Lumina is a lightweight, cross-platform desktop environment based on Qt5 that is less than 50MB in size and takes less than 5 seconds to start. It is plugin-based and configurable via text files, allowing for easy customization. Future plans include integrating the window manager, desktop environment, and screensaver into one binary, overhauling the OS compatibility layer, and formalizing the plugin format based on user feedback. Lumina aims to be the default interface for the upcoming TrueOS operating system from iXsystems.

1. Lumina:Lumina:
Lighting the Way to the FutureLighting the Way to the Future
Ken Moore
PC-BSD/iXsystems
June 11, 2016
SouthEast LinuxFest

2. June 11, 2016
SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 2 of 12
What is Lumina?What is Lumina?
Desktop Environment
Configures X
Creates standardized
environment
Interface to find/launch
applications
Follows most
XDG/FreeDesktop standards
Based on the Qt5 toolkit
It is NOT:
A window manager
An operating system
It does NOT require any
particular:
Init system
Messaging system (dbus)
File system
Operating system

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 3 of 12
How is it Different?How is it Different?
BSD Licensed (3 clause)
Keep copyright notice
(source and binary
distribution)
Organization/author names
may not be used in
endorsements of derivative
products unless permission
is granted in writing first.
Extremely Lightweight
Install size <50 MB
Memory Footprint <100 MB
Time to start: <5 seconds

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 4 of 12
How is it Different?How is it Different?
Cross-Platform
FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD,
DragonflyBSD, kFreeBSD,
Gentoo, Debian, generic
“Linux”
Can be easily ported to
other OS's which support
X11/Qt5 (only takes a few
minutes)
Avoids any OS-specific
technologies/libraries
Lumina Library
LuminaOS class
Compile
Time OS
Detection
FreeBSD
OpenBSD
Linux
….

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 5 of 12
How is it Different?How is it Different?
Application Agnostic
Recognizes any XDG-
registered app
Never makes assumptions
about what application to
use for a file (prompt the
user to select one instead)
Uses the XDG mimetypes to
suggest recommendations
as needed.
Sources are split into 3
categories:
Core (required)
library, -desktop, -open
Core-utilities (recommended)
-config, -search, -xconfig
Desktop-utilities (optional)
-fileinfo, -fm, -screenshot,
-terminal, -textedit

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 6 of 12
How is it Different?How is it Different?
Plugin-based Framework
Single session process
Text-based config files used
to (re)generate the interface
Multiple monitor support
(“Desktop” component)
Multiple panel support per
desktop
Session
Monitor (Desktop)
Panel
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
More
Monitors
More
Panels

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 7 of 12
How is it Different?How is it Different?
Easily Configurable
A single text configuration
file for setting up a new user
Favorite/default apps
Theme/colors
Interface elements/layout
A single utility (lumina-
config) for setting up
individualized preferences
Pro Tip:
Creating a customized
luminaDesktop.conf file is all it
takes to provide a personalized
desktop for your business or
customers.
Pro Tip:
Creating a customized
luminaDesktop.conf file is all it
takes to provide a personalized
desktop for your business or
customers.

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 8 of 12
Future Plans – 1.0.0Future Plans – 1.0.0
Release Scheduled for
mid/early August
Uses fluxbox , xscreensaver,
and xcompmgr
Forward fluxbox keypress
detection over to Lumina for
handling
More desktop plugins on the
way! (RSS reader just added)
More themes/colors out-of-
box.
Get Involved!
Now is a great time to create
(or just request) new plugins!
Also, if you send in your
customized theme or color
files, we will include them in
the next version!
https://github.com/pcbsd/lumina

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 9 of 12
Future Plans – 1.0.0Future Plans – 1.0.0
Update Search Capabilities
(optional) Re-implement
lumina-config as a page-based
interface with search
capabilities
(optional) Move the lumina-fm
operational backend into a
fully-daemonized system
(possibly with system tray for
notifications)
The Lumina desktop
will be the default interface
for the new TrueOS
operating system.
Coming soon from the
authors of the PC-BSD
project!!

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 10 of 12
Future Plans – 2.0.0Future Plans – 2.0.0
Integrate WM, DE, and
Screensaver within the same
binary
Ensures proper security
chain for the X11 session
Eliminates conflicts over
which tool handles
root/desktop X11 events
Ensures proper handling of
keyboard shortcuts
Xorg Server
DE WM
App
TO
Xorg Server
WM/DE
App
WM
DE

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 11 of 12
Future Plans – 2.0.0Future Plans – 2.0.0
Overhaul the OS-compatibility
layer
Move to an object based
class for persistant
connections/events
Integrate SysAdm as an OS-
backend on FreeBSD
Reduce/remove the Lumina
library
Implement a Qt5 style plugin
for theming applications
Other code cleanups
Formalize the plugin format
a bit more (search tags,
requirements/limitations)
Other things as they come up
based on user feedback and
suggestions

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SouthEast LinuxFest, Charlotte NC Page 12 of 12
Questions?
Lumina Desktop Links:
http://lumina-desktop.org
https://github.com/pcbsd/lumina
Slides Available At:
http://www.slideshare.net/beanpole135