Simon Peter, the creator of the self-contained AppImage package format, has published the release of helloSystem 0.6, based on FreeBSD 12.2 and positioned as a system for average users, which can appeal to macOS enthusiasts dissatisfied with Apple's policies. The system is free from the complications typical of modern Linux distributions, fully under the user's control, and allows former macOS users to feel at ease. A bootable image of 1.4 GB (torrent) has been created for those interested in the distribution.
The interface resembles macOS and includes two panels—an upper panel with a global menu and a lower panel with an applications dock. The global menu and status bar are created using the panda-statusbar package, developed by the CyberOS distribution (formerly PandaOS). The applications dock is based on the cyber-dock project, also from the CyberOS developers. For file management and desktop shortcuts, the Filer file manager is being developed, based on pcmanfm-qt from the LXQt project. By default, Falkon browser is offered, but Chromium is also available optionally.
The primary file system used is ZFS, and it supports mounting exFAT, NTFS, EXT4, HFS+, XFS, and MTP. Applications are provided in self-contained packages. An application launcher utility is used to find programs and analyze errors during execution. The system for building live images is based on the tools from the FuryBSD project.
The project is developing a series of its own applications, such as a configurator, installer, mountarchive utility for mounting archives in the file system tree, a data recovery utility for ZFS, a disk partitioning interface, a network setup indicator, a screenshot utility, a Zeroconf server browser, a volume setup indicator, and a utility for setting up the boot environment. Development is performed using Python and the Qt library. Among the supported components for application development, listed in descending order of preference, are PyQt, QML, Qt, KDE Frameworks, and GTK.
Key innovations of helloSystem 0.6:
- Transition from the Openbox window manager to KWin.
- Ability to manipulate any window edge to resize windows.
- Windows can be snapped to specific sizes when dragged to the edge of the screen.
- Icon resizing has been implemented in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Correct centering of window headers has been ensured.
- Added animated effects for window resizing, minimizing, and maximizing.
- An animated overview of open windows has been added, displayed when the mouse pointer is moved to the top left corner of the screen.
- Stacking window placement mode is activated by default.
- Top corners of windows are rounded while keeping the bottom corners sharp. When maximizing the window or attaching it to the top, rounded corners are replaced by sharp ones.
- Kernel settings have been optimized to improve sound quality.
- An 'Open' menu and Command-O shortcut have been added to open files and folders in the Filer file manager.
- Support for tabs and Thumbnail View mode in Filer has been discontinued.
- Command-Backspace shortcut has been added to move files to the trash, and Command+Shift+Backspace for instant deletion.
- The interface for desktop settings has been simplified.
- Support for desktop wallpaper transparency has been added.
- An experimental applet for showing battery charge level has been added.
- The formation of ports and packages for installing the helloDesktop desktop environment on FreeBSD has begun.
Source: opennet.ru
