[CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Max Hetrick]

Hi, all.

How appropriate would a visualization and desktop "prettification" page 
be? I know like myself a lot of people use CentOS not only as their 
server, but also as their main desktop system.

This page could be for used for adding desktop magic programs, tips, 
tricks, and visualizations.

I was going to write a guide for installing and using Conky, if so.



What's everyone think for having such a page to put these types of things?

Regards,
Max
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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Karanbir Singh]

Max Hetrick wrote:
> This page could be for used for adding desktop magic programs, tips, 
> tricks, and visualizations.

Just so everyone is one the same level here, could you please
define: Visualizations

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Max Hetrick]

Karanbir Singh wrote:

> Just so everyone is one the same level here, could you please
> define: Visualizations

I guess I shouldn't have used that term. What I mean are apps like 
desktop eye candy programs: gdesklets, conky, etc.

Does that make more sense? I know it's not CentOS specific, and sure not 
server specific, which is why I ask. But I know people pretty up their 
CentOS installations that they use as desktops, and thought I'd put the 
idea out there to chew on.

Regards,
Max
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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Scott Robbins]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 07:11:09PM -0500, Max Hetrick wrote:
> Karanbir Singh wrote:
> 
> > Just so everyone is one the same level here, could you please
> > define: Visualizations
> 
> I guess I shouldn't have used that term. What I mean are apps like 
> desktop eye candy programs: gdesklets, conky, etc.
> 
> Does that make more sense? I know it's not CentOS specific, and sure not 
> server specific, which is why I ask. But I know people pretty up their 
> CentOS installations that they use as desktops, and thought I'd put the 
> idea out there to chew on.
> 

I know I'd like to see such things (as one of the culprits in a way,
having a few articles on laptops on the wiki.)  

Actually, by odd coincidence, just today I was thinking of putting Conky
on one of them.  But if Max, whose nagios articles I recommend to
everyone, regardless of O/S, who is having trouble figuring out the
nagios docs, is writing about it, I'll wait till he writes it to do it.

So here's one vote for it.   :)   (After seeing Max's post, I went to
his site to see if he'd already done it there, but apparently not.)


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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Max Hetrick]

Scott Robbins wrote:

> I know I'd like to see such things (as one of the culprits in a way,
> having a few articles on laptops on the wiki.)  
> 
> Actually, by odd coincidence, just today I was thinking of putting Conky
> on one of them.  But if Max, whose nagios articles I recommend to
> everyone, regardless of O/S, who is having trouble figuring out the
> nagios docs, is writing about it, I'll wait till he writes it to do it.
> 
> So here's one vote for it.   :)   (After seeing Max's post, I went to
> his site to see if he'd already done it there, but apparently not.)

Thanks, Scott! I really appreciate the compliments.

I haven't written it yet which is why it's no where to be found yet. I 
just discovered Conky today, and I really like it, so I figured why not 
write a guide up. I used to use gdesklets all the time, but haven't for 
awhile. Conky seems better to use after playing around with it.

Regards,
Max
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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[John]

On Wed, 2008-12-10 at 19:27 -0500, Max Hetrick wrote:
> Scott Robbins wrote:
> 
> > I know I'd like to see such things (as one of the culprits in a way,
> > having a few articles on laptops on the wiki.)  
> > 
> > Actually, by odd coincidence, just today I was thinking of putting Conky
> > on one of them.  But if Max, whose nagios articles I recommend to
> > everyone, regardless of O/S, who is having trouble figuring out the
> > nagios docs, is writing about it, I'll wait till he writes it to do it.
> > 
> > So here's one vote for it.   :)   (After seeing Max's post, I went to
> > his site to see if he'd already done it there, but apparently not.)
> 
> Thanks, Scott! I really appreciate the compliments.
> 
> I haven't written it yet which is why it's no where to be found yet. I 
> just discovered Conky today, and I really like it, so I figured why not 
> write a guide up. I used to use gdesklets all the time, but haven't for 
> awhile. Conky seems better to use after playing around with it.
> 

Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
Gadgets? I get asked alot but I've never looked into it though. Maybe
there is something already like that? Things kinda like installing
Google Earth? Your wantting that Windows Look and Feel?

