Symphony OS
Encyclopedia
Symphony OS, SymphonyOne or Symphony Linux, is a Live CD
Linux
-based operating system
, developed by Ryan Quinn, Jason Spisak
, and Alexander Drummond
. The distribution was dormant until 29 June 2011, when a new build was released.
At first, Symphony OS was based on Knoppix
. Since its May 2006 release it is no longer based on Knoppix, but rather on Debian
unstable, and features a functional hard drive installer. Symphony OS 2007 Preview, was based on Ubuntu
7.04.SymphonyOne was released on April 1, 2008. The release of version 2008.1 is based on Ubuntu 7.10.
The primary difference between Symphony OS and other distributions is the addition of the Mezzo
desktop environment
. This environment, like other aspects of Symphony, was designed with an eye towards extreme simplicity and usability. An example is that WLAN-Networks can work automatically with no user action. Symphony also includes its own Mozilla
-driven application environment, called Orchestra.
Symphony OS uses a custom packaging system utilizing the *.sym package format; through a simple GUI a user may install any application in the Symphony library without dealing with "dependency hell"
. Because Symphony is Debian
-based, it also supports the Debian package format
.
environment which is being written for Symphony OS. It allows programs composed of HTML
and CGI
-style Perl
to run as local GUI
applications.
Orchestra is made up of two main parts: a lightweight localhost
-only HTTP server written in Perl
, and a slimmed down Mozilla
renderer
. Because Mozilla is used as the base for rendering Orchestra, applications can utilize the following technologies:
created by Ryan Quinn based on designs by Jason Spisak. Added to Symphony OS, it aims to pose a new way of presenting data to the user. Mezzo disposes of standard concepts like "The desktop is a folder" and nested menu systems and instead presents all needed information directly to the user via the main desktop and four desk targets for tasks and files related to System, Programs, Files, and Trash. The developers claim that this makes the desktop easier to use. A new desktop environment called Conductor is under development.
Live CD
A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
-based operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, developed by Ryan Quinn, Jason Spisak
Jason Spisak
Jason Spisak is an American voice actor in animation and video games, and a Computer Programmer.Spisak is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project. He is the designer of Symphony's unique Mezzo desktop environment and wrote the Laws of Interface Design, for which the project tries to adhere...
, and Alexander Drummond
Alexander Drummond
Captain Alexander Victor Drummond was an English cricketer. Drummond's batting and bowling styles are unknown.-Personal life:...
. The distribution was dormant until 29 June 2011, when a new build was released.
At first, Symphony OS was based on Knoppix
Knoppix
Knoppix, or KNOPPIX , is an operating system based on Debian designed to be run directly from a CD / DVD or a USB key , one of the first of its kind for any operating system. Knoppix was developed by Linux consultant Klaus Knopper. When starting a program, it is loaded from the removable medium...
. Since its May 2006 release it is no longer based on Knoppix, but rather on Debian
Debian
Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
unstable, and features a functional hard drive installer. Symphony OS 2007 Preview, was based on Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
7.04.SymphonyOne was released on April 1, 2008. The release of version 2008.1 is based on Ubuntu 7.10.
The primary difference between Symphony OS and other distributions is the addition of the Mezzo
Mezzo (desktop environment)
Mezzo is the desktop environment created by Ryan Quinn. Added to Symphony OS, it follows Jason Spisak's Laws of Interface Design and poses a new way of presenting data to the user...
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...
. This environment, like other aspects of Symphony, was designed with an eye towards extreme simplicity and usability. An example is that WLAN-Networks can work automatically with no user action. Symphony also includes its own Mozilla
Mozilla Application Suite
The Mozilla Application Suite is a cross-platform integrated Internet suite. Its development was initiated by Netscape Communications Corporation, before their acquisition by AOL. It is based on the source code of Netscape Communicator...
-driven application environment, called Orchestra.
Symphony OS uses a custom packaging system utilizing the *.sym package format; through a simple GUI a user may install any application in the Symphony library without dealing with "dependency hell"
Dependency hell
Dependency hell is a colloquial term for the frustration of some software users who have installed software packages which have dependencies on specific versions of other software packages. This was mainly attributable to old Linux package managers...
. Because Symphony is Debian
Debian
Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
-based, it also supports the Debian package format
Deb (file format)
deb is the extension of the Debian software package format and the most often used name for such binary packages. Like the "Deb" part of the term Debian, it originates from the name of Debra, erstwhile girlfriend and now ex-wife of Debian's founder Ian Murdock.Debian packages are also used in...
.
Orchestra
Orchestra is an incomplete rapid application developmentRapid application development
Rapid application development is a software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The "planning" of software developed using RAD is interleaved with writing the software itself...
environment which is being written for Symphony OS. It allows programs composed of HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
and CGI
Common Gateway Interface
The Common Gateway Interface is a standard method for web servers software to delegate the generation of web pages to executable files...
-style Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
to run as local GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
applications.
Orchestra is made up of two main parts: a lightweight localhost
Localhost
In computer networking, localhost is the standard hostname given to the address of the loopback network interface. The name is also a reserved top-level domain name In computer networking, localhost (meaning this computer) is the standard hostname given to the address of the loopback network...
-only HTTP server written in Perl
Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall in 1987 as a general-purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier. Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and become widely popular...
, and a slimmed down Mozilla
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
renderer
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
. Because Mozilla is used as the base for rendering Orchestra, applications can utilize the following technologies:
- Plain HTML
- JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
- Perl and CGI
- Java appletJava appletA Java applet is an applet delivered to users in the form of Java bytecode. Java applets can run in a Web browser using a Java Virtual Machine , or in Sun's AppletViewer, a stand-alone tool for testing applets...
s (using a plugin) - Macromedia Flash applications (using a plugin)
- Embedded media players (using a plugin)
- XULXULIn computer programming, XUL , the XML User Interface Language, is an XML user interface markup language developed by the Mozilla project. XUL operates in Mozilla cross-platform applications such as Firefox...
interfaces
Mezzo
Mezzo is the desktop environmentDesktop 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...
created by Ryan Quinn based on designs by Jason Spisak. Added to Symphony OS, it aims to pose a new way of presenting data to the user. Mezzo disposes of standard concepts like "The desktop is a folder" and nested menu systems and instead presents all needed information directly to the user via the main desktop and four desk targets for tasks and files related to System, Programs, Files, and Trash. The developers claim that this makes the desktop easier to use. A new desktop environment called Conductor is under development.