There are cross platform desktop standards at FreeDesktop.org
For instance, the naming conventions for icons in KDE 3 and Gnome were different, so you couldn't share an icon set. A FreeDesktop.org standard was set, and they both use it now. There are standards for menu entries, etc.
The KDE devs did try to get Akonadi recognized as a standard so resources (like an address book) would be recognized in Gnome applications as well. FreeDesktop.org did not accept it as a standard.
For example, with Akonadi you can have a resource that is your address book.
Fire up your email client, and it is there. Fire up a VOIP client, and it is there. Fire up a calendar, and it is there. Fire up an IM client, and it is there. They can all share the same resource if they're all KDE apps designed to work with Akonadi resources.
I *believe* the KDE devs tried getting Akonadi turned into a Free Desktop standard that Gnome used as well, but it was denied. Maybe I'm crazy and thinking of something else though.
You're missing the point. Developers won't develop for a device if most users can't install apps due to fragmentation.
I did look into trying to get Cynogen mod running on her phone, but it isn't properly working on her phone yet. But if users need a strong technical skill set to get updates, then really most users don't have access to updates.
I love that the people who are supposedly the heroes of transparency always post AC. You apparently know me since you're talking about my wife. That doesn't bother me as I've used one handle online since the BBS days. Anything you want to know about me Google can tell you. I do advocate transparency, but also live by the same standard. How about you, mister Anonymous Coward?
The military leaks are illegal under the UCMJ and the Espionage Act at the very least.
Leaking private company documents is usually covered by theft of private property laws.
And the leaks just came out. They haven't cost any lives that I know of. But Amnesty International did blast Assange for being irresponsible in placing lives in danger.
Two years ago they said no one would use a PC, because netbook sales were through the roof. PCs were entirely dead. But people buy netbooks to supplement their PCs. Same with smartphones and tablets.
I said it encourages others to the break the law. It isn't illegal in Sweden to host the files for instance. But it is illegal for military personnel to steal and leak classified documents.
I am for government transparency. I find it odd that all my Democrat/Liberal friends are up in arms about Wikileaks, but not up in arms that Obama has failed to deliver on his promises of an open government. This is a bunch of political posturing. If you criticize people I hate, then I should support you, regardless of your tactics, right?
I also find it odd that there is overriding opinion now that the government has a bevy of secrets about Iraq and Afghanistan. Are you aware that the US military invited the media to embed with troops from day one?
Again, I made it clear that I don't know how the decision with PayPal went down. I do know that Wikileaks does very clearly break the terms of service and that if PayPal didn't close the account they could be held legally liable.
It is illegal to steal classified government documents and hand them over to other people. Just as it is illegal to steal private corporate data and give it to others.
The people who leaked the data in the first place can and will be charged with crimes. Wikileaks is encouraging people to break the law.
Amazingly enough, journalists and groups like Amnesty International have no qualms exposing people and fighting for transparency while still staying within the bounds of the law.
You haven't seen PayPal drop Amnesty International, even if Amnesty International blasts the US government. This isn't censorship. This is about following the law.
You can use Amarok just fine in Gnome. It isn't "tied" to the desktop. However, running an all-Gnome or all-KDE ecosystem means you reuse the same libraries, keep a consistent look, and share certain features, such as KDE ioslaves, Akonadi resources, Strigi/Nepomuk metadata, same file dialogs, etc. across all the apps.
Not necessarily true. You have the bulk/weight of a netbook when using it as a netbook. How is that a disadvantage?
You can load any apps/software you want, have a full keyboard, USB slots, etc.
And many of the convertible netbooks/tablets change the OS interface when in tablet mode. When you remove the screen and tablet you leave the weight of the netbook behind.
You have the best of both worlds. Why is that bad?
There are brand new Android phones being shipped and sold today with 2.1 instead of 2.2, with Gingerbread out the door now. And most Android phones/carriers haven't been releasing updates.
Apple has been releasing updates for two generations back on their phones. You're complaining that Apple hasn't pushed updates back three generations, and my wife's Android phone isn't getting support/updates as a brand new phone.
iOS 4 didn't run as well on slower hardware (the 3G has about 1/2 the processing power of the 3GS, which has about 1/2 the processing power of the 4). But at least they all got the update.
