, 1999 KDE v2.0 End of this summer???

Some interesting features: Based on toolkit Qt 1.42 (not GPL, Troll Tech) Standard menu and toolbars, keybindings, color schemes, etc. Built-in internationalization: more than 25 languages Large number of KDE applications. In version 1.1,

41 base applications Koffice: in version 2.0 using CORBA

KDE ScreenshotKDE Screenshot

GNOMEGNOMEGNU Network Object Model EnvironmentGNU Network Object Model Environment

Dates: GNOME project was initially announced in August 1997 GNOMEv1.0 7 April, 1999

Why not only KDE? It is based on Qt which is not open source.

Some features: Based on GTK+ (GPL) Build-in internationalization and localization 3D-programming with OpenGL Independent of Window Manager Fully integrated with CORBA Standard printing

GNOME ScreenshotGNOME Screenshot

KDE vs GNOME: KDE vs GNOME: Technology ITechnology I

KDE GNOMEToolkit Qt (C++) GTK+ (C)

Language bindingsfor the Toolkit

C, Python, Perl C++(Gtk--), Objective C,Python, Perl,Scheme(Guile), TOM,Pike(PiGTK), Dylan

WM Independent No => Yes Yes

Compliant WM KWMWindowMakerBlackBox

fvwmWindowMakerEnlightmentIceWMSCWMgtkWM

Themes Support Yes Yes

StandardKeybindings

Yes No

KDE vs GNOME: KDE vs GNOME: Technology IITechnology II

KDE GNOMEDrag & Drop KDND

v2.0 => XDNDMotif, XDND

SessionManagement

Proprietary X Session ManagementProtocol

Documentationand Help System

Applications => HTMLSources => Kdoc

Applications =>DocBook (SGML)

Internationalization GNU gettext &LPGL i18n library

GNU gettext &LPGL i18n library

3D-Programming No OpenGL (gtkGL)

LanguageBindings

Python Dylan, Python,TOM, Perl, Guile

ScriptingLanguage

Python Python, Perl, Guile

Conclusions (I)Conclusions (I)

KDE has an easier User Interface for beginners KDE is easier to install GNOME is technologically superior KDE gets closer to GNOME in v2.0 => XDND, WM

Independent, SGML. Interoperability between KDE and GNOME apps:

Drag & Drop: No until KDEv2.0 Session Management: No Help System: No (Try open his own help browser)

GNOME Office is more advanced

CORBACORBACommon Object Request Broker Common Object Request Broker

ArchitectureArchitecture

CORBA allows applications to communicate with each other

CORBA is similar to DCOM, but more powerful CORBA is as next-generation RPC, just extended

to support object-oriented programming Why CORBA?

Solution for the IPC problem. Reduce development time Reduce maintenance difficulties Programs more powerful Simplify Compound Documents Automation

CORBA in KDE: CORBA in KDE: KOM/OpenPartsKOM/OpenParts

ORB: MICO (C++) => Programs in C++ KOM: Events and Filters, Signals and Slots for

Plug-in or Dynamic Aggregation OpenParts:

Controls: Comparable to Microsoft’s Active X controls Parts: Improvements of controls

Is independent of the GUI => Standard for IPC Automation: Applications can export his inner

work through CORBA

CORBA in GNOME: BaboonCORBA in GNOME: BaboonBaboon Allows Baboon Objects Over Baboon Allows Baboon Objects Over

NetworksNetworks

ORB: No MICO New ORB: ORBit (C) => Programs in C, C++

CORBA will be used in various contexts: Components Application embedding Automation Reusable controls

Is independent of the GUI => Standard for IPC

KDE vs GNOME: CORBAKDE vs GNOME: CORBA

KDE GNOME WindowsStandards CORBA CORBA DCOM

KOM/OpenParts Baboon OLE

Components,Controls, Parts

Components,ReusableControls

Active XControls

ORB MICO (C++) ORBit (C)

CORBASTANDARD

CORBA 2.2 CORBA 2.2

DocumentModel

XML DOM

Conclusions (II)Conclusions (II)CORBACORBA

The idea of use CORBA in KDE and GNOME is the same: components, controls, ...

MICO is slower than ORBit GNOME makes use of CORBA by default:

Panel, print, applets, programs. KDE plans to extend the use of CORBA to the

panel and to some applications (e.g korganizer).

Conclusions (III)Conclusions (III)ApplicationsApplications

KDE for the moment has more and more complete set of applications

Tons of applications: Some useful, some buggy

KDE Best: kfm, PPP dialer, korganizer, kpackages, koffice (?)

GNOME Best: Electronic Eyes, gimp, gnumeric, gmenu, gmc, gcal

HEPiX QuestionsHEPiX Questions

X desktops are a normal X follow up HEPiX X11 scripts

Common look and feel shared work Customization by site, group, user

HEPiX desktop ???? Do we do the same as with X11 ????

More Information:http://wwwinfo.cern.ch/umtf/working-groups/X11/desktops/

mailto:victor.robles@cern.ch