Just so everyone is aware work has already begun on SolusOS2.

We will be using our own version of the fallback mode of Gnome 3. This “desktop environment” needs a name. Our Gnome 3 will be identical in every sense to the Gnome 2 you are using now. It will still use gnome panel, metacity and nautilus.

What we’re doing

  • We’ve patched gnome-panel to support traditional interaction, i.e. normal right click. It is now the same as the Gnome 2 panel for us.
  • We’re porting old applets to Gnome 3 and would like a “demand” list of what is actually *needed* for the first Alpha.
  • We’re looking to make SolusOS 2 a Long Term Support release and will need everyone involved in the development and testing process
  • Long story short our Gnome 3 will be identical to Gnome 2 but using updated technology.

What we need

  • We need the list of needed applets and utilities
  • We need more input on the installer for SolusOS 2
  • We need a name for the DE and release
  • We need a lot of willing testers :)

When can you expect SolusOS 2?
Around the same time that Wheezy goes stable, SolusOS 2 will be released as final. However we are putting ourselves full-throttle into development now, and public alphas will be starting in the very near future. This is very important for the future of SolusOS, so please get involved :)

Use this forum post to get involved now: http://forums./viewtopic.php&f=2&t=927


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49 comments

  1. peter e

    count me as an “over eager tester” at the user level :-)

    • Intrested user

      It would be good to have LVM support in the installer.

  2. - for the DE name, I nominate ‘Saturn’ – a large planet that orbits Sol – opposite of the absurdly diminutive Gnomish version 3 shell. BTW the noun does not appear to be used on a major software project.

    - for my mission critical applet, I suggest an close equivalent to the xfce ‘Directory Menu’. This is a simplified ‘Place’ button that can be easily customized to list / open objects in an arbitrary folder. The last piece of preserving a good ‘Windows classic’ DE function.

    Preserving the elegant functionality of Gnome 2 Panel is my main hope. For ‘seldom used’ apps, I prefer the greater simplicity of an xfce / lxde style menu. I’ll tolerate the View and Place columns but I’m not a fan ….

  3. Great news, devs! I volunteer as a tester ;)
    Release name: Ark / Arc (This distro will save a lot of linux users from Gnome-shell’s stupidity and KDE’s bugs)
    DE name: no-shell (just a joke… or is it!?) :D
    DE name: Breeze
    Well, those are my two cents!

    Cheers! ;)

  4. This has got to be the best distro ever! anyway for the the applet that i would like ported it would be gnome-applet global menu

    Thank you

  5. really cant’t wait for the release, it’s gonna be huge ;)

  6. I didn’t switched to Gnome3 cause of the problem with the AMD drivers.
    Can you please me the situation about this Gnome2 like shell regarding the issues there are in Gnome3 and will not be on this Gnome2 like shell?

  7. timothy chan

    Hey Ikey! Count me in as tester. I would love to spend at least 30 minutes testing out SoulusOS 2! some features to consider…

    A feature that i really wanted is a prompt that will warn you to close all your apps before shutting down. This feature is very important because, in case of a accidental shutdown, the user will be able to cancel the shutdown signal.

    Another feature that i really want to see in SolusOS is a better notification system in that you will be notified if

    A) You have an unsaved document/file/project
    B) You have important/security patches that you should install
    C) Integrated email notification support like how iOS has integrated twitter support

    If you like to contact me, please send me an email, which was recorded when i typed this comment.

  8. Ray Woods

    I addition to the kernel testing, you can put me down for SolusOS 2 testing as well.

  9. Timothy Chan

    Hey Ikey, for a more tweakable system, you should include a tool like the windows mobility center. It has settings you can set specifically to your laptop settings such as brightness, turning wifi on and off, power settings etc. Add the tool to the unified system settings. Here is a screen-shot:

    http://tinypic.com/r/1z20mti/6
    Thank You!

    • In my 8 year computing experience I’ve never used mobility center, nor have I heard of someone using it… It’s pointless, meaning everything mobility center has is easily accessible via panel…

  10. tdockery97

    Count me in as usual Ikey. You know I can never resist a new release. For applets, the standard applet set suits me fine. I can’t think of any others I wish I had.
    Desktop Name: Gnome Redux Environment And Toolbox (GREAT)
    Release: Venus

  11. “Long story short our Gnome 3 will be identical to Gnome 2 but using updated technology.”
    Isn’t this what MATE is doing?