My wife has a Samsung Captivate, which shipped months after Froyo (2.2) and still doesn't have it. And I haven't heard plans for when or if it will be released, even though Gingerbread is now out the door.
The Eclair version the phone shipped with has a major bug which makes the GPS painfully slow, and this is fixed in newer releases, but they just don't feel like letting users have that release. Screw you. You have no choice.
To top it off, the one app my wife wants on her phone is Angry Birds, but because the phones are so fragmented, and because she has an old version of Android on a brand new phone, she can't play Angry Birds.
I love many aspects of Android (OSS, Linux based, Google Backed, etc) but fragmentation is a real problem that they need to fix.
KDE's default behavior is to have no icons on the desktop because they want to eliminate the behavior of storing files on the desktop. They wanted to eliminate clutter.
I'm not sure why someone would assume they're pushing a messy desktop, unless you mean they support widgets or plasmoids. So does Mac OS X and Windows 7, both praised for their "clean" design. I don't use plasmoids on the desktop and don't care for them, but they're entirely optional. (I do have plasmoids docked in the panel, but that is another story).
KDE has been rebranding, and not just in removing the K from all their applications. KDE is a project, and a non-profit entity (KDE e.V.). The software compilation they release is now known as KDE SC.
I don't see any reason for alarm over rebranding. KDE is getting more contributers and developers every year. Even many of the die-hard haters who railed against the 4.0 release have come back into the fold loving the current KDE releases. And for all the hate about Plasma, the Plasma framework makes it quite easy to create new activities and shells, making KDE on netbooks, tablets and phones considerably more viable.
I find it interesting that Ubuntu is trying to find a way to create one interface/shell on every device, and yet they pay so little attention to KDE, Plasma and Qt. With KDE activities, I can switch instantly between a netbook activity (which I may prefer on the tiny resolution netbook screen) and a more standard desktop activity/shell when I use the video output to use a larger display.
I can keep many of the same apps, conventions, etc. across multiple devices while still focusing on a activity/shell that is best suited to that size/resolution/device.
I'm actually really excited about the future of KDE.
I'm assuming the PayPal hate is because they stopped letting people use PayPal to donate funds to Wikileaks. The PayPal terms of service have been clear and consistent for years. If you use the site to encourage people to break the law, then you can't use PayPal.
I'm all for government transparency and accountability, but Wikileaks did encourage people to break the law in acquiring these documents. In the post-Patriot Act world, if you financially enable people to break the law, you can be held liable. I'm assuming PayPal was pressured a bit in this matter.
Full disclouse, I work for PayPal, but I don't have any inside information on the matter. These are solely my assumptions and opinions.
Developers are getting concerned about fragmentation of the Android platform. If users all have different versions, then it makes it hard to gets apps to those users.
I think the solution is to encourage the hardware OEMs to allow people to flash new versions of Android themselves, or Google/OHA needs to work with them to get the newest versions on all the hardware as soon as possible.
At least with my iPhone, I know I'm going to get all the iOS updates. If you buy an Android phone, there is a good chance you aren't going to get updates to the newer versions of Android.
That's the point. Magazine companies aren't happy with Apple and won't use their service. The New York Times has their own app. Apps can require subscriptions (even before the 4.3 update) that are completely seperate. For instance, the MLB app requires me to sign-in with a MLB.TV account if I want to access live streaming games.
Apple is trying to create a gateway where they control those subscriptions and take a bunch of money off the top. Why would anyone use it?
Slashdot Mirror
SUSE does focus on both KDE and Gnome. openSUSE lists KDE as the default, while SLED ships Gnome as the default.
openSUSE may ship the best KDE packages of any distro out there, so a lot of people associate openSUSE with KDE.
There are cross platform desktop standards at FreeDesktop.org
For instance, the naming conventions for icons in KDE 3 and Gnome were different, so you couldn't share an icon set. A FreeDesktop.org standard was set, and they both use it now. There are standards for menu entries, etc.
The KDE devs did try to get Akonadi recognized as a standard so resources (like an address book) would be recognized in Gnome applications as well. FreeDesktop.org did not accept it as a standard.
http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-pim&m=118583299200650&w=2
Not necessarily. There are convertibles where the screen just lays down, and there are some where the screen detaches and turns into a tablet.
Hence I said "remove the screen".
Then again, reading is hard.
