TrackProgress

Differences between revisions 1 and 7 (spanning 6 versions)
Revision 1 as of 2005-12-12 12:45:47
Size: 5702
Editor: Home03207
Comment:
Revision 7 as of 2006-01-05 18:50:04
Size: 7053
Editor: Home03207
Comment:
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
Line 1: Line 1:
== Introduction ==  * Created: [[Date(2005-12-13T12:45:06Z)]] by JaniMonoses
 * Priority: NeedsPriority
 * People: JaniMonoses, NeedsSecond
 * Contributors: JaniMonoses
 * [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/xubuntu-roadmap-dapper]

== Summary ==

Xubuntu Roadmap for Dapper

== Scope ==
Line 4: Line 14:
main goal - getting ubuntu-express/install CDs out for Dapper. If you want to
help out by taking over one of the tasks or doing a new one add yourself next to
it. Discussing it previously on xubuntu-devel is required.
Tasks not having explicitly specified owners mean they are assigned to me (janimo). As goals
crystalize and we decide upon them they can be put into launchpad as more formal specs/tasks.
main goal - getting ubuntu-express/install CDs out for Dapper.
Line 10: Line 16:
The tasks: == Implementation ==
Line 12: Line 18:
== Artwork == === Artwork ===
Line 16: Line 22:
 *TODO: upload/integrate all current work
*TODO: get more works/feedback
 *TODO: upload/integrate all current work and get more proposals
Line 19: Line 24:
== Documentation == === Documentation ===
Line 21: Line 26:
 *DONE: Julio has written a nice about-xubuntu ff start page which is packaged in xubuntu-docs (on REVU only)  *DONE: Julio has written a nice about-xubuntu ff start page which is packaged in xubuntu-docs (pending upload)
Line 24: Line 29:
 *TODO: get xubuntu-docs voted for in REVU so it can be uploaded.
Line 26: Line 30:
== Sync with debian unstable (ongoing task) == === Sync with debian unstable (ongoing task) ===
Line 31: Line 35:
 *TODO: sync newer exo and thunar when they are uploaded to debian.
 *TODO: push upstream our packages which they don't have (notably some xfce-goodies)
 *DONE: sync newer exo and thunar when they are uploaded to debian.
 *TODO: push upstream our packages which they don't have (notably some xfce-goodies) (some done, some more to go)
Line 34: Line 38:
As both of these depend on debian upstream there's not much we can do besides becoming DDs and lending a hand. I am a pkg-xfce member on alioth now, so I can help out in their svn.
Line 36: Line 40:
== Promoting packages to main (ongoing task) == === Promoting packages to main (ongoing task) ===
Line 38: Line 42:
The CD build infrastructure works only with packages in ubuntu main. So xubuntu related packages need
to be promoted. Also needed for
them to be supported in ubuntu-updates and ubuntu-security.
Xubuntu packages need to be in main so the CD build infrastructure works with them and so they can be supported in ubuntu-updates and ubuntu-security.
Line 41: Line 44:
 *DONE: main inclusion reports written and enqueued, pending review (by pitti probably)  *DONE: main inclusion reports for core xfce packages written and enqueued, pending review (by pitti probably)
Line 43: Line 46:
 *TODO: sync exo from debian (see above) as having it come from there makes the review process more straightforward  *DONE: sync exo from debian (see above) as having it come from there makes the review process more straightforward
Line 46: Line 49:
== App selection == === App selection ===
Line 50: Line 53:
A display manager: gdm seems like the best choice as it is used by ubuntu, has features, looks ok and is actively
maintained upstream. Xdm/Wdm/Slim/qingy were considered but dropped for various reasons - ugliness, lack of features, immaturity, lack of ubuntu integration and not least nobody advocating them actively enough. This is a task still open for experimenters who can convincingly argue for one of the alternative DMs.
==== Display manager ====
gdm seems like the best choice as it is used by ubuntu, has lots of features, looks ok and is actively maintained upstream. Xdm/Wdm/Slim/qingy were considered but dropped for various reasons - ugliness, lack of features, immaturity, lack of ubuntu integration and not least nobody advocating them actively enough. This is a task still open for experimenters who can convincingly argue for one of the alternative DMs. The main point against gdm is it not being lightweight enough but that seems to be changing :)
Line 54: Line 58:
A volume manager: - most likely ivman. It is already in main as it was used by kubuntu until 5.10.
 *TODO: wait for new upstream version which includes specifying alternate config dir so we do not mess up current
==== Volume manager ====
 
