Dropline GNOME
Encyclopedia
Dropline GNOME is a version of the GNOME
desktop environment
intended for use in Slackware
. As Slackware has not included GNOME since 2005, Dropline GNOME is an option for Slackware users who wish to use GNOME as their desktops.
Dropline GNOME 2.26.3 was released on August 8, 2009. The development team is working for the next release, the Gnome 2.28.
s, and was later dropped entirely from the distribution. Dropline GNOME was created to account for the shortcomings and to fill the void left by this decision.
Todd Kulesza, dropline GNOME's founder, has retired from further work on it. Dropline GNOME is now being maintained by a small group of volunteers from around the world who build different parts of the system.
to notify users when new packages for their installed release are available for download.
, for adding PAM
to the system, and for replacing large system files, including the whole X11 system. However, the Dropline GNOME team has discontinued rebuilding X11 as of version 2.16.1. They use the official Slackware packages whenever possible, and publish a list of conflicting packages for each targeted Slackware system/release.
Cases such as the PAM addition are not done without merit, however, as pam_console is an essential component in providing functional automount
support via HAL
, the GNOME Volume Manager, and other software.
GNOME
GNOME is a desktop environment and graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system. It is composed entirely of free and open source software...
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...
intended for use in Slackware
Slackware
Slackware is a free and open source Linux-based operating system. It was one of the earliest operating systems to be built on top of the Linux kernel and is the oldest currently being maintained. Slackware was created by Patrick Volkerding of Slackware Linux, Inc. in 1993...
. As Slackware has not included GNOME since 2005, Dropline GNOME is an option for Slackware users who wish to use GNOME as their desktops.
Dropline GNOME 2.26.3 was released on August 8, 2009. The development team is working for the next release, the Gnome 2.28.
History
Due to developer constraints, the version of GNOME included with Slackware was inferior to that of many other distributionLinux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
s, and was later dropped entirely from the distribution. Dropline GNOME was created to account for the shortcomings and to fill the void left by this decision.
Todd Kulesza, dropline GNOME's founder, has retired from further work on it. Dropline GNOME is now being maintained by a small group of volunteers from around the world who build different parts of the system.
Release cycle
Each minor (second version number) release of GNOME results in a new installer application and package group being released. However, subsequent micro (third version number, e.g. from 2.16.1 to 2.16.2) releases of GNOME are typically distributed in the form of individual package updates as source packages are updated, and do not require replacement of the installer package. To ensure that users do not easily fall behind in package updates, Dropline GNOME includes a panel appletApplet
In computing, an applet is any small application that performs one specific task that runs within the scope of a larger program, often as a plug-in. An applet typically also refers to Java applets, i.e., programs written in the Java programming language that are included in a web page...
to notify users when new packages for their installed release are available for download.
Criticism
Dropline GNOME has been criticized by some, including Slackware creator Patrick VolkerdingPatrick Volkerding
Patrick Volkerding is the founder and maintainer of the Slackware Linux distribution. He is the "Slackware Benevolent Dictator for Life." Volkerding earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 1993.For a short while, Chris Lumens and others assisted...
, for adding PAM
Pluggable Authentication Modules
Pluggable authentication modules are a mechanism to integrate multiple low-level authentication schemes into a high-level application programming interface . It allows programs that rely on authentication to be written independent of the underlying authentication scheme...
to the system, and for replacing large system files, including the whole X11 system. However, the Dropline GNOME team has discontinued rebuilding X11 as of version 2.16.1. They use the official Slackware packages whenever possible, and publish a list of conflicting packages for each targeted Slackware system/release.
Cases such as the PAM addition are not done without merit, however, as pam_console is an essential component in providing functional automount
Automounter
An automounter is any program or software facility which automatically mounts filesystems in response to access operations by user programs. An automounter system utility , when notified of file and directory access attempts under selectively monitored subdirectory trees, dynamically and...
support via HAL
HAL (software)
HAL was a software project providing a hardware abstraction layer for Unix-like computer systems.HAL is now deprecated on GNU/Linux systems, with functionality being merged into udev as of 2008–2010...
, the GNOME Volume Manager, and other software.