For example, with Akonadi you can have a resource that is your address book.
Fire up your email client, and it is there. Fire up a VOIP client, and it is there. Fire up a calendar, and it is there. Fire up an IM client, and it is there. They can all share the same resource if they're all KDE apps designed to work with Akonadi resources.
I *believe* the KDE devs tried getting Akonadi turned into a Free Desktop standard that Gnome used as well, but it was denied. Maybe I'm crazy and thinking of something else though.
You're missing the point. Developers won't develop for a device if most users can't install apps due to fragmentation.
I did look into trying to get Cynogen mod running on her phone, but it isn't properly working on her phone yet. But if users need a strong technical skill set to get updates, then really most users don't have access to updates.
That is a problem.
Employers often do have paid holidays, but they're not required to do so.
The "propoganda department" had no qualms reporting on Iraqi civilians killed by US bombings, or Abu Ghraib prison, etc.
The coverage hasn't been all positive.
As for PayPal just now enforcing their TOS, like I said, I assume PayPal was pressured into their decision.
No, Rekonq would be sorted under W for Web Browser. The menu entry would say:
Rekonq
Web Browser
Hyperbole much?
Every government on the planet is tyranny by your definition if they have a single unreleased document apparently.
First off, don't post AC and then crusade against secrecy. It is entirely hypocritical.
Secondly, there is zero point in trying to have a rational conversation with a zealot. Somedays I really wish Slashdot had this feature:
http://xkcd.com/481/
I love that the people who are supposedly the heroes of transparency always post AC. You apparently know me since you're talking about my wife. That doesn't bother me as I've used one handle online since the BBS days. Anything you want to know about me Google can tell you. I do advocate transparency, but also live by the same standard. How about you, mister Anonymous Coward?
The military leaks are illegal under the UCMJ and the Espionage Act at the very least.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Code_of_Military_Justice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act_of_1917
Leaking private company documents is usually covered by theft of private property laws.
And the leaks just came out. They haven't cost any lives that I know of. But Amnesty International did blast Assange for being irresponsible in placing lives in danger.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/10/amnesty-international-hum_n_677048.html
I for one welcome our new Chumby overlords.
http://www.chumby.com/
Two years ago they said no one would use a PC, because netbook sales were through the roof. PCs were entirely dead. But people buy netbooks to supplement their PCs. Same with smartphones and tablets.
I said it encourages others to the break the law. It isn't illegal in Sweden to host the files for instance. But it is illegal for military personnel to steal and leak classified documents.
I am for government transparency. I find it odd that all my Democrat/Liberal friends are up in arms about Wikileaks, but not up in arms that Obama has failed to deliver on his promises of an open government. This is a bunch of political posturing. If you criticize people I hate, then I should support you, regardless of your tactics, right?
I also find it odd that there is overriding opinion now that the government has a bevy of secrets about Iraq and Afghanistan. Are you aware that the US military invited the media to embed with troops from day one?
Again, I made it clear that I don't know how the decision with PayPal went down. I do know that Wikileaks does very clearly break the terms of service and that if PayPal didn't close the account they could be held legally liable.
It is illegal to steal classified government documents and hand them over to other people. Just as it is illegal to steal private corporate data and give it to others.
The people who leaked the data in the first place can and will be charged with crimes. Wikileaks is encouraging people to break the law.
Amazingly enough, journalists and groups like Amnesty International have no qualms exposing people and fighting for transparency while still staying within the bounds of the law.
You haven't seen PayPal drop Amnesty International, even if Amnesty International blasts the US government. This isn't censorship. This is about following the law.
You can use Amarok just fine in Gnome. It isn't "tied" to the desktop. However, running an all-Gnome or all-KDE ecosystem means you reuse the same libraries, keep a consistent look, and share certain features, such as KDE ioslaves, Akonadi resources, Strigi/Nepomuk metadata, same file dialogs, etc. across all the apps.
Not necessarily true. You have the bulk/weight of a netbook when using it as a netbook. How is that a disadvantage?
You can load any apps/software you want, have a full keyboard, USB slots, etc.
And many of the convertible netbooks/tablets change the OS interface when in tablet mode. When you remove the screen and tablet you leave the weight of the netbook behind.
You have the best of both worlds. Why is that bad?
