Debian GNU/Linux and the Graphical Desktop The GUI desktop is obviously an important component of a free software system like Debian. There are a number of projects that are worthy of your interest, and I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about them:
GNOME - this effort is very exciting because it has come so far in just a short time. GNOME is entirely free software. It unites the GUILE embedded language and the GTK widget set into an interpretive graphical environment with an elegance and rapid development capability unrivaled by any other product. An interface builder and a number of desktop tools already exist. Development is so fast and furious that while we are making experimental Debian packages from their working source, the packages will be obsolete next week. This project reminds me of the early days of the Linux kernel, when progress was rapid and everyone who worked on it knew that something great was happening. You should definitely take a look at it. Information is at http://www.gnome.org/ GNUStep - This is a free software implementation of the OpenStep GUI programming environment. It's very clean and easy to write for, and still quite advanced even though NeXTStep/OpenStep now has ten years of experience. Although the present version runs on top of X, native GNUStep tools use Display PostScript for their renderer and are X-independent. GNUStep is interesting in that it will probably be compatible with the OpenStep GUI toolkit that Apple is using for its upcoming Rhapsody operating system. Information is at http://www.gnustep.org/ Berlin - A lightweight, smarter, free software replacement for existing window systems. It's based on the Linux Generic Graphics Interface and other advanced technology. Berlin could eventually replace X as the graphics kernel underlying higher-level products such as GNUStep and GNOME. The Berlin team has also proposed their own high-level GUI toolkit and a desktop architecture. Work on the graphics kernel is currently estimated to be 70% complete. This is very exciting and worth a look. Information is at http://www.ecnet.net/users/gfetters/berlin/ Lesstif - A free-software replacement for Motif, it is presently distributed as part of Debian. It is still under development, and is now capable of hosting many applications that have been written for Motif. Since it provides a free replacement for such a fundamental component of today's workstations, it's worthy of your support. Information can be found at http://www.lesstif.org/ KDE - This GUI desktop is the one closest to being a complete solution for the end-user at this time, but it has one big problem. KDE itself is free software, but it is built upon on the Qt graphical toolkit which is not free software and thus can not be part of Debian (Qt fails tests #3 and #6 of our free software definition, at the end of this message.) We hope that the KDE team will eventually re-target their project to use a free toolkit instead of Qt. Information about KDE is at http://www.kde.org/ THE DEBIAN FREE SOFTWARE GUIDELINES 1. Free Redistribution The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license may not require a royalty or other fee for such sale. 2. Source Code The program must include source code, and must allow distribution in source code as well as compiled form. 3. Derived Works The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original software. 4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form _only_ if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software. (This is a compromise. The Debian group encourages all authors to not restrict any files, source or binary, from being modified.) 5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons. 6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research. 7. Distribution of License The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties. 8. License Must Not Be Specific to Debian The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a Debian system. If the program is extracted from Debian and used or distributed without Debian but otherwise within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the Debian system. 9. License Must Not Contaminate Other Software The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium must be free software. 10. Example Licenses The "GPL", "BSD", and "Artistic" licenses are examples of licenses that we consider "free". -- Can you get your operating system fixed when you need it? Linux - the supportable operating system. http://www.debian.org/support.html Bruce Perens K6BP [EMAIL PROTECTED] NEW PHONE NUMBER: 510-620-3502 -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . 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