Slides from a presentation about the new Lumina desktop environment. This covers some of the development model for Lumina-DE as well as going into details about its general philosophy, goals for the project, and some future plans. Note: Examples/Images come from Lumina-DE version 0.6.3.

1. Lumina DE:
A New Desktop
Environment for PC-BSD
Ken Moore
PC-BSD/iXsystems
Ohio LinuxFest
October 24, 2014

2. Definitions:
Panel Plugin
(User Button)
Desktop Plugins
(App Launchers)
Desktop Plugin
(Calendar)
Panel Plugins
(System tray, clock,
system dashboard)
Panel
Desktop

3. Definition:
Desktop Environment
● Common Definition (Wikipedia):
“In computing, a desktop environment (DE) is
an implementation of the desktop metaphor
made of a bundle of programs running on top of
a computer operating system, which share a
common graphical user interface (GUI).”
● Why does it have to be so complicated?
– Does it need to include a bundle of
applications?
– Do all applications need to share a common
interface?

4. Definition:
Desktop Environment
● Possibly a better definition:
“A graphical interface providing user-level
functionality of the operating system while
simplifying the management and usage of
applications.”
● Visual Example:
OS
DE
App 1
App 2
App 3
User Input

5. Definition:
Window Manager
“A window manager is system software that controls
the placement and appearance of windows within a
windowing system in a graphical user interface.
Most window managers are designed to help
provide a desktop environment.” (Wikipedia)
● Compliance with ICCCM/EWMH standards allows
applications to work consistently between OS's
● The level of integration between the DE and WM
generally varies depending on the level of
experience of the target user.
● Most “full featured” DE's require/provide a specific
WM for better user support and integration.

6. Define: Lumina-DE
● Lumina is a lightweight, BSD-licensed
desktop environment that focuses on
streamlining the ability of the user to get
work done (via 3rd-party applications) while
minimizing system overhead.
● Goals:
– Minimize runtime dependencies.
– Minimize the number of background daemons
– Streamline launching/using applications
– Simplify the usage of basic OS functionality
– Strong focus on user-level customization

7. Define: Lumina-DE
● What Lumina is NOT:
– An application-development toolkit (uses Qt)
– A graphical subsystem (uses X.org)
– An application installation or runtime system
(simply manages/uses applications that are
registered with the system via the
FreeDesktop standards)
– An OS initialization/configuration system
(uses pre-defined OS-specific interactions)

8. Dependencies
● Runtime:
– Fluxbox (WM)
– X.org/Xlib with Qt 4.8+ (Graphical systems)
– Xscreensaver, xterm, and numlockx
– Oxygen Icon Theme
– xbrightness or xbacklight (optional)
● Does NOT use:
– DBUS
– HAL
– Systemd
Fresh PC-BSD 10.0.3 installation with Lumina 0.6.2
Total System: ~0.5% CPU and ~120MB active memory use

9. Design Goal Example:
Streamline App Launching
● The UserButton
– User Favorites
(including desktop
files/entries)
– All Applications
– Browse Home Dir
– Configuration
Utilities

10. Design Goal Example:
Streamline OS Interface
● The System
Dashboard
– Battery Status
– Volume Control
– Workspace
Switching
– Screen Brightness
– Log Out Options

11. Design Goal Example:
Enhanced Desktop
● Panels with plugins
● Desktop plugins
● Right-click menu
with plugins
● Touch screen
compatible with
traditional desktop
layout

12. Design Goal Example:
Simplify Configuration
● Single utility for most
tasks
– Appearance/theme
– Desktop background
– Panels
– Plugins
– Keyboard Shortcuts
– Session options
– Default applications

13. Design Goal Example:
Easy Filesystem Usage
● Standard file
interaction
● Multi-tab support
● Simple multimedia
player
● Image slideshow
● ZFS file recovery
● Mark as favorite
● Set/use bookmarks
Options become available as necessary

14. Current Status
● FreeDesktop (XDG)
standards compliance
– Application registration
– Icon theme support
– Environment variables
– Mime-types
– Localization
– System tray
● Multiple screen support
● Multiple workspace support
● OS-specific support
– Control panel
– Application “store”
– QtConfig
– External device detection
– Screen Brightness
– Audio Volume/Mixer
– Battery status
– Shutdown/Restart/Lock

15. Work In Progress
● Theming
– Simple to use
– Color scheme
independent
– Custom Font size and
appearance
– Easily create new color
schemes and apply to
existing themes
– Can extend to apply to
all Qt applications
system-wide
● Search/Run Utility
– Quick search
● Run application
● Open favorites
– Full search
● Home directory or
system
● Types of files
● Search by partial
name or file
extension

16. Future Plans
● Professional system modes
– Kiosk mode
– Whitelist-restricted access
– Single-app
– Daily/Weekly time restrictions
● New “HUD” UI as an
alternative to the panel
system
– Appears/disappears
– Wraps around screen edges
– Great for smaller screens or
touchscreens
– Retains “desktop” functionality
w/ system tray, task manager,
etc.
● Qt-based window manager?
● Distribution Configuration
Standardization
– Default theme
– Default desktop layout and
plugins
– Default key bindings
– Simple to setup for an
administrator
● Power savings
– Suspend/resume plugins
based on visibility
– Internal Qt-based screensaver

17. Get Involved!
● Full source repo available on GitHub
https://github.com/pcbsd/lumina
● Submit new plugins! (desktop/panel)
● Porting to an OS?
– Look in the “libLumina” subdirectory, and create
a “LuminaOS-<OS-name>.cpp” file
(Template available)
– Already ported to:
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFlyBSD, kFreeBSD,
“Linux” (Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Puppy, others?)
● Test it out and submit bug reports!
https://bugs.pcbsd.org/

18. Questions?