Re: LiteStep and Linux?

Are these competitors (Linux shells similar to LiteStep) open source?

If so, would it be possible and useful (two very different questions) to 
take one of these "similar to LiteStep already" shells and create some 
sort of bridge that would do the on-the-fly translation between LiteStep 
and the Linux machines?

Here are a couple of potential benefits:

(1) An increasing number of users seem to be packing U3 portable 
desktops around with them. Thus they can boot from the U3 and start with 
their own familiar/preferred desktop, configurations, utilities, etc.

Might it be useful to a Windows/LiteStep user to be able to move back 
and forth with the (apparently) same desktop?

(2) It seems unlikely there will be a shortage of users looking for an 
alternative to Windows.  Sadly, Linux will not give Microsoft a run for 
their money. Even taking together all of the non-Windows desktops it 
seems unlikely that Microsoft strategists will lose much sleep over 
market share loss.

Especially in Asian markets, where some project that more computers will 
be sold than in the US and Europe in just a few years! Note, for 
example, that one recent theme skinning contest (with some really nifty 
toys to the winners) was dominated by entries from China.

This would not be my choice if I had something to do with it, but it 
does seem to be the fact--in spite of any of my possible contributions 
(!) Microsoft isn't going away soon. I do have to admit, though, that I 
do not at all miss the days when every hardware and software purchase 
required its own set of drivers and "play nice with others" utilities.

So it seems reasonable that if we were to reestablish a solid base of 
themes it would serve the LiteStep community exceeding well.

 From what I am hearing, however, it seems that many of the most 
experienced theme creators/LiteStep program developers have moved away 
from Windows.

Putting all this together, doesn't it make sense that if LiteStep were 
able to run platform-independent (or at least, Linux-friendly) we will 
be more likely to continue to attract the contributions of our most 
experienced developers? I would imagine that a good part of the 
motivation to create themes (apart from the lucrative financial 
incentives and wide ranging perks--cough, cough) comes from the themer's 
desire to try something out/create something new on their own desktop.

If we were to combine some measure of Linux compatibility with a 
paradigm shift pairing great graphic design with phenomenal programming, 
LiteStep would likely emerge as the "industry standard" and the measure 
of every other package.

If we are going to create great desktop environments, don't we need this 
community of experienced/highly skilled programmers?

So is it possible? Is it probable? Is it likely to be worth it?





Antoine W. Campagna wrote:
> On 8/15/07, Arve Barsnes <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Afterstep might be a better base, but I'm not really a programmer, and I
>>> haven't seen either Gnome or Afterstep's code.
>>> Nothing wrong with basing it on something else if you ask me...
>> AfterStep would be a good base, as it already has the Linux specific
>> parts of it in place, and is generally more LiteStep-like than other
>> WMs. Would still be a huge task though.
>>
>>
> LS is a shell replacement for Windows and can not be turned into a
> Linux window manager or desktop environment.
> LS runs well under WINE which is nice for any user that runs many exes in Linux.
> There are only module incompatibilities, which can probably be worked
> around or could be fixed in WINE's code (if it's not compatible, it's
> their fault since they are supposed to mimmic Windows).
> I think we could make LS fit perfectly with WINE and propose it as a feature
> for the WINE community (with a
> minimalistic floating explorer bar or something).
> Useability of LS under Linux could be agumented if there would be a
> "bridge" between the emulated environment and the OS (which may already exist).
> Such a bridge could be used in scripts, by lsxcommand or even by the
> core to do pretty much anything.
> An "inverse
> bridge" could also be used to allow communication between a native
> linux app that would communicate the systray/tasks and stuff to LS so
> that it can act as a complete netive like desktop environment.
> 
> Or a simplified version of LS could be turned into a Linux desktop
> environment although this would still be a major task and would require new
> modules.
> 
> But there is already much competition in the alternative unix window manager
> scene and some are quite similar to LS already.
> 

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