Desktop Operating Systems

The latest articles related to Desktop Operating Systems

Common Information Model (computing) – Implementations

Many vendors provide implementations of CIM in various forms: * Some operating systems provide a CIM implementation. For example, the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) API available in Microsoft Windows 2000 and higher implements CIM, so do some GNU/Linux distributions with the [http://sourceforge.net/projects/sblim SBLIM project] on sourceforge. * The storage area network industry has heavily bought [...]

Evolution (software) – Distribution

Evolution is released as part of GNOME. GNOME is the default desktop environment for several Linux distributions, most notably Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu. Foresight Linux showcases the latest releases of GNOME. Novell distributes Evolution with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop and the openSUSE community project. Evolution is also available as source code. Some pre-built install packages [...]

Multiseat desktop virtualization – Introduction

MultiSeat Desktop Virtualization is a method by which a common desktop PC, with extra keyboards, mice, and video screens directly attached to it, can be used to install, load, and concurrently run multiple operating systems. These operating systems can be the same across all “seats” or they can be different. It is similar to server [...]

K3b – Introduction

K3b (from KDE Burn Baby Burn) is a CD and DVD authoring application for the KDE desktop environment for Unix-like computer operating systems. It provides a graphical user interface to perform most CD/DVD burning tasks like creating an Audio CD from a set of audio files or copying a CD/DVD, as well as more advanced [...]

RISC OS – Demise of Acorn Computers Ltd

Acorn officially halted work in all areas except set-top boxes in late 1998 and the company was renamed Element 14 (the 14th element of the periodic table being silicon) with a new goal to become purely a Silicon design business (like the previous very successful spin off of ARM from Acorn in 1990). RISC OS [...]

Windows Genuine Advantage – WGA in China

On October 20, 2008, many users of Windows XP in China received a black desktop, as Microsoft introduced its WGA system for Chinese language systems, in an effort to combat piracy, which is extremely high in China. This version of WGA is of a more hostile approach as compared to previous forms, as it provides [...]

GNU/Linux naming controversy – Composition of Linux-based systems

Modern free and open source software systems are composed of software by many different authors, including the Linux kernel developers, the GNU project, and other vendors such as those behind the X Window System. Desktop- and server-based distributions use GNU components such as the GNU C Library (glibc), GNU Core Utilities (Coreutils), and bash. In [...]

Desktop computer – History

Early computers took the space of a room. Minicomputers generally fit into one or a few refrigerator sized racks. It was not until the 1970s when computers such as the HP 9800 series desktop computers were fully programmable computers that fit entirely on top of a desk. The first large calculators were introduced in 1971, [...]

Thin client – History

Thin clients have their roots in multi-user systems, traditionally mainframes accessed by some sort of terminal computer. As computer graphics matured, these terminals transitioned from providing a command-line interface to a full graphical user interface, as is common on modern thin clients. The prototypical multiuser environment along these lines was Unix, and fully graphical X [...]

NComputing – Introduction

NComputing is a desktop virtualization company that manufactures hardware and software to create virtual desktops which enable multiple users to simultaneously share one computer. The company’s approach is similar to thin clients but promises better media streaming and audio performance and lower costs. The company supports both Windows and Linux operating systems. The name “NComputing” [...]

Remote administration – Popular software

Windows Windows Server 2003/2008, Windows XP, Windows XP Media Center and Tablet PC Editions, and Windows Vista Ultimate, Enterprise and Business editions come with Microsoft’s Microsoft Management Console, Windows Registry Editor and various command-line utilities that may be used to administrate a remote machine. One form of remote administration is remote desktop software, and Windows [...]

Ubuntu (operating system) – Introduction

Ubuntu ( or ) is a computer operating system originally based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software with additional proprietary software available. It is named after the Southern African ethical principle ”Ubuntu” (“humanity towards others”). Ubuntu provides an up-to-date, stable operating system for the average user, with a [...]

Tango Desktop Project – Objectives

The key objective of the project is to allow developers to easily integrate their software (in terms of appearance) with the desktop. The visual inconsistencies that arise from different desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, Xfce…) and custom distributions make it hard for third parties to target Linux. A common misconception is that the project aims to [...]

SpaceTime – Introduction

SpaceTime is a patent-pending three dimensional graphical user interface that allows end users to search their content such as Google, Google Images, Yahoo!, YouTube, eBay, Amazon and RSS. The 3D Search system allows end users to visually search through the actual web pages, videos, products, RSS or other items in a three dimensional visual stack. [...]









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