most likely ivman. It is already in main as it was used by kubuntu until 5.10.
 *DONE: wait for new upstream version which includes specifying alternate config dir so we do not mess up current
Line 57: Line 62:
 *DONE: ivman config files uploaded to REVU as part of xubuntu-default-settings package. Waiting for votes.  *DONE: ivman config files uploaded as part of xubuntu-default-settings.
*DONE: wait for my main upload privileges to take effect and I can upload new ivman itself.
Line 59: Line 65:
Default file manager: - thunar.
 *TODO: wait for it to come in through debian
==== Default file manager ====
  
thunar.
   *DONE: wait for it to come in through debian
Line 62: Line 69:
Configuration apps:
There are no nice networking/printer config apps for Xfce.
 *TODO: evaluate writing them using system-tools-backend. Anyone interested?
==== Miscellaneous hacks ====
Line 66: Line 71:
== Only packages without gnome dependencies in xubuntu-desktop ==  *TODO: evaluate writing printer/network config apps for xfce using gtk andsystem-tools-backend
 *TODO: integrate with laptop hotkey-setup
 *TODO: fix logout dialog to not require password
 *TODO: integrate hwdb-client, update-manager, update-notifier (these all have various gnome deps so may be tricky)

=== Only packages without gnome dependencies in xubuntu-desktop ===
Line 74: Line 84:
gdm uses very few gnome functions calls. I built a gdm w/o gnome deps and sent part of the changes upstream a week ago. No response yet, I will follow up shortly with the rest of the changes. gdm uses very few gnome functions calls. I built a gdm w/o gnome deps and sent part of the changes upstream a week ago. No response yet, I will follow up shortly with the rest of the changes. (Dec 13 update: upstream took the patches and released them as part of 2.13.0.3, and seems to go in the same de-gnomifying direction, so luckily we won't have to have a forked gdm in xubuntu)(Jan 6: as of 2.13.0.4 only gdmsetup uses gnome libs but this still means
the gdm package installs them)
Line 77: Line 88:
Built and runs fine, needs packaging, upload to REVU. Built and runs fine, needs packaging and upload. Waiting for upstream 0.5.0 to be released to do this.
Line 83: Line 94:
== Xfce version to use == === Xfce version to use ===
Line 88: Line 99:
 *4.2 pros:
   -already packaged/used/tested since Hoary
   -stable
   -translations very complete
 *4.2 pros
   * already packaged/used/tested since Hoary
   * stable
   * translations very complete
Line 94: Line 105:
    -really nice new features in the wm and the panel especially     * really nice new features in the wm and the panel especially
Line 96: Line 107:
== Colaboration with Xfce upstream == === Colaboration with Xfce upstream ===
Line 104: Line 115:
== Other specifications relevant to Xubuntu == === Other specifications relevant to Xubuntu ===
Line 106: Line 117:
Ubuntu express, specifically the gnome ui Espresso, specifically the gnome ui
Line 112: Line 123:

Edubuntu - for a lighter version

=== Other things ===

Contact ubuntulite and see if we can colaborate better than we do now. They have done some good research on
lightweight apps. We could have icewm in xubuntu too as an option, as it is small, so a nice default install
of ubuntu + icewm may cover at least part of ubuntulite goals. Must see how to incorporate their more intrusive changes without diverging from ubuntu core, but probably this will come with the price that the system won't be as
lightweight as theirs. Maybe we could have a set of utilities which turn a xubuntu into an ubuntu lite (i.e boot directly into X w/o a DM, remove some uneeded services)

(Jan 6): A few Ulite people contacted and seemed interested so far , let's see if something comes out of this.

Summary

Xubuntu Roadmap for Dapper

Scope

This page covers the xubuntu-dapper tasks to accomplish in order to meet our main goal - getting ubuntu-express/install CDs out for Dapper.

Implementation

Artwork

  • DONE: we have nice usplash, proposed wallpapers and gdm theme
  • TODO: somebody qualified volunteering to oversee artwork direction
  • TODO: upload/integrate all current work and get more proposals

Documentation

  • DONE: Julio has written a nice about-xubuntu ff start page which is packaged in xubuntu-docs (pending upload)
  • TODO: somebody qualified volunteering to oversee xubuntu doc writing
  • TODO: get doc people to use ubuntu-docs svn and go on freely with writing xubuntu docs.

Sync with debian unstable (ongoing task)

Current status: we already have reduced the diffs between us and debian with the 4.2.3.2 sync, but there are still packages which diverge. Most of it is noise though, not real diffs. http://utnubu.alioth.debian.org/scottish/by_maint/pkg-xfce-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org/

  • DONE: sync newer exo and thunar when they are uploaded to debian.
  • TODO: push upstream our packages which they don't have (notably some xfce-goodies) (some done, some more to go)

I am a pkg-xfce member on alioth now, so I can help out in their svn.

Promoting packages to main (ongoing task)

Xubuntu packages need to be in main so the CD build infrastructure works with them and so they can be supported in ubuntu-updates and ubuntu-security.

