|
|
Linux on the Desktop
- Linux has always had a Windowing environment.
- XFree86, a free clone of the X Window system.
- Two separate efforts are building advanced Desktop environments.
- KDE. Had a head start, but isn't as customizable.
- GNOME. Has a cleaner license than KDE. Is most favored desktop.
- Although rivalry exists between the two groups, cooperation is
being negotiated to allow compatibility between the environments.
- Multi-user from the start.
- Unix/Linux have always been designed with multi-user issues in mind.
- Different users can use the same machine and have different
configurations.
- The same user can use different machines and have a consistent
environment.
- Concurrent text-based (Telnet, FTP, SSH) and/or GUI oriented resource
sharing.
- Applications
- Big name commercial applications available, including Netscape 4.6,
WordPerfect 8, G2 RealPlayer, Adobe Acrobat to include a very short list.
- More being announced every week.
- Surprisingly good quality OSS applications becoming available,
including The GIMP, Modzilla, FreeCiv, GNOME Applications, etc.
- Completion of WINE (with help from Corel) will expand application availability.
- Projects are now organizing to produce OSS educational software.
|