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http://www.symphonyos.com/cms/
YEP.

SymphonyOS is a Linux distribution which uses a special desktop based in a browser.

This project http://www.symphonyos.com/cms/ seems to have something of the same ideas. Their GUI is simply based on FF.

And a release schedule's supposed to be an "innovation"? Yeah, right. Whatever the case though, GP's got a good point. Doubt I'll ever see anything about Ultima Linux on here, but they could at least mention the likes of, say, Symphony OS – the ones that don't just recycle the same desktop concepts, but that come up with something new and innovative, something exciting... just because it's "yet another Linux distribution" doesn't mean it's not worth talking about, it doesn't just need to be announced on more "specialized" sites like DistroWatch. This is something that could eventually wind up changing the whole industry or whatever as we know it, whether it's because of them specifically or else someone taking it even further...

By the way, no, haven't gotten around to trying Symphony yet – and yes, I know it's Debian-based (it is Debian-based, right?) – just mentioned it because it's one of the more innovative systems and the first one to pop into my head...

I run the Symphony OS project (http://www.symphonyos.com/) in what free time I have. In the last year since the project has grown a bit the best month of donations we have had was about $95. That was with one person donating $50.

Over the last year the project has received maybe $300 between cd sales and donations. Out of my pocket for servers and other expenses in running the project (not counting time) I have spent about $2000.

I am sure once we have a more stable release dontations will improve and I dont blame people for not donating to an unstable project, but even with a stable project I dont think donations is any kind of a way to make a profit. At best it helps offset the money you spend to keep your project going.

Have a look at the screenshots, and download it if you like the look of it. It is free in speech and as in beer.

http://www.symphonyos.com/

Indeed, there have been countless iterations of different UIs throughout the history of graphical computing. Linux alone has dozens of disparate DEs and WMs. Fluxbox, FVWM, Window Maker, Enlightenment DR16, XFCE, KDE, and Gnome are among the most popular and most current and stable examples. Keep in mind, of course, that the 'nix desktop is experiencing a huge evolution right now, with projects such as ToPaZ (storyboard) and Luminocity, Appeal with Plasma, SymphonyOS' Mezzo desktop, and Enlightenment DR17.

Indeed, there have been countless iterations of different UIs throughout the history of graphical computing. Linux alone has dozens of disparate DEs and WMs. Fluxbox, FVWM, Window Maker, Enlightenment DR16, XFCE, KDE, and Gnome are among the most popular and most current and stable examples. Keep in mind, of course, that the 'nix desktop is experiencing a huge evolution right now, with projects such as ToPaZ (storyboard) and Luminocity, Appeal with Plasma, SymphonyOS' Mezzo desktop, and Enlightenment DR17.

I'm thinking that combined with Info-Mica storage there are a lot of things you could do with this. Imagine animated refrigerator magnets, or DVD covers with previews. Or really, really cheap third world computers with ePaper screens, 3 gigs of Info-Mica storage from http://www.info-mica.com/en/comparison/index.html an Indian knockoff of the Dragon processor, cheap flash memory and a forward thinking Linux gui similar to the one being developed at http://www.symphonyos.com/.

Something like SymphonyOS' usability guidelines becoming popular in the OSS community would be awesome. In my experience, the second biggest problem people have with changing software (after file compatibility) is having to re-learn where everything is within the menu system, context menus, etc. Having a 'cockpit' of a program's most-used functions laid out in front of you with no nesting, scrolling, or drilling-down is very natural and easy to interact with, and addresses one of the biggest computer interface problems of today.

...But the ugly-colored icons are nice too.

> Just look at GNOME. It's practically got a fucking start menu.

Just look at Windows' start menu. It's practically got a fucking apple menu.

An start menu? At what year have you looked at Gnome the last time? My Gnome menu is an innovative menu. Look: It's a task based menu. Windows has task based menus? The last time I looked at it, it was a complete mess, mis-organized, vendor categorized menu. Gnome also has 3 saparate menus for specific tasks: Applications, Places and Desktop. Windows has this? Gnome copied Windows start menu?

And if you want to see an example of a really innovative desktop interface in an Open Source procuct, look at Symphony OS

Another place where you don't know what you're talking about. There are so many alternative desktop concepts in OSS it's almost impossible to try them all. The most recent is SymphonyOS (http://www.symphonyos.com/), who's first law of UI is that Fitt was right, but nobody listened. No nested or drill-down menus, no scrolling if possible, no icons, and no pop-up dialogs. Sound a lot like Mac or Windows, doesn't it?

There are already 3d desktops for Linux, so "MS will have a rendered graphics engine before linux" is silly. As for DB file systems, I found three for Linux in under five minutes.

