IBM KDE Theme Contest

One for, one against by Alan · 2001-04-20 06:12 · Score: 2

I think that it's incrediably stupid to have to sign up to read a few (small) pages on how to make or edit a theme.

However, I'm impressed that IMBs site defaults to the option of "don't use my information for markinet or give it to anyone" instead the standard of having the "send spam to me" checkbox checked by default.

I'm not a KDE user by Sludge · 2001-04-20 05:45 · Score: 2

I don't use KDE, but I wouldn't mind entering this contest. My graphics tools haven't been used as much recently as I would have liked to use them.

So I ask you KDE users, what's the quickest way to get an install up and running? I have Slackware 7 with WindowMaker running and, hey, I've even got a fairly recent version of QT compiled.

I don't need a completely usable install, and I'll probably want to delete it afterwards, as I'm quite happy with the performance of my system at the moment. I just want to be able to test my theme out. Whadya say?

Re:I'm not a KDE user by Sludge · 2001-04-20 06:40 · Score: 2

I run debian on three other machines because of it's low maintenance packaging system. However, I like to configure my workstation system from scratch. Thanks for coming out.
Re:I'm not a KDE user by dangermouse · 2001-04-20 06:37 · Score: 2

Slackware has a packaging system, but thanks for playing, fudboy.
wgetting the slakware/kde1 directory from -current and running installpkg *tgz will get you KDE 2.1. Idunno how current you've been keeping your system, though, so you may also need to upgradepkg your glibc packages.
Re:I'm not a KDE user by dangermouse · 2001-04-20 08:16 · Score: 2

They're not source archives. A Slackware package is compiled and installed software -- binaries, documentation, whatever needs to go onto the system -- that is tarred up from a pseudo (or real) / and packaged with an install script. The database is two directories of text files, one in /var/log/scripts and one in /var/log/packages. This means you can play with it to your heart's content with standard text utilities. (What package contains grep? "grep 'grep$' /var/log/packages/*" will tell you.)
The fact that they're gzipped tar files shouldn't lead you to believe that they're just source. That doesn't even make sense. You might also consider that because they're gzipped tar files, you only need gzip, tar, and a shell to manipulate them any way you like. You can blow open a slackware package, edit a few files in it, and then repackage the whole thing without in all of three steps-- tar zxpvf , edit the files, tar czpvf .
That's just one benefit of using a simple, popular, and easily-recognized file format. That the occasional idiot thinks everything with a .tgz extension is a source distribution is just something we live with, I guess. If you're going to be snotty about your packaging system of choice, you might at least consider having a clue about the ones you're slamming.
(Normally I'd be more polite, but misinformation is not something I'm dealing with well today.)
Re:I'm not a KDE user by DeeKayWon · 2001-04-20 07:38 · Score: 2

Installing KDE from source is pretty easy. First, I should tell you that it will run best if QT2 has been configured with -no-g++-exceptions, which I believe Slackware does. This basically will cut memory use and increase speed noticeably. That said...
Pick a mirror to download from, and get the packages from the stable/2.1.1/distribution/tar/generic/src/ directory. Installing KDE is done with the standard ./configure, make, make install. Do kdesupport, then kdelibs, then kdebase, and everything else is optional and can be done in any order. KDE2 works best from its own directory like /usr/local/kde2 or /opt/kde2, so just make $KDEDIR the directory you want to install to and the scripts will use that. Once it's installed, "exec startkde" should go in your .xinitrc (or xdm, or whatever). And that's pretty much it.

anyone see through this? by Nate+Fox · 2001-04-20 15:11 · Score: 2

As I read the story, I read they're giving away cash prizes. I thought to myself, 'I could use a few grand.' Then I got to the part that indicated it all going to a non-profit OSS group. Why wouldn't IBM give money to the person who made the theme instead of an OSS group (aside from the claim of 'intl $$ swapping being a pain' on their site)? They're getting a tax write off for it!

Ya know, thats actually quite good marketing of them: spending six thousand dollars to get who knows how many people to their site, via a few posts from a number of different OSS-esque sites. Not to mention it falls in line with their current marketing scheme and is a writeoff after all that. Can't say that I wouldn't do the same if I were in their position.

Have we read through enough lines yet?