JohnStanley

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Max Hetrick]

John wrote:

> Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
> Gadgets? I get asked alot but I've never looked into it though. Maybe
> there is something already like that? Things kinda like installing
> Google Earth? Your wantting that Windows Look and Feel?

I guess you could compare it to that, although, I'm not sure I'd use 
Windows or Vista as the comparison. ;) I'd say more like a Mac desktop 
look...at least there's a mention of Unix with mac. :)

But yes, anything visual like gadgets, system monitors on the desktop 
and taskbar, transparency with taskbars, etc. This could all be grouped 
under a page for such things.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that would have things to compile into a 
help page, but again, it could be considered extremely off topic and off 
target for the CentOS wiki.

Regards,
Max

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Scott Robbins]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 07:53:12PM -0500, John wrote:
> 
> > 
> 
> Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
> Gadgets? I get asked alot but I've never looked into it though. Maybe
> there is something already like that? Things kinda like installing
> Google Earth? Your wantting that Windows Look and Feel?

I think that many, possibly most? of us also use our CentOS installs as
workstations.  I don't know if I'd call that one a Windows-y something
(I'm assuming the comment was light hearted and not flame bait--shucks,
we could argue that one all day about what's Windows-y).   :)

 
I think the whole point of Max's post is that many many of us use CentOS
as workstation as well as server.  Many of these applications are
useful, time savers, and so forth, especially on workstations.  

Otherwise, I think we'd have to remove the whole laptop section.   :)


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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Karanbir Singh]

John wrote:
> Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
> Gadgets? 

Are those not just the same as beryl widgets / screenlets ? If so, that 
sort of thing works out of the box with beryl

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[John]

On Thu, 2008-12-11 at 01:28 +, Karanbir Singh wrote:
> John wrote:
> > Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
> > Gadgets? 
> 
> Are those not just the same as beryl widgets / screenlets ? If so, that 
> sort of thing works out of the box with beryl

Yes they look the same the same as the Vista Gadgets.  However I personally 
have never used them or beryl.

Something like that would add up to a really nice desktop under CentOS as a 
great article or even an add on cd project. 
It is not to all often that you can obtain a desktop/server system like centos 
with more stability than windows ever thought of that cost
no money. If I myself had the experience in Graphical Development I would take 
on a add-on project like that.

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[John]

On Wed, 2008-12-10 at 19:58 -0500, Max Hetrick wrote:
> John wrote:
> 
> > Hi Max maybe something along the line that Looks like Windows Vista
> > Gadgets? I get asked alot but I've never looked into it though. Maybe
> > there is something already like that? Things kinda like installing
> > Google Earth? Your wantting that Windows Look and Feel?
> 
> I guess you could compare it to that, although, I'm not sure I'd use 
> Windows or Vista as the comparison. ;) I'd say more like a Mac desktop 
> look...at least there's a mention of Unix with mac. :)
> 
> But yes, anything visual like gadgets, system monitors on the desktop 
> and taskbar, transparency with taskbars, etc. This could all be grouped 
> under a page for such things.
> 
> I'm sure I'm not the only one that would have things to compile into a 
> help page, but again, it could be considered extremely off topic and off 
> target for the CentOS wiki.

My opinion I don't find it really an off topic consideration to think
about. I even use it on my laptop. I have clients that use it strictly
for desktop use only and not as a server because they can not afford to
buy Win XP or Vista. Introduce them to K3B, Mplayer or XMMS and there
happy.

CentOS has a lot going for itself. The Upstream Company has a great
reputation and is one of the oldest left in the business. Thus that
trickles down to centos and can make or break centos also. The MAC GUI
is pretty darn Spiffy looking also. I think a few ideas can be taken
from Fedora on the desktop look and specific apps in question.

JohnStanley

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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Max Hetrick]

John wrote:

> My opinion I don't find it really an off topic consideration to think
> about. I even use it on my laptop. I have clients that use it strictly
> for desktop use only and not as a server because they can not afford to
> buy Win XP or Vista. Introduce them to K3B, Mplayer or XMMS and there
> happy.