So how's that look-like-Windows thing working for the Linux community? Is the wave of desktop adoption far ahead of where it was in 2001 and 2002 when this started? And, if not, why don't we stop doing it? Is it because we're stuck on stupid?

http://www.symphonyos.com/

http://www.symphonyos.com/, uses the four corners for its popup menus, categorizing by corner in a fairly intuitive way.

Some of Opera's mouse gestures (back, forward, minimize, new and close) are very good muscle memory instances. Once you get used to it you stop thinking about it. One more reason I can never stop using Opera :-( It's like crack.

I was kind of suprised nothing like this was mentioned since these are cases where its a small (or even miniscule) group trying to use these newer ideas in HCI to push their market share.

Doesn't sound like such a great idea anymore, does it?

Take a look at Symphony OS (in development). You might be surprised how well that idea actually works:

http://www.symphonyos.com/

"Let me introduce you to one of the greatest mysteries of our time: After more than 20 years of research, development and competition in the field of HCI, not one single leading operating system developing company has come up with an OS that utilizes the four corners of the screen."

From TFA:

"After more than 20 years of research, development and competition in the field of HCI, not one single leading operating system developing company has come up with an OS that utilizes the four corners of the screen."

This guy's obviously never used Symphony OS.

This should help: http://www.symphonyos.com/forum/index.php?showtopi c=144

http://www.symphonyos.com/torrents/symphonyos-alph a4-release.torrent

http://www.symphonyos.com/

I can't believe no one has mentioned Symphony and it's eadically different interface. SymphonyOS

How about you spend some time in doing something actually useful?

Like learning Linux and contributing in making it easier to use?
It need not be just programming, it could be writing up manuals (tips and tricks), it could be artistic work: theme, icons. It could be an informative list of easy distros and Linux apps. It could be drafts of a new approach to Desktop. It could be anything that would make a positive encouragement and input but not mindless negative ranting.

Understand Linux is a community driven OS, there is no QA department for you to ring, sue or complain.

So, rise up from that rancid mediocricity, stop bickering and actually do something yourself.
That or just shut da fuck up.

Many of us sweat for free and sincerely care way more than you envisage.
You think its easy?
Still many still persevere in making the Linux experience better and "easier" for all.

Negative Mediocre Arses do fuck all but nag-nag-nag as if the world or we owed them anything.

They also don't have the resources to making security patches for every package without upgrading to a newer version of said package (i.e. backporting). They really do a phenominal job given their constraints.

I agree wholeheartedly. I'm not attempting to "diss" the Debian distro or its maintainers. I'm only pointing out that the packaging system is beginning to strain under the pressure of so many packages. The complexity of the package system is quickly becoming too difficult to maintain. Especially since the packaging system mixes the core system APIS with the user applications. (Always a recipe for trouble.) Thus it is time to start thinking about something new.

The Linux Standard Base is dead.

The LSB was always about the "least common denominator" and not about "the most usable configuration". For what it was, it wasn't too bad. But a real standard at this point would have to define a lot more libraries, although perhaps at more of a library version level than trying to force the individual APIs.

With that in mind, I don't think that such a standard should be attempted across all distros. For one, that would limit their ability to be different and provide new competitive services. For another, it tends to be better to allow a few different standards to compete before you attempt to pick one or two out of the fold. For example, there used to be many standards for Linus base distros. Now all distros tend to fork from either RedHat or Debian. Standards thus emerged.

The same thing should happen today. We should see different distros attempt differing solutions to the issue and see which ones work best. Symphony is certainly one of the most interesting, but mostly because it's the first attempt to break away from the current designs that Linux is stuck in. :-)

Just so you're aware, you can already download the Alpha version. If you're really interested in the OS, then trying it out and giving constructive feedback may be helpful to the project. :-)

Took a look at the Mezzo desktop site, which Symphony uses, and was very unimpressed. What's supposed to be "revolutionary" (their word) about making piddly changes to how things are presented on the desktop?

Also, I have to laugh at their statement that it "presents all needed information directly to the user." Thank you, but I'd rather decide for myself what information is needed.

Here ya go:

Package Management Custom Program using AppDirs
File Manager Rox-Filer

http://www.symphonyos.com/desktop.html

There is a torrent http://www.symphonyos.com/torrents/btdownload.php? type=torrent&file=symphonyos-alpha-070.iso.torrent &PHPSESSID=c899b35b8b1e8f1d52ee872ae14b2d8c
but is has also been slashdotted!

You can tell a GUI designer is going to be good when their "Laws of Interface Design" includes gems like this: "People are trained monkeys..."

Yeah, this one's going to be a winner.