There are brand new Android phones being shipped and sold today with 2.1 instead of 2.2, with Gingerbread out the door now. And most Android phones/carriers haven't been releasing updates.
Apple has been releasing updates for two generations back on their phones. You're complaining that Apple hasn't pushed updates back three generations, and my wife's Android phone isn't getting support/updates as a brand new phone.
iOS 4 didn't run as well on slower hardware (the 3G has about 1/2 the processing power of the 3GS, which has about 1/2 the processing power of the 4). But at least they all got the update.
My wife has a Samsung Captivate, which shipped months after Froyo (2.2) and still doesn't have it. And I haven't heard plans for when or if it will be released, even though Gingerbread is now out the door.
The Eclair version the phone shipped with has a major bug which makes the GPS painfully slow, and this is fixed in newer releases, but they just don't feel like letting users have that release. Screw you. You have no choice.
To top it off, the one app my wife wants on her phone is Angry Birds, but because the phones are so fragmented, and because she has an old version of Android on a brand new phone, she can't play Angry Birds.
I love many aspects of Android (OSS, Linux based, Google Backed, etc) but fragmentation is a real problem that they need to fix.
What do you mean by that?
KDE's default behavior is to have no icons on the desktop because they want to eliminate the behavior of storing files on the desktop. They wanted to eliminate clutter.
I'm not sure why someone would assume they're pushing a messy desktop, unless you mean they support widgets or plasmoids. So does Mac OS X and Windows 7, both praised for their "clean" design. I don't use plasmoids on the desktop and don't care for them, but they're entirely optional. (I do have plasmoids docked in the panel, but that is another story).
KDE has been rebranding, and not just in removing the K from all their applications. KDE is a project, and a non-profit entity (KDE e.V.). The software compilation they release is now known as KDE SC.
I don't see any reason for alarm over rebranding. KDE is getting more contributers and developers every year. Even many of the die-hard haters who railed against the 4.0 release have come back into the fold loving the current KDE releases. And for all the hate about Plasma, the Plasma framework makes it quite easy to create new activities and shells, making KDE on netbooks, tablets and phones considerably more viable.
I find it interesting that Ubuntu is trying to find a way to create one interface/shell on every device, and yet they pay so little attention to KDE, Plasma and Qt. With KDE activities, I can switch instantly between a netbook activity (which I may prefer on the tiny resolution netbook screen) and a more standard desktop activity/shell when I use the video output to use a larger display.
I can keep many of the same apps, conventions, etc. across multiple devices while still focusing on a activity/shell that is best suited to that size/resolution/device.
I'm actually really excited about the future of KDE.
I'm assuming the PayPal hate is because they stopped letting people use PayPal to donate funds to Wikileaks. The PayPal terms of service have been clear and consistent for years. If you use the site to encourage people to break the law, then you can't use PayPal.
I'm all for government transparency and accountability, but Wikileaks did encourage people to break the law in acquiring these documents. In the post-Patriot Act world, if you financially enable people to break the law, you can be held liable. I'm assuming PayPal was pressured a bit in this matter.
Full disclouse, I work for PayPal, but I don't have any inside information on the matter. These are solely my assumptions and opinions.
Everyone complained they were annoying so know you've got Plasma, Strigi, Gwenview, Dolphin, Marble, Calligra, etc.
I also didn't understand why everyone complained when KDE did it, but not Gnome?
And it never really bothered me. A brand new user knew the difference between GCalc and KCalc. But they may be confused by Abacus.
For $450 you can buy a decent convertible netbook/tablet that does both.
Developers are getting concerned about fragmentation of the Android platform. If users all have different versions, then it makes it hard to gets apps to those users.
I think the solution is to encourage the hardware OEMs to allow people to flash new versions of Android themselves, or Google/OHA needs to work with them to get the newest versions on all the hardware as soon as possible.
At least with my iPhone, I know I'm going to get all the iOS updates. If you buy an Android phone, there is a good chance you aren't going to get updates to the newer versions of Android.
That's the point. Magazine companies aren't happy with Apple and won't use their service. The New York Times has their own app. Apps can require subscriptions (even before the 4.3 update) that are completely seperate. For instance, the MLB app requires me to sign-in with a MLB.TV account if I want to access live streaming games.
Apple is trying to create a gateway where they control those subscriptions and take a bunch of money off the top. Why would anyone use it?