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Basically rewrite the desktop intro.

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Nathaniel Beaver
2015-09-11 23:17:44 -05:00
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@@ -1018,33 +1018,94 @@ or `run without explorer.exe at all`_.
.. _run without explorer.exe at all: http://lightquick.co.uk/running-windows-without-explorer.exe.html .. _run without explorer.exe at all: http://lightquick.co.uk/running-windows-without-explorer.exe.html
.. _change the login shell: https://superuser.com/questions/108265/how-do-you-replace-the-logon-shell-with-iexplore .. _change the login shell: https://superuser.com/questions/108265/how-do-you-replace-the-logon-shell-with-iexplore
It's even possible to run the KDE desktop environment on Windows. It's even possible to run the KDE desktop environment on Windows,
since KDE uses the cross-platform Qt framework.
The KDE on Windows Initiative is an ongoing project to port the KDE
applications to MS Windows. Currently supported versions of Windows are XP,
Vista and 7.
https://windows.kde.org/ https://windows.kde.org/
This is not without difficulties, however.
The current implementation of KDE is designed in a unix specific way, which is
partially different from the Windows way. Examples for this are:
* Process creating - Using the Unix way of fork and exec.
* It isn't available on Windows, this difference requires a redesign of the related parts.
* Its missing Windows api counterparts.
* KDE uses Unix domain socket for high speed data transfer betwen kioslave
slaves and its parent process and for the communication to/from the dbus
deamon. On Windows there are no Unix domain sockets. They could be emulated
by tcp sockets with the costs of slower bandwidth and additional patches to
deal with Unix domain socket files exchanged between processes.
--- Ralf Habacker, KDE developer
http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/79007/ http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/79007/
However, ultimately Microsoft controls the Windows API, There is Windows software for
such as how low-level libraries ``user32.dll`` and ``gdi32.dll`` respond to function calls. tiling window managers, [#tiling_window_managers]_
As a result, Microsoft can exert control over the Windows desktop environment, virtual desktops, [#virtual_desktops]_
such as making it `impossible to disable the dwm window manager`_ on Windows 8. and special effects to rival Compiz. [#cube_desktop]_
.. _impossible to disable the dwm window manager: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh848042%28v=vs.85%29.aspx .. [#tiling_window_managers] https://github.com/fuhsjr00/bug.n
.. [#virtual_desktops] http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/
.. [#cube_desktop] http://www.thinkinbytes.com/en/products/cubedesktop
Projects like Wine are something of a threat to this control, Given all these choices and customization options,
since it provides an open-source implementation of libraries such as ``user32.dll``. what functionality could Windows possibly lack?
Here is the problem:
the Windows API determines the behavior of libraries like
``user32.dll``, ``gdi32.dll``, and ``comctl32.dll``.
Everything in hardware goes through the Windows API,
including keystrokes, mouse clicks, and graphics.
However, Windows must also obey licensing requirements,
such as copyrighted content protection.
This means that it is difficult to, say,
replicate the Flip3D program.
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3848558/what-is-the-api-to-create-applications-like-flip3d
Something like `Wine`_ could, in principle, work around this,
since it provides an open-source implementation
of libraries such as ``user32.dll``.
Perhaps that's why `Windows rejects a registry with the Wine configuration key`_. Perhaps that's why `Windows rejects a registry with the Wine configuration key`_.
.. _Wine: https://www.winehq.org/about/
.. _Windows rejects a registry with the Wine configuration key: https://www.winehq.org/pipermail/wine-devel/2005-February/033868.html .. _Windows rejects a registry with the Wine configuration key: https://www.winehq.org/pipermail/wine-devel/2005-February/033868.html
The Linux kernel does not require a particular desktop environment, Another example: on Windows 8,
or indeed any graphical desktop at all. it is impossible to disable the dwm window manager.
However, Linux desktop users generally run graphical user interfaces managed by the X server.
There are are many, many options
for `desktop environment`_ and `window manager`_ on Linux.
.. _desktop environment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_X_Window_System_desktop_environments In Windows Vista and Windows 7, desktop composition is disabled in a number of
.. _window manager: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_X_window_managers scenarios. In Windows 8, DWM desktop composition is a core operating system
component and cannot be disabled. With a few exceptions, desktop composition is
always on; it’s started before the user logon and remains active for the
duration of a session.
--- Windows Dev Center documentation
[ . . . ]
I understand the choice and it improves the overall experience, but it is
going to force us to retire some of our older software, and it tool many years
to overcome the problems caused.
--- Dan Ritchie
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh848042%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Linux also has an API,
but it is not tied to the desktop environment,
and is not controlled by a single corporation
in the same way that the Windows API is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Non-resizable dialog boxes. Non-resizable dialog boxes.