I agree. I use CentOS as both my desktop and server system at home, 
work, and on my laptop. I think it makes a great desktop, but I still 
thought it needed discussed before creating pages. Ultimately, the 
CentOS wiki team are who get the final say. :)

Regards,
Max
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Re: [CentOS-docs] Visualization and desktop page

[Phil Schaffner]

Max Hetrick wrote:
> John wrote:
> 
>> My opinion I don't find it really an off topic consideration to think
>> about. I even use it on my laptop. I have clients that use it strictly
>> for desktop use only and not as a server because they can not afford to
>> buy Win XP or Vista. Introduce them to K3B, Mplayer or XMMS and there
>> happy.
> 
> I agree. I use CentOS as both my desktop and server system at home, 
> work, and on my laptop. I think it makes a great desktop, but I still 
> thought it needed discussed before creating pages. Ultimately, the 
> CentOS wiki team are who get the final say. :)

A CentOS desktop/workstation category would certainly seem to be of 
interest, particularly with all the disgruntled Vista users wandering 
around looking for viable alternatives that will work on slightly older 
hardware these days.  Including getting desktop applications working 
properly (openoffice, evolution, PIM functions, syncing with PDAs, 
multimedia, TV/PVRs/MythTV, 
http://wiki.centos.org/TipsAndTricks/MultimediaOnCentOS, etc.) would 
IMHO fall under this category.  The Laptops pages are also relevant.

Could list compatibility options for M$ apps including Crossover Office, 
VMware, etc.  It would not be necessary to include all the information 
found elsewhere (could easily get out of hand and OT), but a set of 
pointers to useful information organized under a Desktop/Workstation 
banner would be helpful.  The long-awaited "year of the Linux desktop" 
will arrive sooner or later.  More and better useful information for 
desktop users could help make it sooner, and CentOS is definitely a 
viable candidate for a stable desktop platform.

If the category is defined as broad enough to include 
scientific/engineering workstations and applications, then the word 
"Visualization" in the title of this thread is certainly appropriate as 
a specialized sub-topic, if not in the title of the category.  On my 
system (with some 3rd party repos) "yum search visualization" returns 
the following:

3ddesktop.i386 : OpenGL program for switching virtual desktops in 3D
bcfg2.noarch : Configuration management system
ds9.i386 : Astronomical Data Visualization Application
dx.i386 : Open source version of IBM's Visualization Data Explorer
fityk.i386 : Tool for fitting and analyzing data
grace.i386 : Numerical Data Processing and Visualization Tool
grads.i386 : Tool for easy acces, manipulation, and visualization of data
graphviz.i386 : Graph Visualization Tools
k3dsurf.i386 : Visualize and manipulate multidimensional surfaces
libsnack.i386 : Snack Sound Toolkit
ncarg-devel.i386 : A Fortran and C based software package for scientific 
visualization
ncarg.i386 : A Fortran and C based software package for scientific 
visualization
perl-GraphViz-Data-Structure.noarch : Visualise data structures
php-pear-Image-GraphViz.noarch : Interface to AT&T's GraphViz tools
pymol.i386 : PyMOL Molecular Graphics System

Some of those fall more into the eye-candy category, but that's OK and 
within the originally-proposed scope.  Google Earth, mentioned earlier 
in the thread, is visualization in this sense and could fit somewhere in 
the hierarchy too but doesn't show up on the list as AFAIK there is no 
CentOS RPM available for it.  I'm using the Google-provided version that 
lives in the user home directory.

[ Then one could get into other specialized open-source applications 
including Octave, R, mathomatic, Maxima, etc. that work well on CentOS 
but may not be available out-of-the-box - but I'm probably off in the 
weeds of my own interests a bit too far here.  :-)  Could also provide a 
link to our friends in Scientific Linux. ]

Bottom line: +1 for a home for Desktop/Workstation category in the Wiki. 
  Perhaps this could be considered in organizing "WebSite Ver 2".

Phil
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