Create a Gui for Linux

[krishnampkkm]

Hiii...

I wanna create a Gui like windows operating system for Linux. The latest Linux versions are user friendly .But I want to do this as a mini project. So my aim is a simple gui for Linux.

And there are so many gui development tools like gtk, Kdevelopr, Qt/...etc.
Which one I've to select , which one is better for my need. Presently I use Fedora 11.
Wait for a reply...

thanking you
KRISH

[simon]

hi krishnampkkm.

although major distros tend to ship with gnome, kde or xfce, there are *dozens* of window managers for x: check out Window Managers for X for an overview of some of them. if you're just looking for a simple gui for your own use, one of those alternate window managers might meet your needs (some, like fluxbox or enlightenment, are actually very popular).

even if you're wanting to code it yourself for learning/satisfaction, there's an old unix principle about re-using code: it's nearly always better to modify or build on an existing project than to waste time re-doing (usually to an inferior standard) work that many other people have been working on already. so it could be a good idea to grab the source code for a simple window manager that's close to what you want, and then edit it until it's exactly what you want, rather than writing something new from scratch.

however, if you're determined to start from scratch (and assuming you mean a "gui" on top of x, rather than a replacement for it!) then the question of "which one is better for my need" depends on your need! your distro (fedora 11) doesn't really matter: linux is linux and a window manager that will build and run on one distro will usually build and run on another, once you've installed (or built and installed) any dependencies. you've called gtk and qt "development tools": i would say that they're not so much development tools as gui libraries (providing the various buttons and widgets out of which you can build gui apps), and there are some lighter ones around (like fltk), or once again you could have a go at coding your own if you're really keen.

the two major options (if you're not interested in the lighter alternatives) are gtk and qt. if you're viewing this in firefox or epiphany, you're probably looking at gtk widgets: if it's in konqueror, you're looking at qt. in terms of choosing between the two, they both have gui ide's, so maybe have a look at those and see which you prefer: also i think gtk uses c and qt uses c++ so if you have a preference for one or the other that could be a factor too. if you have some favorite gnu/linux apps that you're wanting to run in your home-made gui, then it might be worth checking how well they integrate with the various toolkits and window managers available. for instance, if all your favorite apps are gtk apps (like the gimp, or abiword) then it might make sense for you to use that toolkit rather than using qt for your gui...or not, depending on what you have in mind.

one thing you have plenty of in the gnu/linux world is choices!