Aqua For Linux?

Hi folks, this is the first topic I start so I´ll try to be as short and as objective as I can.

I´m a programmer (not as good as the most of you guys! :smartass: ), and I love O.S. interfaces. I´m from Brazil and here an Apple computer costs about 3 times more then a PC with the same "power" (and even though I had already 2 iMacs and 1 iBook).

After some brainstorm I did, the only things I like in Windows OS are: 1) you have thounds of millions of programms to do everything; 2) you can run awsome games; 3) that´s all!

On the other side, Linux is flexible, stable and free! (to the hell with SCO! :6 ). But it´s interfaces... I´m sorry KDE´s and Gnome´s developers, but it´s interfaces are veeery far form the Windows or Mac OS in terms of usability.

There´s a project i like very very much witch is XPde Desktop Enviroment for Linux. Those guys are working on something big. Their building a interface based on Windows XP for Linux, and you now what? It´s very cool!

As a programmer I´d like to do something in the same style; a Desktop Enviroment for Linux but based on our must have AQUA interface! I simply love it! I can´t live without it! :bow:

My objectives with that would be:

1) To develop an user-friendly interface for Linux based on the Aqua interface, but 100% opensource;

2) To understand better how an OS works (Linux in special);

3) To leave a contribution to the Linux community;

4) To be envolved on a great software project with other greats programmers with simillar objectives to develop a high livel programm;

5) To have a FREE aqua! :staffs here:

I´d like you guys oppinions, suggestions, hate, love, support, ANYTHING is welcome!

Please leave your oppinion.

#87073

Originally posted by themaxweb

I´m sorry KDE´s and Gnome´s developers, but it´s interfaces are veeery far form the Windows or Mac OS in terms of usability.

That's not actually true - Gnome 2.6 (I don't know about KDE, I'm afraid) is actually as good with regards to usability, if not better in some cases, as Mac OS or Windows.

Have you taken a look at the Customizing Other forum here? It's all about customising Linux et al. to look like a Mac, or customising Mac OS to look even more like one

#87079

1. post in wrong forum...

2. There are MANY themes for KDE and GNOME, Many are almost Panther itself.

3. Ill try and XPde (sometime)< and if it doesnt out proform Windows, ill kill my self

4. F*ck SCO

#87080

Topic Moved.

Please post Linux-customisation related topics in the "Customising Other" forum.

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Stevie BM

#87082

OK, a bunch of things:

1. XPDE is actually cloning the Win2000 interface (why they added XP, I dont know). XPDE is really crappy. They are cloning THE MISTAKES (and there are some big ones) too.

2. the big thing about the "Aqua" GUI is the effects. These are in the works. In fact, XOUVERT, the XFree86 fork just had its first release yesterday. :woot: Also, the FreeDesktop.org Xserver, which is a complete rewrite (not a fork) already has true transparency and shadows. And more effects are on the way.

There are already some pretty darn accurate themes out there, but they can't go any further without the low-level implementation, which is still being developed.

3. GNOME 2.4 ( ) is leaps and bounds ahead of XP in terms of usability (OSX seems to be on par/slightly better). GNOME offers a consistant interface throughout the whole environment. And unlike Windows, its a BIG environment, with almost every program you could want. XP only includes a couple of apps, and their interfaces are even different (WMP vs Wordpad, etc)!

4. If you want to help the OSS community, more power to you! Anything you make I can host at my new site, gooeylinux.org. Its a website all about Linux GUI customization. We are going to be hosting a few different projects.

5. There is already a clone of the neXT parts of OSX out there (cocoa). Its called GNUSTEP, and its basically complete. If you write an app using Cocoa, (and not any OSX system calls), it can run in both OSX and Linux/UNIX natively. Although it will look prettier on OSX.

#87190

Guys, thanks for those feedbacks. (Y)

But let me make my intentions clear:

I´m DO NOT want to make a SKIN. You all are correct, there are already thousands of excelent skins for Gnome, KDE and so on. I want to make (or customize if it´s easier) a interface to look and work like aqua, in all details possible.

Example: All Docks made for Linux in my oppinion are crap. They´re SLOW. And the same happens with the skins. The Objectdock for Windows is at the moment even better then the original for Mac because it´s more flexible in terms of skins, but when you put it together with Objectbar, Iconpackager and Windowblinds, it´s seems you´re in a 486! All became to run SLOOOW because it´s steels so much memory that it´s not worth it.

So I want to make something COMPILED, something that use your hardware, something that is beautiful AND it´s fast enouth. I´d like some details like the Fast User Switching, Exposé, Labels and Quartz tecnology.

Thanks contrasutra! (Y)

They´re calling it XPde because they say the real XP interface (the one it´s compiled with the OS) is the same as Win2k, and the colourful new interface is just an skin... I honestly don´t know if it´s true. Anyway, thanks for the web server support and when we have our first file i´ll certainly contact you!

I´ll try GNOME 2.4 or 2.6. Anyway, as I said: I want to contribute! I want to leave something good for the community and I think the hardest part is this, the start.

#87488

Sounds like a great effort. I hope you come up with a good project and do something cool. If you need any help or support with graphics please let me know; I'd be glad to contribute anything I can.

::m5brane

#87574

My point is that there is no true transparency in XFree86, so a true dock would be a lot harder to do.

To have it hardware accelerated, you would have to do the whole thing in OpenGL, which is not easy. Ask Moby or Steve

#87599

I could help you with graphics (logos, backgrounds, etc.)! By the way, i am good at pixel art.

#91683

It may be harder than you think.

For it to be total Aqua you would need to write an widget set, like GTK, QT, Motif, etc. This would be harder then the actually Desktop Enviroment.

Not every Linux app would look like the Aqua as they can be written in these other widget set.

Perhaps it would be easier to make a REALLY good GTK theme then write a window manager (like metacity) and a desktop enviroment (like nautilus).

Then you could have a beautiful Aqua, with GTK programs that intergrate perfectly.

Also since Xfree86 doesn't have transparencey, you would need something like FreeDesktop.org's Xserver to do all the fancy shadows and true transparencies.

Just my .2cents

And if you need anything done in Perl, I'll be glad to help

#93552

You Can Use OroborOSX, OroborOSX WebSite

Download Here!

#93865

Thats actually for OSX.

That sucks, the screenshots got me all hyped up.

#93869

Originally posted by Ugalonko@Dec 31 2003, 07:32 PM

You Can Use OroborOSX, OroborOSX WebSite

Download Here!

nice but it looks like my puny modem is not going to like it much

#94290

oh darn. it doesn't seem to work on redhat. actually they talk about installing it on osx in the readme but hey why would someone add 'aqua' to osx?!? osx IS aqua!

#94349