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If Bill Gates had a nickel for every time Windows crashed...

Re:Packaging systems and dependencies by dangermouse · 2001-04-20 08:28 · Score: 3

Well, it may be true that Slackware has one of the last remaining packaging systems that doesn't include a dependency-checking system, but to call dependencies integral to packaging ignores decades of packaging systems that never had dependencies. (Let's see how many times I can use those two words, here. ;)

Look at it this way... in Slackware:

The installed software/docs/whatever is rolled into a single file
Installation scripts are generated and embedded
Information on what files on the system came from which of those distribution files is stored in a database
Tools exist for installing, upgrading, and removing components of the system using those distribution files

That sounds like a system of packaging software, to me. :)

It lacks the dependency-checking subsystem that many other packagers use, but consider that (A) that has yet to prove itself necessary, given the way we split our system into packages, (B) it adds complexity and brings new problems (note that most, if not all, of the packaging systems you refer to cannot have the same file exist in two different packages, without making a mess), (C) most dependancy systems force the user's hand in ways we don't approve of, and (D) if the need does arise, and the issues with current dependancy systems are worked out, that subsystem could be added with fairly little effort to our existing system.

Re:Alpha channel? by spitzak · 2001-04-20 11:43 · Score: 3

Transparency is only supported for rendering into existing windows, as far as I know. The windows themselves do not have transparency.

Supporting this nicely requires a good deal of changes to the X interface. I believe it will require all windows to be stored with off-screen backing stores. This requires changes to Xlib because there is no "update the screen" command in the current X protocol, Xlib would have to send this when the appliation waits for events (plus there should be interface to turn off the automatic update and let the program control it).

Double buffering would vastly change the internals of the X server. It would also defeat the hardware acceleration on most systems.

Any alternative to double buffering would require transparency to be seperate from the drawing and very difficult to alter. This is not nice because you cannot animate the transparent edge, or it will not animate cleanly with respect to the interior. For this reason I would rather have a complete solution or none at all, not some half-way and hard to program arrangement.

However making half-way and hard-to-program interfaces seems to match the current X design!

Re:IBM Frisco Theme by Dr.Dubious+DDQ · 2001-04-20 05:45 · Score: 2

Where can I get this theme?

Hey, I think having an IBM "Peace, Love, and Linux" theme would be pretty darn funny, myself...I wonder how many of the first 100 will be just that?

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Hacker Public Radio is our Friend

IBM Frisco Theme by sharkey · 2001-04-20 05:16 · Score: 5

Where can I get this theme? It's supposed to scrawl graffitti across the desktop, in what looks to be bio-degradeable but non-water-soluble chalk.

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"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.

pictures! by cpeterso · 2001-04-20 06:41 · Score: 2

For the uninitiated, here are some photos of the IBM graffitti:

Sidewalk

Building banner

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cpeterso

Re:All your Themese are Belong to IBM by Arandir · 2001-04-20 09:00 · Score: 2

But the ASPL is not OSI-approved. It might be ironically sweet to do it if the contest were run by Apple, but it's not...

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A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned

Re:All your Themese are Belong to IBM by Arandir · 2001-04-23 01:12 · Score: 2

They last updated their page a week ago...

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A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned

Re:Irony Alert by abelsson · 2001-04-20 17:03 · Score: 3

No, it just teaches us that choosing a window manager isn't a life altering decision. Use the best app for the job, and don't discard one set of apps just because it's written using the wrong widgetset. No one is going to come and arrest you if you use Konqueror and KMail together with the Gimp and abiword.

-henrik

Alpha channel? by austad · 2001-04-20 06:24 · Score: 2

I heard KDE supports an alpha channel. Would it be possible to make translucent windows like in Quartz on Mac OSX?

How would one go about this? I'm sure it would probably require some coding, but I'd like to put a slider in the titlebar to adjust the amount of alpha on the fly. :)

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Need Free Juniper/NetScreen Support? JuniperForum

Packaging systems and dependencies by Nailer · 2001-04-20 07:50 · Score: 2

Slackware has a packaging system

Well, that depends if your definition of what includes a packaging system involves dependencies. Most people define packages as a way of distributing software in modular chunks with meta information about their relationships with other packages. This allows them to be installed and uninstalled in a uniform and automated fashion (and by most people, I mean Red Hat, Debian, Microsoft, Sun, IBM, and every other maker of a package management system).

