The release of the Nitrux 2.4.0 distribution has been published, as well as a new release of the associated MauiKit 2.2.0 library with components for building user interfaces. The distribution is built on the Debian package base, KDE technologies and the OpenRC init system. The project offers its own NX Desktop, which is an add-on to the KDE Plasma user environment. Based on the Maui library, a set of typical user applications is being developed that can be used on both desktop systems and mobile devices. To install additional applications, the AppImages self-contained package system is being promoted. The size of the full boot image is 1.9 GB, and the reduced one with the JWM window manager is 1.3 GB. The developments of the project are distributed under free licenses.
The NX Desktop offers a different styling, its own implementation of the system tray, notification center and various plasmoids, such as a network connection configurator and a multimedia applet for volume control and media playback control. Applications built using the MauiKit framework include Index file manager (Dolphin can also be used), Note text editor, Station terminal emulator, VVave music player, Clip video player, NX Software Center, and Pix image viewer.
The main innovations of Nitrux 2.4:
- NX Desktop components have been updated to KDE Plasma 5.25.4, KDE Frameworks 5.97.0 and KDE Gear (KDE Applications) 22.08. Software versions have been updated, including Firefox 104. Latte Dock has been updated to the state of the project's master repository.
- By default, the mesa-git package is enabled, corresponding to the state of the git repository where the next Mesa branch is being developed.
- By default, the Linux 5.19 kernel with Xanmod patches is enabled. Packages with vanilla, Libre- and Liquorix-assemblies of the Linux kernel are also offered for installation.
- Updated the openrc-config package to avoid conflicts with the OpenRC package from the Debian project.
- The LibreOffice office suite has been removed from the base delivery, for installation it is proposed to use the application center. In addition to LibreOffice, packages with OnlyOffice, WPS Office and OpenOffice are also available.
- New icons have been added to the Luv theme.
- Updated apps from the Maui Apps suite. Two new maui applications have been added: the Agenda calendar planner and the Strike IDE.
- The Application Install Center (NX Software Center) has been migrated to use the new release of MauiKit. Added a new Store tab with a sidebar showing available app categories. Provided the ability to view a list of applications from AppImageHub, prepared by a specific author. Improved program search interface.
Additionally, we can note the report on the development of the user environment Maui DE (Maui Shell), which is being developed by the same project. Maui DE (Maui Shell) includes Maui Apps and Maui Shell, which automatically adapt to the screen size and available input methods, allowing you to use them not only on desktop systems, but also on smartphones and tablets. The environment develops the concept of "Convergence", which implies the ability to work with the same applications both on the touch screens of a smartphone and tablet, and on large screens of laptops and PCs. Maui DE can be launched either with its Zpace composite server using Wayland, or by running a separate Cask shell inside an X-server-based session.
Among the changes related to Maui DE:
- A new component MauiMan (Maui Manager) is proposed, which provides the MauiManServer DBus server and an API library for synchronizing settings between different processes. Among other things, MauiMan provides an API for different programs to access common style settings and interface options, such as window corner radius, focus colors, input method, screen orientation, and button decoration. To manage settings based on the MauiMan API, a graphical Maui Settings configurator has been implemented.
- MauiKit-related libraries for managing user environments are separated into Maui Core, which is used by Maui Settings to apply settings synced through MauiMan. The libraries also provide an API for managing power consumption, sound settings, network access, and accounts.
- The Maui Shell, which is now in its second beta release, has moved to use the MauiCore and MauiMan components. Significantly redesigned the code responsible for managing sessions. Added support for restart, power off, shutdown, sleep, and exit operations. Implemented support for screen rotation.
Added CaskServer DBus server that passes commands to all Maui Shell child processes to manage the session and perform certain actions such as restart, exit, and shutdown. To configure CaskServer, a graphical interface is provided that allows you to configure parameters such as the behavior and appearance of the panel. Maui Shell currently uses three executables: startcask-wayland (sets environment variables, connects to CaskServer and calls the session manager), cask-session (session manager, starts all necessary child processes, including CaskServer and MauiManServer) and cask (graphical shell).
- In the MauiKit 2.2 framework, the application of styles that determine the appearance of applications has been significantly redesigned. You can define your own color schemes and focus colors, which may vary depending on the operating system and device form factor. Base styles are now precompiled and built into every application. To centrally control the style of all applications, global settings are provided that allow you to change parameters such as the radius of the borders of elements, the use of animations, and icon sizes.
The design of many interface elements, such as buttons, sliders, and tabs, has been modernized. Added SideBarView component for creating sidebars. Support for spell checking has been added to the TextEditor element with a text editing form. Support for editing, adding, and removing EXIF ββmetadata has been added to the ImageTools element.
- The Index file manager now uses an already existing instance of the program on new launches (instead of starting a new process, a new tab is created in an already running process). Added initial support for FreeDektop specifications for the file management interface. The sidebar has been redesigned to include a list of recently opened files.
- Enhanced VVave music player, Pix image viewer, Buho note-taking system, Nota text editor, Station terminal emulator, Communicator address book, Shelf document viewer, Clip video player, NX Software Center. New applications added: Fiery web browser (replacing the Sol application), simple Strike development environment, Bonsai git shell. Beta testing of the Booth camera software has begun, as well as alpha testing of the Agenda calendar planner and the Paleta color customization interface.
Source: opennet.ru