  • DONE: main inclusion reports for core xfce packages written and enqueued, pending review (by pitti probably)
  • TODO: respond and correct the issues raised during review
  • DONE: sync exo from debian (see above) as having it come from there makes the review process more straightforward and less risky.

App selection

The key apps we need to be usable are listed here. For more details go to XubuntuProposedPackages

Display manager

  • gdm seems like the best choice as it is used by ubuntu, has lots of features, looks ok and is actively maintained upstream. Xdm/Wdm/Slim/qingy were considered but dropped for various reasons - ugliness, lack of features, immaturity, lack of ubuntu integration and not least nobody advocating them actively enough. This is a task still open for experimenters who can convincingly argue for one of the alternative DMs. The main point against gdm is it not being lightweight enough but that seems to be changing Smile :)

  • TODO: see below - building it w/o gnome deps

Volume manager

  • most likely ivman. It is already in main as it was used by kubuntu until 5.10.
  • DONE: wait for new upstream version which includes specifying alternate config dir so we do not mess up current

setting in /etc. Upstream promised this week.

  • DONE: ivman config files uploaded as part of xubuntu-default-settings.
  • DONE: wait for my main upload privileges to take effect and I can upload new ivman itself.

Default file manager

  • thunar.
  • DONE: wait for it to come in through debian

Miscellaneous hacks

  • TODO: evaluate writing printer/network config apps for xfce using gtk andsystem-tools-backend
  • TODO: integrate with laptop hotkey-setup
  • TODO: fix logout dialog to not require password
  • TODO: integrate hwdb-client, update-manager, update-notifier (these all have various gnome deps so may be tricky)

Only packages without gnome dependencies in xubuntu-desktop

A contentious subject, but lacking more scientfic data to be able to differentiate between heavy and light apps one guideline is 'no gnome dependencies'. Obviously also no kde/mono/java deps either. Actually I have used exmap, so there is some scientific data but on the machine I am developing on (1,73GHz, 512M) using an additional 4-5 Meg or loading 29 additional .so objects does not seem to make a visible difference. It probably does on lesser hardware.

  • TODO: gdm w/o gnome.

gdm uses very few gnome functions calls. I built a gdm w/o gnome deps and sent part of the changes upstream a week ago. No response yet, I will follow up shortly with the rest of the changes. (Dec 13 update: upstream took the patches and released them as part of 2.13.0.3, and seems to go in the same de-gnomifying direction, so luckily we won't have to have a forked gdm in xubuntu)(Jan 6: as of 2.13.0.4 only gdmsetup uses gnome libs but this still means the gdm package installs them)

  • TODO: evince w/o gnome.

Built and runs fine, needs packaging and upload. Waiting for upstream 0.5.0 to be released to do this.

  • TODO: gnumeric w/o gnome

both libgoffice and gnumeric have --without-gnome config options (they have a win32 port) upstream debian packager said he would accept clean patches to make gnumeric-gtk binary debs too.

Xfce version to use

Initial goal was using 4.4 since it was supposed to come out by April. However Xfce upstream is divided whether that release will be stable enough to base a distro on by that time. Still an ongoing research

  • 4.2 pros
    • already packaged/used/tested since Hoary
    • stable
    • translations very complete
  • 4.4 pros:
    • really nice new features in the wm and the panel especially

Colaboration with Xfce upstream

Need to investigate whether ubuntu can offer anything besides user feedback to Xfce. Maybe rosetta could be pitched to their i18n team but I don't know much about rosetta's maturity. They use bugzilla and svn so LP is probably not tempting either, especially not at this stage. Once bzr is default we'll import their svn anyway for testing purposes.

Other specifications relevant to Xubuntu

Espresso, specifically the gnome ui https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/ue-gnome-ui

Desktop specification https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/dapper-desktop-plan (particularly regarding what to have in the menus, logout dialog icons instead of radio buttons)

Edubuntu - for a lighter version

Other things

Contact ubuntulite and see if we can colaborate better than we do now. They have done some good research on lightweight apps. We could have icewm in xubuntu too as an option, as it is small, so a nice default install of ubuntu + icewm may cover at least part of ubuntulite goals. Must see how to incorporate their more intrusive changes without diverging from ubuntu core, but probably this will come with the price that the system won't be as lightweight as theirs. Maybe we could have a set of utilities which turn a xubuntu into an ubuntu lite (i.e boot directly into X w/o a DM, remove some uneeded services)

(Jan 6): A few Ulite people contacted and seemed interested so far , let's see if something comes out of this.

Xubuntu/Roadmap/Specifications/Dapper/TrackProgress (last edited 2012-07-17 21:24:13 by nblzone-227-162)