Slackware is, AFAIK, the only software that calls a software installation system without dependencies a packaging system.

They might be right, they might be wrong, but you've got to admit this definition is pretty unique.

All your Themese are Belong to IBM by phunhippy · 2001-04-20 05:18 · Score: 4

hey kids,

If you read the fine print(always fun i know) under the terms, you'll see that the themese you create become property of IBM.... intersting... contest to win money for your favorite OSS and you create a theme for an OSS program and you don't even get to keep rights to it..... nifty eh?

Re:Bandwagon? by JesseL · 2001-04-20 05:52 · Score: 2

Just out of curiosity, what would "we" do about it if "we" decide we don't want IBM supporting Linux? Seriously.

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"Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"

using different WM's with KDE by neutralstone · 2001-04-20 13:00 · Score: 2

there's probably a cleaner way to do this, but it works:

in your .xinitrc, put this:

exec xterm

then run startx; when you get the prompt in the xterm window type:

[window manager of your choice] &

and once that's running, type:

startkde &

or you could just put "exec windowmanager" in your .xinitrc, then open a term window, then "startkde"

whatever. the only disadvantage for most users is that the KDE environment is then a bit dismembered. for example, you can treat the KDE desktop and control panel like any other window, and minimized windows don't get represented in KDE's panel, but they *are* represented in the window manager's windowlist (if it has one).

Individuals can win the money for themselves, too? by Karma+Sucks · 2001-04-20 13:15 · Score: 2

I'm pretty sure that the original contest rules said that individuals could win the money for themselves, provided that they were US citizens. Is this still not the case? My understanding was that donating the money to an OSS group was optional, although non-US citizens may not have a choice...

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(Please browse at -1 to read this comment.)

Irony Alert by Srin+Tuar · 2001-04-20 08:30 · Score: 2

Am I the only one who thinks it ironic to design themes for KDE using the Gimp (which was the birthing ground and original app of GNOME) ?

Or maybe we should use the Qt port...

Re:I hope they aren't crappy. by SquadBoy · 2001-04-20 05:26 · Score: 2

I don't know about KDE (Don't use a "desktop" myself) but I can not imagine life without the Irix theme for E. http://e.themes.org/themes.phtml?action=search&the metxt=irix&submit=Search&odby=download&disptype=no rm&numthemes=10&showmod=off I'm going to have to learn how to theme just so I can update it since it looks like the person who did it first has fallen off the face of the earth. Buth there are some *very* nice themes out there.

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Cypherpunks: Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. Those who live by the sword die by the arrow.

Why bother? by EvlPenguin · 2001-04-20 06:21 · Score: 2

There are plenty of themes available for Blackbox. >:)

I used to use KDE, and I really liked it. But then I upgraded to 2.1, and was bombarded by such a plethora of useless proccessor time-consuming shit (i.e., the whole blue theme, all the stupid event sounds, etc) that I immediatly started looking for another window manager. Just because I have a high powered computer does not mean that I want to waste it's cycles on a bloated desktop. So then I found blackbox. The binary size is about 1/25 of KDE's, and it is FAST and allows for extreme custimization (hence the myraid of themes available for it) and eye candy, without taking up much processor time. Now I can devote it to something usefull, like cracking RC5 :).
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#nohup cat /dev/dsp > /dev/hda & killall -9 getty

oss group of their choice by sfraggle · 2001-04-20 05:06 · Score: 2

$3000, $2000, and $1000 which entrants can win for the non-profit OSS group of their choice.

I'd like to see how many of the winners donate their money to the Gnome Foundation or Gnome projects...

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were you expecting to see a sig here? perhaps you'd rather see the inside of an ambulance!

Re:Old News; IBM favoring KDE? by SCHecklerX · 2001-04-20 06:45 · Score: 2

Originally, KFM, KDE's file manager, used a lot of features originally found in OS/2's WPS.

Maybe IBM likes the fact that KDE was on that track? Of course, they've lost that with konqueror, so it's a moot point anyway.

