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XPde: Cloning the XP Interface
An anonymous reader writes "Over at XPde.com, a clone of the Windows XP interface is progressing. They aim to copy the XP interface down to every last detail- with exceptions for text that specifically mentions Windows XP or Microsoft. Their project seems to be coming along well, and assuming they meet their goal, nobody can complain about Linux not being enough like XP. Here is the screenshots page." Depends what you like, I suppose ;)
I wonder if this project will get the beatdown from MS like the various Aqua skins did from Apple.
What is XPde?
XPde is a desktop environment for XWindow to allow Windows users migrate to Linux easily. It's composed by a desktop (XPde) and window manager (XPwm).
Why are you doing this?
1 To learn more Kylix and low-level Linux programming
2 For fun
3 To create software can be useful to many people
4 To have a desktop on my system I can customize
There are many reasons, but the main goal I think is to allow normal computer users enjoy the stability and security of Linux, I think right now is not possible with KDE or Gnome, so this project can be interpreted as a bridge to Linux.
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Why do you think this project will be a success? KDE and Gnome are out there and also can be customized to look as Windows XP.
I don't know if it will be a success, but let's imagine this scenario:
-You are a Windows developer
-You develop accounting/payment and desktop applications for Windows
-You would love to develop for Linux, but you can't because none of your customers run Linux
-You could tell them, "hey!, I'm going to change all your machines to Linux, it's cheaper, faster and safer! (and all the Linux propaganda you can eat)"
-You customers would say "Why? Our system works, we know how to print, send mail, create documents, copy files and all we need, we don't want to change, this will mean to teach all my employees the new stuff and I'm not going to loose that time"
This is common scenario in the real world development, there is not time and money to forget Windows and install Linux, so this project is just another piece of software that could help to reduce the learning curve of a normal user to use a Linux computer. The main goal is to create an "exact" copy of the Windows XP interface (without any registered logo/graphic), that way, I plain user can start to use new applications (StarOffice, Mozilla, etc) without be frightened by a new desktop.
XPde FAQ
I wonder if this project will get the beatdown from MS like the various Aqua skins did from Apple.
I understand that Microsoft doesn't own the textual elements of its user interface (Apple v. Microsoft; Lotus v. Borland), but doesn't Microsoft Corporation own copyrights on the pictorial and graphic works embodied in the exact pixel configurations of the Windows XP operating system's icons, and possibly a trade dress on the look and feel of the "Luna" theme?
I too fear that Microsoft will follow in Apple's footsteps.
Will I retire or break 10K?
I mean, it has XP in the name, and the reason is that it's an XP-like desktop environment. And it looks just like WinXP. Seriously, how long before it gets sued?
On the other hand, it does look pretty nice, and if it could survive legal wranglings it might make linux at least look like Windows. They're doing better than the Lindows people at that.
I think program emulation (think WINE) might be more important, of course. People aren't gonna change because it "looks like windows." If they want Windows, they'll probably just buy Windows. If they want Linux, they'll download Linux. Linux has to make special reasons for downloading it. On my Windows partition, I use Mozilla because of its features (tabbed browsing, block popup ads, and type ahead find is a bonus that came after I switched). If Mozilla was just an IE clone that worked almost as well at rendering pages (which is tough since IE renders fake MS-HTML and broken Frontpage code and fake Javascript, etc) then I'd use IE.
> I want the full Linux experience.
I don't think you understand the fact that there is no *one* true Linux experience.
It could be a number of things, such as:
1. Someone running Virtual Terminals and Screen only - no XWindows
2. Someone running XWindows with a "hardcore" window manager such as ion and ratpoison, or running an old window manager such as twm or mwm.
3. Someone running one of the mid-level window maangers such as wmaker, E, fluxbox, etc..
4. Someone running stock versions of KDE/GNOME.
5. Someone running one of the various "windowzied" KDE versions such as Lindows/Lycoris/Xandros, etc..
6. Someone running xpde.
None of them is the true "full Linux experience", because there is none.
On the other hand, if you really want to learn Linux from the inside out, I think you should take a look at LFS.
...if Linux interface developers are going to rip anyone off, it should be Apple.
There's someone working on it...
_______
2B1ASK1
LOTUS DEV. CORP. v. BORLAND INTL., INC. No. 93-2214
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
1995 U.S. App. LEXIS 4618
March 9, 1995, Decided
III. Conclusion
Because we hold that the Lotus menu command hierarchy is uncopyrightable subject matter, we further hold that Borland did not infringe Lotus's copyright by copying it. Accordingly, we need not consider any of Borland's affirmative defenses.
The judgment of the district court is
Reversed.
Linked from User Interface Copyright
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Yeah, this is just what we need to differentiate linux from Windows.
Agreed. But look at it this way.
At least Microsoft has a budget to sit people down in focus groups and see what they like. If we had that in KDE/Gnome/$any_other_full-service_desktop_metaphor , then it's probable we wouldn't have new stuff being released with color schemes that make corporate users vomit, or xine logos designed by eurotrash 14-year-old Run Lola Run fans from East Berlin.
Microsoft spent millions developing that GUI look and feel. If user Joe Average didn't like it, they wouldn't have released it. We could do far worse than to take Microsoft's lead on UI design - KDE is the best of the free desktop metaphors for Linux, and well, frankly, it sucks.
By copying the good features of Windows software while avoiding their pitfalls of poor security and castrating inflexibility, we have no place to go but up.
The same, of course, applies to analyzing and "sharing" what makes the Macintosh GUI great. But you have to crawl before you can walk...
Linux isn't ready for the desktop.
Fire and Meat. Yummy.