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GNOME 1.4 Beta 1 Is Out
The folks at GNOME have released GNOME 1.4 beta 1, code name "oops, we did it again". You can find the packages at your favorite mirror. If you're testing, then please fill the bug reports in the "right place" (either Eazel's bugzilla or Ximian Bugzilla). Good work, guys.
That didn't work for me. After a quick FTP to spidermonkey.ximian.org, the directory is actually:
/ distributions/debian unstable main
/pub/ximian/1.4beta1/distributions/debian
(ximian was added)
thus, the actual line is:
deb ftp://spidermonkey.ximian.com/pub/ximian/1.4beta1
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Friends don't let friends misuse the subjunctive.
When will they release a new version of my favorite desktop manager, xterm?
Nop. It's not related to anything. I just found out about GNOME 1.4 few hours ago and I posted it here on /.
As for KDE 2.1 - Tommorow it will be TAGGED KDE_2_1 final and will be send to packagers. The official launch of KDE 2.1 will be next monday. Mirrors will have the packages ready by then, as well as an easy gui installer (hopefully).
Hetz (Heunique)
At work we do all of our development on Solaris and since CDE sucks I tried to compile GNOME. It required too many different packages from all over the net and a good number of them wouldn't compile.
I then tried KDE, which only requires 4 files to get started, QT, Support, Libs, and Base. I have been compiling and running KDE on Solaris ever since. KDE 2.1 will be a nice upgrade, especially now that I have fixed the damned bug where konsole would crash periodically. I'm hoping my patch makes it into 2.1.
As for web browsers, the only reason I still run Netscape is because our corporate mail and calender are based on it and KDE mail doesn't support IMAP yet. Konqueror is an awesom browser, especially in 2.1 since it has most of the Netscape features I liked (like dragging URLs between windows).
I havn't tried Gnome for a while, but looking at the list of required libraries and whatnot it looks like the same mess it was before.
-Aaron
This post is encrypted twice with ROT-13. Documenting or attempting to crack this encryption is illegal.
I already ugpraded using the ximian apt source! Just add this to your /etc/apt/sources.list: i ons/debian unstable main
deb http://spidermonkey.ximian.com/1.4beta1/distribut
then you just apt-get update ; apt-get upgrade and you let it do its thing... restart X and BAM!
_joshua_
Assuming he wasn't trolling, I think it's a legitimate question. Sure most of us have probably made our KDE/GNOME choice already, but it'd be interesting to know if there are any compelling reasons why anyone should consider switching.
I'm actually hoping that AA will have an option to turn it off. AA is the most annoying and overhyped feature, ever. I actually like using Linux better because it doesn't have AA fonts.
Engineering and the Ultimate
While the GNOME and KDE teams have produced excellent work, their focus on destroying each othjer concerns me. Ximian does dodgy things with Google adwords, KDE calls GNOME `legacy' in their theme importer.
Face it. Neither QT/KDE or GTK/GNOME are going away. Can we start having some interoperation between the desktop environments? The complete lack on inconsistency in the Linux desktop (real users choose ap[ps based on quality, not toolkit religion) hurts Linux far more then competition helps it.
Let people choose between GNOME and KDE. But let my apps have consistent user interfaces, common dialogues, theming engines, drag and drop (xdnd is a joke - used Konqueror FTP on GNOME recently)?, panel applets, and hopefully object model (KDE can do Bonobo components with Xparts - but I'd prefer a more uifies solution).
It ain't Highlander. There's CAN be more than one,a nd there will be. So if you want to increase the usuability of the Linux desktop, deal with and start talking to the opposite camp.
The competition is Windows.
More recent versions of Medusa (PR3 and forward, I believe) include "medusa-idled", which is designed to make medusa back off when you actually are using your machine.
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.
Some of the new features in Gnome 1.4 include:
User level
* Nautilus
* enhanced display manager
* better KDE interoperability
* better support for legacy X applications
* application launch feedback
* improved Panel
* integrated Sawfish window manager
* Improved help browser and help system
* Usability and quality improvements throughout
* Fifth Toe release including a broad collection of apps that run on
GNOME.
Developer level
* gnome-vfs - Virtual file system allowing transparent access to local
and remote files.
