Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Servers

    GNOME Desktop to Gain Browser

    By
    Matthew Hicks
    -
    September 11, 2003
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The GNOME Foundation plans to announce on Friday a new version of its free desktop software that includes a new Web browser, accessibility features and a focus on ease of use.

      The GNOME 2.4 Desktop and Developer Platform was posted on the projects Web site for download late Wednesday. It marks another step in a campaign to make the software more accessible for the average user, not only tech-oriented users in the open-source community, said Luis Villa, a member of the GNOME Foundations board of directors and of the GNOME release team.

      “Were basically aiming to provide a complete user experience that youd find out of the box in (Microsoft) Windows or (Mac) OS X,” he said. “We want people to use their computer and to communicate with their friends in a complete GNOME environment.”

      Building a Web browser into the desktop software was central to that mission. GNOME 2.4 includes a browser—called Epiphany within the development project—that is based on the Mozilla Foundations open-source Gecko engine. GNOME developers chose to build their own browser so that it would be integrated specifically within the GNOME desktop; for example, it uses the same MIME type system as GNOME, Villa said.

      “The browser shouldnt be another application but a first-class part of the desktop since its one of the most important things people do today,” he said.

      The 2.4 release also includes GnomeMeeting, a videoconferencing client that supports Microsoft NetMeeting and the H.323 specification, Villa said. It is part of a bigger push GNOME is making into communications, and Villa said he expects the next few GNOME releases to expand videoconferencing so that other applications can access it instead of requiring users to launch it separately.

      GNOME schedules a new release of its software every six months.

      The latest GNOME release also adds a series of new accessibility tools. An onscreen keyboard called GOK allows users to type within any application without a physical keyboard, such as if they were using only a pointing device.

      A tool called Gnopernicus provides magnification of the screen, a feature that could help those with poor vision or who need zooming capabilities. It also acts as a bridge to other accessibility devices, such as a Braille reader, to afford those with disabilities easier access to the desktop. It also features a limited amount of voice generation that reads what appears on the screen, Villa said.

      GNOME 2.4 also includes a full desktop environment with a file manager, menu system, preference controls, games and utilities such as a text editor and calculator.

      It supports the same platforms as the current 2.2 release—Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, BSD and Apples Darwin. GNOME 2.4 will be included in the next releases of Red Hats and MandrakeSofts Linux distributions, Villa said.

      Discuss this in the eWEEK forum.

      Matthew Hicks
      As an online reporter for eWEEK.com, Matt Hicks covers the fast-changing developments in Internet technologies. His coverage includes the growing field of Web conferencing software and services. With eight years as a business and technology journalist, Matt has gained insight into the market strategies of IT vendors as well as the needs of enterprise IT managers. He joined Ziff Davis in 1999 as a staff writer for the former Strategies section of eWEEK, where he wrote in-depth features about corporate strategies for e-business and enterprise software. In 2002, he moved to the News department at the magazine as a senior writer specializing in coverage of database software and enterprise networking. Later that year Matt started a yearlong fellowship in Washington, DC, after being awarded an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship for Journalist. As a fellow, he spent nine months working on policy issues, including technology policy, in for a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He rejoined Ziff Davis in August 2003 as a reporter dedicated to online coverage for eWEEK.com. Along with Web conferencing, he follows search engines, Web browsers, speech technology and the Internet domain-naming system.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×