Setting up a BeOS user interface

drcouzelis · 2010-08-30 14:46:57

I would like to setup a GUI in Arch Linux that is similar to BeOS and Haiku.

Specifically, I'd like a panel or task manager that behaves like the default deskbar in BeOS. If you are unfamiliar with it, here is a screenshot. It's in the upper right corner of the screen, with "bars" arranged vertically. The top bar (in the screenshot, the "leaf") is a button that shows a menu with applications, settings, and activities such as "shutdown". Underneath that is the time and application tray.

And underneath that is a list of the applications that are currently running, both minimized and not. As you open more applications, the list grows. The list is actually a list of applications and not windows, but for what I'm looking for I don't really care which it is.

The most important thing I am looking for is a panel that "grows" vertically in that way.

Also, any other suggestions for setting up any window manager or desktop environment to look and behave like BeOS is appreciated!

hurleyef · 2010-08-30 14:59:17

If you put awn in the upper left/right corner of your screen and don't expand the panel, it will expand vertically.

drcouzelis · 2010-08-30 15:04:18

hurleyef wrote:

If you put awn in the upper left/right corner of your screen and don't expand the panel, it will expand vertically.

I haven't seen a screenshot of AWN that had "bars" instead of icons. Is that possible?

urist · 2010-08-30 15:11:21

I haven't checked them out, but there are BeOS themes on Gnome-Look and KDE-Look.

hurleyef · 2010-08-30 15:11:24

I do not believe so.

dunc · 2010-08-31 10:21:43

The Xfce panel will behave a bit like the deskbar if it's set to "normal width" and placed on the side of the screen, but it's obviously not intended to be used like that: the buttons adopt a squarish aspect ratio that make it far too big. I've a vague recollection that it used to work "properly" two or three years ago though, and from my minimal knowledge of GTK, it should be a fairly simple patch if anyone wants to try it.

bones · 2010-08-31 10:48:17

Have you checked out ZevenOS. You might find something there of interest.

drcouzelis · 2010-08-31 13:27:36

I tried some more panels last night. lxpanel came really close to doing what I want, but it seemed pretty limited in regards to creating an "Applications" menu.

bones wrote:

Have you checked out ZevenOS. You might find something there of interest.

Thank you for pointing that out! I THOUGHT I remembered reading that there was a Linux distribution setup with a GUI like BeOS, but I missed that one. The ZevenOS website has lots of good information, including direct links to themes and icon sets. After I study it more and get something in Arch setup, I will respond here.

Last edited by drcouzelis (2010-08-31 13:28:24)

bones · 2010-08-31 22:36:18

drcouzelis wrote:

I tried some more panels last night. lxpanel came really close to doing what I want, but it seemed pretty limited in regards to creating an "Applications" menu.
bones wrote:
Have you checked out ZevenOS. You might find something there of interest.
Thank you for pointing that out! I THOUGHT I remembered reading that there was a Linux distribution setup with a GUI like BeOS, but I missed that one. The ZevenOS website has lots of good information, including direct links to themes and icon sets. After I study it more and get something in Arch setup, I will respond here.

Great! If you get it setup let us know. I'm using the icons from them on my xfce setup. I've had a quick look at the rest of it but haven't had much time to do anything else at the moment, what with terrorising the Gold Coast locals in a Tiger Moth and the planning needed to build a Fokker DR -1 replica

drcouzelis · 2010-09-02 09:38:58

I added the Haiku SVG icons theme to the AUR...

flamelab · 2010-09-02 09:44:55

drcouzelis wrote:

I added the Haiku SVG icons theme to the AUR...

Ιs it possible that you could package the ZenevOS themes as well ? (if you have time) ?

drcouzelis · 2010-09-02 10:14:27

Haiku GTK+ theme
Haiku Sawfish theme

I really like Window Maker and created a Haiku style for it.

Haiku.style:

{
  FTitleColor = "#000000";
  MenuDisabledColor = "#636363";
  IconTitleBack = white;
  FTitleBack = (vgradient, "#fce99c", "#f9d22a");
  ClipTitleFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=200:width=100:pixelsize=10";
  IconTitleFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=80:width=100:pixelsize=9";
  MenuTextBack = (vgradient, "#e8e8e8", "#dadada");
  LargeDisplayFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=80:width=100:pixelsize=24";
  IconTitleColor = "#000000";
  MenuTextColor = "#000000";
  IconBack = (vgradient, "#e8e8e8", "#dadada");
  MenuTitleColor = "#000000";
  MenuTitleFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=200:width=100:pixelsize=12";
  MenuTextFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=80:width=100:pixelsize=12";
  WorkspaceBack = (solid, "#4F7AA7");
  WorkspaceBack = (solid, "#243e6c");
  HighlightTextColor = "#000000";
  MenuTitleBack = (dgradient, "#fce99c", "#f9d22a");
  HighlightColor = "#a0a0a0";
  WindowTitleFont = "Arial:slant=0:weight=200:width=100:pixelsize=12";
  CClipTitleColor = gray30;
  MenuStyle = flat;
  ResizebarBack = (vgradient, "#d9d9d9", "#d9d9d9");
  PTitleBack = (solid, "#ededed");
  UTitleColor = "#636363";
  UTitleBack = (solid, "#ededed");
  PTitleColor = "#636363";
}

I didn't do anything special with my GTK+ or Qt themes.

Last edited by drcouzelis (2010-09-02 10:33:52)

hume's doona · 2010-09-09 09:04:08

There's also Étoilé DE in the AUR, which is what gnustep uses. I haven't tried it, but iit sounds like it could be along the lines of what you seek

flamelab · 2010-09-09 09:26:04

Etoile seems to be a headache to build though, I have succeeded that once, and etoile barely started.

drcouzelis · 2012-10-02 13:02:21

OP here! Someone (not me) did a good job with XFCE:

https://www.haiku-os.org/community/foru … iku_mature

Arch Linux

#1 2010-08-30 14:46:57

Setting up a BeOS user interface

#2 2010-08-30 14:59:17

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#3 2010-08-30 15:04:18

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#4 2010-08-30 15:11:21

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#5 2010-08-30 15:11:24

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#6 2010-08-31 10:21:43

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#7 2010-08-31 10:48:17

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#8 2010-08-31 13:27:36

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#9 2010-08-31 22:36:18

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#10 2010-09-02 09:38:58

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#11 2010-09-02 09:44:55

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#12 2010-09-02 10:14:27

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#13 2010-09-09 09:04:08

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#14 2010-09-09 09:26:04

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

#15 2012-10-02 13:02:21

Re: Setting up a BeOS user interface

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