Call to arms! A new GUI for Linux

[Lloyd D Budd]

On 16-Oct-04, at 13:55, Aaron Vegh wrote:

> Good day!
> Many people have talked about the next generation of graphical user
> interfaces. Mac OS X was supposed to represent a radical departure
> from the desktop metaphor; instead, the underlying technology became
> its distinguishing feature. Microsoft's Longhorn is supposed to be
> "next generation" -- instead, it's looking like 'more of the same.'

I commend your enthusiasm -- don't lose that ;-)

Experience has lead me not to write things like
"Call to arms!" in email to mailing lists .

> Meanwhile, the Linux platform is clamouring for the tantalizing goal
> of "ease of use", that key to final acceptance on the desktop. We're
> not there yet, and many doubt that the current solutions -- Gnome and
> KDE -- have what it takes to get us there.

This problem being  a compelling advantage ?

I have also considered this topic at some length , as I know
many computer users , particularly OSS users have .  You
are quite mistaken that no one has proposed alternate
ways to interact in an operating environment .  Intuitively ,
you do realize that ?  (Various degrees of) implementation
also exist .  Offhand , one example is (not active) project
Dashboard <http://www.nat.org/dashboard/> .

I agree that Linux may eventually need such a solution ,
but what I think it needs today is integration of the desktop
experience .  Anton Markov , Chris Browne , and others
present a number of topics in their responses to this subject.
Of course , if you can provide a revolution then you also meet
the needs .  Revolution is not something that I know much
about , nor have many of humans successes been revolutions ,
and not Linux in many eyes including I believe Mr. Torvalds .
Sure , there are revolutions on small scales , but us short lived
folk often neglect the value of doing things slowly and safely .

> I have begun a project called Dark Sun Linux. It's goal is to create a
> new GUI for the Linux desktop.
I have looked at the project pages .  Very thoughtful and
detailed .

> There's really only one problem: it doesn't exist yet. Worse, I'm not
> a developer, so I can't make it happen alone. I'm just a publisher
> trained in information architecture, and the most I can code is PHP.
> But I can manage a software project. I have the vision, and I've got
> the ideas. I need help!
Describing / linking your software project management experience
may encourage people to join .

Not to discourage you , only to provide my experience , and to reflect
what many OSS contributors describe , but vision matters less than feet,
particularly when starting a project .

It looks like you may have the feet , and be looking for more , but you
may need to spend quite a bit more effort presenting your vision,
clarifying (/shrinking) the goals, before leaders will join you .

Best of luck ,
Lloyd D Budd

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