* Bonobo component model - technology preview
* xml-i18n-tools - better internationalization and localization tools
* GConf - Advanced configuration/settings system with notification and
pluggable back ends
* Medusa search/indexing system
* Laguage bindings - C++, python, guile, rep
The Fifth Toe is a set of applications that are not part of Gnome proper but work with Gnome. They include office applications, games, a few panel applets, utilities, and chat programs. Here's a list of the current set of Fifth Toe packages:
gmc 4.5.51
Gnumeric 0.61
Dia 0.86
Guppi 0.35.2
AbiWord 0.7.12
GnuCash 1.4.10
Sodipodi 0.21
gnome-db 0.2.3
toutdoux 1.2.4
Anjuta IDE 0.1.2
MemProf 0.4.1
gob 1.0.6
gal 0.5
gtkhtml 0.8.2
The GIMP 1.2.1
eog 0.6
GnomeICU 0.95.5
gabber 0.8.2pre1
galeon 0.9.0
gtm 0.4.5
Pan 0.9.3
Balsa 1.0.0
Firestarter 0.6.0
gnomoku 1.0
bombermaze 0.6.4
XPenguins
Applet 0.9beta1
Atomix 0.4.1
gedit 0.9.4
Glimmer 1.0.1
gfax 0.4.2
Figaro's
Password
Manager 0.53
radioactive 1.1
Merlin's
CPU Fire
Applet 0.1.0
googlizer 0.1
gnorpm 0.96
gnome lokkit 0.43
The Fifth Toe packages can be found (in tarball form) on ftp.gnome.org (and soon they'll propagate to the mirors) in the pub/gnome/stable/betas/gnome-fifth-toe-1.4beta1 directory.
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Celebrate the finer things in life
I know this is a troll, but I'm a sucker.
1) actually, most people who write Linux apps get jobs writing linux apps.
2) compiling from source is a blessing, not a curse. Why? because I can build it with whatever optimization I please, and even build it for my specific chipset. You can't do that with binaries, because everyone has different chipsets. There are a lot of other advantages to building from source, but I won't enumerate them here.
3) If you don't want to compile from scratch, DONT! Use a popular distribution, and just get binaries.
4) In an enterprise setting, having the source is absolutely necessary. You need it both to (a) make changes if necessary, and (b) see how it actually works underneath, to improve your understanding of the product so you can use it more effectively.
5) Many people really like the GNOME interface, me being one of them.
As for the advantages of Linux, try these out:
a) not tied to a particular hardware platform, can use the one most suited to your needs
b) easy implementation of load-balancers
c) common operating platform for routers, load-balancers, server, and workstation machines. Makes maintenance easier
d) very fast
e) prunable - its easy to remove everything you don't need. Nothing is hidden from you
f) plays well with others - almost every moderately-sized environment is a mixed environment. Contrary to what the commercials say, W2K does not play nicely in such an environment.
g) lock-in - it doesn't matter how good W2K is now, because you've locked yourself in with a single company, and you are now dependent on that company. no such lockin exists for Linux
h) Linux is easier-to-use and faster in real-world situations, especially in the server room. Not easier to learn, easier to use.
Anyway, just some anti-trolls.
Engineering and the Ultimate
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome-1.4-list/200
Note that there is a offical test plan at:
http://www.gnome.org/~mjs/gnome-test-plans/
> Will gnome 1.4 include text anti-aliasing and RGB decimation support?
Gnome 1.4 is based on gtk+ 1.2 just as Gnome 1.2 is. In other words, no. There will be no anti-aliased text support yet.
There are patches available which give aa text to gtk+ 1.2, (ie, gnome 1.2 and 1.4 will have it) but the patches seem unlikely to make it into the main tree. It seems they are not very cleanly implemented. This is because the gdk api for fonts in 1.2 is poorly suited to anything other that old fashioned x-fonts.
In the upcoming gtk+ 2.0 this is MUCH better. Pango is used for all the fonts and will of course give us the long awaited aa text. Unfortunately, source and binary compatibility is broken by gtk+ 2.0, so apps will have to be modified to use it. Gnome 2.0 will use gtk+ 2.0
-- MartinG To mail me: echo kewyjlcxyzvjfxbqwh | tr bcefhjklqvwxyz
You forgot the update/resolution; see http://www.ximian.com/google.php3
Extracts:
"Ximian CEO Nat Friedman was discussing the advertisements with Mr. Pour. They both agreed that the discord was counterproductive, and quickly reached an amicable resolution."
"Ximian will revise its advertisements on Google to eliminate the possibility of confusion, and will not create new advertising campaigns based on KDE-related keyword searches."
Ximian packages are available for at least Red Hat 6 and 7. Get them while they're fresh. Unfortunately they don't include the Fifth Toe packages, which will probably be one of the biggest changes your average user will note over 1.2.
But my opinion changed when I tried the Gnome that ships with mandrake 7.2-it is much faster than before, stability is similar to KDE-I have yet to have it lock up on me or blow X out of the waters. I still prefer KDE, but the choice no so easy to make now.
But really, you should know that if you like KDE, stick with it, and don't worry what anyone else uses.