What's up next in Linux desktop standardization? (DesktopLinux) [LWN.net]

What's up next in Linux desktop standardization? (DesktopLinux)

Posted Dec 13, 2006 9:13 UTC (Wed) by ctg (subscriber, #3459)
In reply to: What's up next in Linux desktop standardization? (DesktopLinux) by quintesse
Parent article: What's up next in Linux desktop standardization? (DesktopLinux)

The emphasisis on "_more_ consistent look and feel."

Currently, if you are in a gnome desktop environment, you might get a completely different print dialog in, say, open office, acrobat reader, kword, abiword etc. In this case, consistency is about the ISV being able to hook into a standard dialog - so that file and print from acrobat reader looks like a gnome print dialog if you are in gnome, or a kde print dialog if you are in KDE.

The real debate is between the "open source/single repository" model, versus the "closed source/apps from anywhere model".

Currently, for Linux, consistency is provided by choosing open source applications from a single (typically distributions) repository. Where all the open source apps have been modified for that distribution/repository to provide a consistent look and feel.

In the Windows world, consistency is provided by single, standard functions/APis so that closed source applications, which can't be modified, will look consistent.

However, aside from the political aspects, neither of these models is perfect - inconsistency is rife on both Windows and Linux/UNIX desktops - so standardising in the way that this meeting is suggesting seems to be a good thing with benefits for both the open source/repository model and the closed source/multi vendor model.

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