Étoilé
Encyclopedia
Étoilé is a GNUstep
-based free software
desktop environment
built from the ground up on highly modular and light components with project and document orientation in mind, in order to allow users to create their own workflow by reshaping or recombining provided services (applications), and other components.
Étoilé avoids many of the conventional desktop metaphor
s in favor of a higher-level representation of objects. This helps it represent objects that are not traditionally mapped onto files, such as people. Étoilé also hopes to avoid the inflexibility of file names and hierarchies by allowing users to tag
objects and maintain a collection of objects (instead of relying on folders).
project. It provides frameworks, human interface guidelines
and documentation to permit GNUstep developers to easily develop Étoilé compliant applications (called "services") (see Services menu
).
GNUstep
GNUstep is a free software implementation of Cocoa Objective-C libraries , widget toolkit, and application development tools not only for Unix-like operating systems, but also for Microsoft Windows. It is part of the GNU Project.GNUstep features a cross-platform, object-oriented development...
-based free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
desktop environment
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
built from the ground up on highly modular and light components with project and document orientation in mind, in order to allow users to create their own workflow by reshaping or recombining provided services (applications), and other components.
Étoilé avoids many of the conventional desktop metaphor
Desktop metaphor
The desktop metaphor is an interface metaphor which is a set of unifying concepts used by graphical user interfaces to help users more easily interact with the computer. The desktop metaphor treats the monitor of a computer as if it is the user's desktop, upon which objects such as documents and...
s in favor of a higher-level representation of objects. This helps it represent objects that are not traditionally mapped onto files, such as people. Étoilé also hopes to avoid the inflexibility of file names and hierarchies by allowing users to tag
Tag (metadata)
In online computer systems terminology, a tag is a non-hierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of information . This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing or searching...
objects and maintain a collection of objects (instead of relying on folders).
Goals
The project's goals are:- Light, focused applications.
- Fast, simple data sharing between tasks and documents, with few context switches, such as between applications, between windows, and using selection.
- Facility to composite, layout unrelated elements in first-class objects like documents, folders, etc.
- Work flow based on project-inspired management (versioning, indexing, sharing)
- Assistant technology similar to Apple NewtonApple NewtonThe MessagePad was the first series of personal digital assistant devices developed by Apple for the Newton platform in 1993. Some electronic engineering and the manufacture of Apple's MessagePad devices was done in Japan by the Sharp Corporation...
's approach.
GNUstep cooperation
The project cooperates with the GNUstepGNUstep
GNUstep is a free software implementation of Cocoa Objective-C libraries , widget toolkit, and application development tools not only for Unix-like operating systems, but also for Microsoft Windows. It is part of the GNU Project.GNUstep features a cross-platform, object-oriented development...
project. It provides frameworks, human interface guidelines
Human Interface Guidelines
Human interface guidelines are software development documents which offer application developers a set of recommendations. Their aim is to improve the experience for the users by making application interfaces more intuitive, learnable, and consistent. Most guides limit themselves to defining a...
and documentation to permit GNUstep developers to easily develop Étoilé compliant applications (called "services") (see Services menu
Services menu
The Services menu is a user interface element in a computer operating system. The services are programs that accept input from the user selection, process it, and optionally put the result back in the clipboard. The concept originated in the NeXTSTEP operating system, from which it was carried...
).
See also
- Comparison of X Window System desktop environments
- FrugalwareFrugalwareFrugalware Linux is a general-purpose Linux distribution designed for intermediate users who are familiar with command-line operations. Early versions were based on Slackware, but it is now an independently-developed distribution...
, a Slackware-based Linux distribution featuring Étoilé