A desktop includes a set of apps written in the same interface toolkit. Presence of apps in another interface toolkit is a problem. Commonly this is the web browser, display manager, window manager.

It should also be very easy to report bugs. In Debian this means an easy access to reportbug.

Desktops of interest

These desktops

  • have login manager & wm & apps written in the same ui toolkit
  • are free software

Here they are

Desktop wm dm ui toolkit Browser Guide how to write new app App samples irc Notes
gw,gap,etoile wmaker wdm gnustep alpha mini tutorials 1 #gnustep
cde yes ? motif ? general docs #cde
lxde lxdm qt ? ? ? #lxde at oftc
gnome gdm ? gtk+,gtk3 ? js ? #gnome at gmomeirc
kde-plasma kdm kwin qt5, qml konqueror ? ? #kde
enlightenment ? entrance efl ? ? ? #e

How you can help

  • add links of tutorials how to write a new app
  • add new desktops

Contact

Leave a message.


Extra

Interesting ui toolkits

  • wxwidgets?
  • xul?

Essay

Linux is a kernel. If something becomes a reality it is one of the real desktops (KDE, gnome etc). For that to succeed, we need to use them in isolation. Not using a desktop in isolation results in

  • one desktop being capable of performing one graphical task, but not another (or not so well),

which the users then complement by resorting to using an app written for another desktop. See how different they look.

This results in

  • incompleteness of the first desktop, and
  • displeasure of the users who have to struggle using apps with inconsistent user experience.

You are invited to take the following steps.

  1. Choose one desktop environment you're comfortable with.
  2. Remove every alien program (one written for another desktop).
  3. Help your desktop people write missing programs. Code from alien programs may often be reused.
  4. Spread the word (ask friends to follow these steps).

Possible desktops in alphabetical order:

  • CINNAMON
  • GNOME
  • GNUStep+GWorkspace/wmaker
  • GNUStep+Etoile/wmaker
  • KDE
  • LXDE
  • MATE
  • Trinity
  • XFCE
  • more?

Mobile:

  • Hildon
  • more?

Email svetlana or add a comment to update this section.