Index of /SunJDS2

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 Screenshot.png          15-Dec-2005 15:24   895k  
 JDS_captures/           07-Feb-2006 23:21      -  

Sun's Java Desktop System (for Linux)

Version 2 - v3 has only been released to Sun's Unix-style Solaris operating system

This short page, and maybe another one or two will look at Version 2, which is a highly customised Gnome desktop sitting on the corporate equivalent to SuSE 8.2. Below are three of the six corporate desktop backgrounds provided, along with a smaller number of patterned and scenic "wallpapers" which we don't show here. Below are "Default", "Live CD" and "Velvet", all of which are pleasing to the eye over long periods in the work environment.

There is little that one can do to change the practical aspects (the "look" and feel) of a computer desktop GUI and that adds to whatever familiarity is noticeable to people who have used Microsoft Windows.

As with MS Windows, the "background" of the desktop can be changed, and the "task bar" can be moved to any of the four sides, with the default location being at the bottom. Unlike MS Windows, you can set up additional bars (in Linux, called "panels") on one, two, or all three other sides.

Also unlike MS Windows, there are four seperate switchable desktops available. Because Gnome is the manager, the same background is shown on all four; KDE offers seperate choices on any number you decide to set up.

Double-clicking of the mouse button to execute a command is provided for as standard, without (it seems) an user preference to be able to change it to single click.

The distribution is quite fast, and I run it comfortably on a base model IBM Aptiva running an AMD K-2 (500 MHz) with 128Mb of RAM. It also goes nicely on a slightly more recent HP Pavilion running an Intel Celeron chip (560MHz) with 256Mb of RAM.

In both of my instances above, it runs dual boot with Microsoft's Windows2000 (Service Pack 4), using the GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader) that is provided with the distribution, which uses SuSE's YaST (Yet Another Setup Tool. It also runs as a sole (plug-in HDD) operating system on a computer with an MSI motherboard and an AMD 64-bit Sempron processor.

The product installs from three CD-ROMs, with a fourth CD-ROM for docuumentation. In the set, there are also several other CD-ROMs for development and administrative tools, and source code.

Hardware and peripheral detection is almost faultless, by the famous YaST toolkit which Novell (since buying the German company SuSE AG) has opted to make available as Open Source.

Examination of the screen captures shows that my installations were customised to use the UK English language; note the terminology Waste Basket instead of Recycle Bin on the desktop. SuSE is also published with a large range of different languages.

The terminology and directory structure shows differences between JDS and "regular" Linuces (even with SuSE), in a number of places. It is not surprising that the similarity with the Java Desktop System provided with big brother Solaris (more like Unix) is noticeable, because Sun created this Gnome desktop to run seamlessly on both, with a minimum of differences for both users and administrators alike.

About the future of Version 3 for Linux, UK Sun distributor GCC Linux is hoping to create a useable distro from the Open Source portions of JDS3. If you have any interest in this, it could be worth your while to keep an eye on them here.

GCC Linux have ported a number of RPMs to JDS2 - and also to JDS3 during the beta test phase of 3; they are available for download from their website. I have installed the rpm version of RealVNC (downloaded from the RealVNC website) to complement the Remote Desktop that is part of the JDS distribution.

I had success in installing WINE (from a GCC download) and several utilities for MS Windows run through it. This is discussed in the customisation section, yet to be created.

When this set of pages is completed, various screen captures will be incorporated. They are located in this directory, and you may currently access them directly by clicking on them.

The intention is to offer a short walk-through the menu system and the desktop on other pages, together with a suggested method of customising the desktop (control) panels to speed up operating by eliminating many cascading menu clicks.

This was an area of my speciallisation when I used AutoCAD to design control systems in the 1980's and 1990's, and information was shared with colleagues to assist them with their own productivity, partly in one-on-one relationships, and partly through my writing articles for Australia's long-running Multi-CAD Magazine which sadly is no longer in print..

When these pages are finished, this one will be renamed index.html - which will then become the default for the directory, the listing of which will no longer be visible.

Thank you for dropping by; please return regularly as it could take several weeks to complete the project, in between doing other things :)