Re:Good, by V50 · 2001-04-20 05:47 · Score: 2

I know KDE can import GTK+ themes, I've tried to get my favorites working on KDE before.... Though what no one seems to notice is that GTK+ themes screw up all the nice KDE fonts and makes them look horribly jagged/ugly.

Though I use KDE as my desktop I quite often boot up GNOME to test out the new Themes or Nautilis or other nice looking program....

Thanks for the info about the IceWIn/KWin plugin, I'll have to look into that...

--Volrath50

Good, by V50 · 2001-04-20 05:09 · Score: 3

This is really a Good Thing(tm). My biggest reason for keeping GNOME on my drive is that it has the better themes. I like KDE as it seem more polished (no flamewar, please)... But the themes suck, generally. The only really original KDE2 theme are Aqua ones which I don't like much...

Anyway hopefully this will at least bring some good KWM themes, I don't like the default ones much and there are no other ones that I can find... Come to think of it does anyone know how to run other WMs in KDE? I must be possible...

But lastly it's good for IBM as the charity part in peticular makes the look quite nice, despite the fact that $6000 is pocket change for them... Combine this with the grafitti bit and I've come to the conclusion that:

IBM IS RUN BY HIPPIES!!!

--Volrath50

Re:Good, by Spy+Hunter · 2001-04-20 05:37 · Score: 2

FYI, GTK themes can be imported by KDE. Check out the "Legacy theme importer." Despite the unfortunate name (no its not an insult, its the result of coders who don't speak English as a first language) it does in fact import GTK themes.
About KWM themes - Acually they're KWin themes now. KWin has a great new modular architecture that allows all sorts of incredible C++ plugins. Unfortunately, that means that it is required to code in C++ to make a new theme! This is the reason there are no good KWin themes yet (programmers usually aren't good artists and vice versa).
That is about to change, though. Just recently, a KWin plugin was released that imports IceWM themes and uses them as-is. This is the strength of a plugin architecture. Now you can use any IceWM theme you want. Its in CVS now, you can download it youself or wait until KDE 2.2. In the future, also expect to see many more style plugins for KWin (KDE 2.2 will include several new ones). Eventually someone may make a generic themeable plugin that will allow themeing of KWin without C++ coding. Either that or everyone will simply make IceWM themes for KDE!

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main(c,r){for(r=32;r;) printf(++c>31?c=!r--,"\n":c<r?" ":~c&r?" `":" #");}
Re:Good, by Spy+Hunter · 2001-04-20 06:08 · Score: 2

For info on the IceWM plugin, as well as some other KWin themes and a KControl module to configure them (configurable button placement! Nice!), go here.
I have also noticed that the GTK theme importer doesn't work perfectly. Some GTK themes will cause QT to choke, requiring you to go and delete some config files just to start KDE again! However, if fonts are your only problem, couldn't that be solved with a quick trip to the Fonts control panel? The GTK themes might use odd-sized fonts, and we all know how well X fonts scale (not well at all). If you select sane font sizes, or even different fonts, they should be quite readable. Or, enable font anti-aliasing as I have done and kiss your jagged fonts goodbye!

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main(c,r){for(r=32;r;) printf(++c>31?c=!r--,"\n":c<r?" ":~c&r?" `":" #");}

This could mean something else... by MSBob · 2001-04-20 05:30 · Score: 3

This could mean that IBM will be promoting KDE as their default (standard?) Linux desktop for IBM systems. Now that's interesting because that would mean that IBM would be going up against Sun's choice of GNOME as the default Linux WM. Is IBM onto something here?

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Your pizza just the way you ought to have it.

I hope they aren't crappy. by snoop_chili_dog · 2001-04-20 05:12 · Score: 2

I not putting themes down, but most of the ones I've seen aren't very good. Artistically, yes! In a practical sense though, they tend to mess up the UI. I don't think I should have to re-maximize my windows after installing a them. What's even worse is when a theme makes the borders so thick that I can't see part of the app even when it's maximized. I haven't used any of the themes for the new KDE yet. I just upgraded from mandrake 7.1 to 8.0. I hope they've fixed these things.

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But Yogi, the RIAA won't like that.

An open sources slap in the face. by aprilsound · 2001-04-20 05:09 · Score: 2

I wonder if the "open source community" will be offended by IBM offering money for what should be "free"? --- "My boss says we need some eunuch programmers"

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