    • MATE is a fork of Gnome 2.32, using Gnome 2.32 technology and GTK2.
      We’re simply modifying the session and panel to work exactly the same as Gnome 2.
      That work is already done. Our Gnome 3.4 looks and acts no different to Gnome 2,
      with normal interaction.

      Now we’re working with other projects to port their applets :)

      P.S This won’t be available in final form for a while yet. SolusOS 1 is still
      using Gnome 2.30

  12. Hi, still using Mint 9 on my first machine I tried SolusOS1 on the second one and was very surprised. With the news above I`m sure that SolusOS2 will by my first system in the future. If possible I would like to find XnView in the repos? Nice little program to convert photos.
    Great work on SolusOS so far!!!

    • Perhaps imagemagick would be better Jogi? From what I understand xnview is no longer maintained

      • Hi Ikey, I tried the Windows-Version of XnView with Wine and it’s ok. Looks better, supports my native language etc… Problem solved. Still being curious about the deveĺopment of SolusOS in the future. Very good so far. Tomorrow I’ll install Version 1 as the first system on my first machine.

  13. Some applets I use all the time are:

    network
    trash
    force quit
    weather
    time & date
    and notification area
    (I use checkgmail and load firestarter and fusion-icon on startup)

    • All of those already work Bill :) Checkgmail may run through our compatability
      layer, it will be tested in the next coming weeks

      • Kewl. I hope it works as advertized. No offense but when Zorin 6 came out I was not welcomed after stating it was not a good OS in my opinion. Here’s hoping your OS really does work like gnome 2 did. Thanks.

  14. Hy everyone.. Im new here from Brazil..I realy like solusos and cant wait to see what are you doing with the second edition. Waiting for some print from solu2…Keep the great work and, please, make Gnome 3 DE a real desktop environment..sorry about my english..

  15. Hey Ikey, I’ve got a partition all ready to test SolusOS 2.

  16. cumberland-fox

    Great Distro! (although I can’t get the 64bit version to load)
    As for a desktop name, how about Corona Desktop. Where the corona is part of the outer layer of the sun, Corona Desktop in the outward facing layer of SolusOS.

    • Will keep it in mind, thank you :) You may have more luck with the respin (due tomorrow)

  17. firefox and chromium has gotten piss poor with stability use an old version of firefox like 4.0 or chromium 14.

  18. I am using solusOS in my virtualbox and this is really a Great OS!

    1 question:
    “Around the same time that Wheezy goes stable, SolusOS 2 will be released as final.”

    Does it mean the new OS will be based on Debian 7?

  19. btw will there be an lxde spin?

    • Perhaps in the future, there are no plans currently in the pipeline

  20. Hi,
    I’m the guy who wrote this (http://dasublogbyprashanth.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-solusos-1-eveline.html) review. I’m actively looking into distributions that can replace my Linux Mint 9 LTS “Isadora” GNOME installation once that runs out of support, and the promise of SolusOS 2 being an LTS release makes it that much more enticing.
    If you say that you will really be able to recreate every bit of GNOME 2 using GNOME 3 technology, that sounds amazing. Then I have two requests for you:
    I want the Linux Mint Menu to be usable in GNOME 3. I don’t mean either the MGSE Menu or the Cinnamon Menu; I really do want the Linux Mint Menu, because for me it is the best menu I have ever used, and I just can’t drop it.
    This following request doesn’t really have to do with GNOME 2 applets, but I want to see that Compiz will work with your forked GNOME 3 session. Yeah, I’m not ashamed to say that I want a working desktop cube effect, but more importantly, I want a WM that has the ability to assign applications to open on specific workspaces, and so far Compiz and KWin are the only WMs out of those that I’ve tried that perform that function correctly.

    If I use MATE, I gain Linux Mint Menu and Compiz capabilities, but I lose the ability to use Nautilus (which I much prefer to Caja, and which also has the nifty Sushi file preview program that nicely replaces Gloobus-Preview). Conversely, if I use GNOME 3/Cinnamon, I gain Nautilus and I could technically keep the Linux Mint Menu through a third-party applet, but I lose Compiz. Therefore, if you (Mr. Doherty and any other SolusOS developers) could really make the Linux Mint Menu and Compiz work on your GNOME 3 fork in SolusOS 2, I would be an extraordinarily happy user of SolusOS. Keep up the great work!

