The GNOME community is exploring ways to simplify the Nautilus user interface and excise some of the unnecessary cruft.
Further reading:
Google Summer of Code student Jorge Mata is implementing window tabs in KDE’s KWin window manager. Developer Nikhil Marathe is adding support for dynamic window tiling.
Mozilla has released Fennec 1.0 beta 2 for Maemo and 1.0 alpha 2 for Windows Mobile. The new version includes a new theme and performance and usability improvements. Mozilla has also released Weave 0.4.0 with support for Fennec.
Further reading:
The Open Video Conference brought together stakeholders in the Web video space and facilitated discussion on a wide range of related issues.
Further reading:
Intel’s ConnMan connection manager is used in Moblin instead of GNOME’s NetworkManager. ConnMan is more modular and easier to extend, so it makes it easier to add support for new kinds of connectivity and build custom connection management user interfaces.
NetworkManager developer Dan Williams has written an informative blog entry rebutting some of Intel’s claims.
Ars write-up: The pros and “conns” of Intel’s ConnMan for Linux
Chris Lord discusses some of the reasons why he chose to use the Mozilla platform for Clutter rather than WebKit. He says GNOME should rethink it’s transition to WebKit.
Lefty explains how insular development ecosystems lead to platform lock-in in the mobile space. It highlights my biggest concern about Android, which is that the lack of flexibility in userspace is going to limit the potential for portability and end-user innovation.
Google has released a scripting framework that allows developers to write software for the Android platform using Python and Lua. It provides access to many underlying platform and device features, including the camera. A new Native Development Kit is also available for building Android software components in C.
Further reading:
Ars write-up: Android goes beyond Java, gains native C/C++ dev kit
Chromium developer explains that the early releases of the Linux and Mac OS X ports are intended to help foster growth of the community.
Nokia is conducting research to charge phones by tapping into ambient electromagnetic radiation. Current prototypes can harvest 3-5mw. Nokia’s target is 50mw.
Ellison encouraged the OpenOffice.org developers to build C++ bindings for JavaFX APIs so that JavaFX can be used to build the next-generation OpenOffice.org user interface. OpenOffice.org user interface is being overhauled as part of the Renaissance project.
Further reading:
Ars write-up: KDE’s new Plasma netbook interface shines in small places
VirtualBox 2.22 includes improved support for accelerated 3D rendering in guest operating systems. It is now robust enough to facilitate Compiz.
Chris provides a very clear explanation of the differences between Mozilla’s approach to 3D and Google’s approach to 3D. He places a strong emphasis on the importance of enabling seamless interaction between 3D graphics and other native web content.
Ars write-up: Google joins effort for 3D Web standard with new plugin, API