    • Perhaps this screenshot will whet your appetite: http://ompldr.org/vZHloOQ
      We’re working on a Gnome 2 Compatability layer which will allow all Gnome 2
      applets to run under our Gnome 3 :)

      Also, thanks for the review, some interesting points! :)

      • Hi,
        Thanks so much for the reply. I did see the screenshot on the forums, and it does look quite interesting, but when you say that GNOME 2 applets should work in your new DE, does this mean that any and all applets will work, or will you have to manually port applets and those that are not ported will not work?
        Also, I apologize for sounding a bit impatient (because the truth is that I’m really excited about the possibilities in store for SolusOS), but what does the transition to something based on GNOME 3 mean for Compiz working with SolusOS?
        Thanks again for the amazing work!

        • No worries mate :)
          I need to backport Compiz and Plugins from sid to Wheezy then rework the session… probably tomorrow? :)
          If you want you’re welcome to do a review on the new DE. It’ll be in development for a while though.

          Regarding applets, we have plans to get most of them working through a compatability layer but we’re hoping
          people will start to port to new API’s once we’ve done this

          • That sounds awesome! I can’t do a review right away unfortunately, but please do post the link for testers to try it out and I’ll be sure to try it at my earliest convenience. Thanks again!

  21. Baptiste

    for applets, I need xeyes and the fish. I’m serious about it :)
    I found about SolusOS on linux mint forum, they’ve made Gnome 2 usable again with MATE, I’m also using Ubuntu 11.04 now and I’m delighted you’re going to turn Gnome 3 fallback into a similar desktop.

    now I can feel relaxed, we can still have options for an easy to use, modern linux, with no reliance on advanced 3D drivers.

  22. WOW!!! If this works out – and I have no doubt it will, it will be THE most popular Gnome distro out there, I have tried Gnome 3 – it’s pretty but sucks big time, Mint with Cinnamon or MATE is OK but it’s another thing running and fallback mode isn’t really up to the same standard as Gnome 2. I want my Applications, Places, and System menus back again – for me and the way I work they are perfect, plus right click on desktop and panel. I am genuinely excited about this Gnome release and wish you the very best of luck with it.

    A huge thank you in advance :-)

    • i agree with ian, i think the applications/places/system menu-bar is one of the best menu’s available. (at least, for me it is…)

  23. timothy chan

    I want a applet where you can expand the indicators you have in stead of having them locked onto the taskbar, this way itll save a lot more room :d

  24. Linust

    I was thinking that “SolusDesk”(tm) would be a great name for the work on the gnome3 to gnome2 conversion work. This would set your work apart from the rest and provide a bit of a branding effort at the same time. Certainly a better name than Cinnamon.

  25. Hi Ikey! (Craig from the mint forums)
    some input for you:

    1)Slab menu like the old mint menu on it’s gnome 2 versions…something really nice looking and highly functional too…

    2)An easy automatic install like the ubuntu/mint installer…with the usual options that has (install over what you have now…install side by side with what you have now or optional manual partitioning)…would make it easier for newbies…and those of us who prefer an automatic install option (like me…lol)…

    I’m using Zorin 6 right now (which i love)….they have gnome 3 with the awn panel and gnomenu which works out quite nice for them)…haven’t installed yours yet but checking out your site has sure wet my appetite (LOL)….

    • Hello Craig,

      I am also from Mint Forums. I agree with you. Specially about Zorin-6, I am also playing with it and liking it, the way compiz and many applications are working, right now Zorin seems to be the best OS based on Gnome-3. There is no harm taking some leafs from them. Regards

  26. Using SolusOS2 alpha as my @WORK station. I “need” an equivalent of xfce’s “Directory menu” to implement a poor-man’s stack applet.
    In XFCE I’d do this:
    Panel>Add New Items>Directory Menu>Add(as many as needed)
    Right Click the new Directory Menu>Properties
    Choose Folder, set preferred icon, and set “*” for file pattern.

    Thank you!

  27. I am truly amazed that Solus 2 uses less ram than 1.2.
    Well done on a superb distro.

  28. I’m glad I came across your website as I’ve wondered before why no one has forked the ‘Gnome Classic’ code base to make a more traditional environment from this more modern technology.

    Suitable tweaked, Classic already has promise but, unfortunately, it’s creators have no real interest in it’s development and, AFAIK, have now dropped this from Gnome 3 Releases.

    I’d be happy to test the environment and give you feedback. I would have offered to help you code as well but I’m only a Java developer, so not quite clever enough ;-)

    • Java isn’t all bad, it was my first programming language :)
      That also baffled me for a long time, why people went against the grain with an older codeset, when the existing
      one could be worked on with less effort and a far higher level of compatibility :)

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