Jusitn Gasper writes: “I have just posted some information about a GNU/Linux distribution, FlameThrower, that I am working on. I am planning it to be a contender in the media box market. I have not released any files yet, that should be coming in a few weeks, but I have put up some screenshots, and would like some input back as to how I could maybe make my software easier to use or theme.”
Flamethrower Linux Information and Screenshots
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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The screenshot’s look very good, simple yet good.
Hmmm, screenies aren’t enough for me to jugde….
It has to be since it’s apparently based off RedHat (I assume beta “Null”).
As someone who works at a company that designs and builds stb hardware and software, the ui is very smooth. Its simplicity that’s really key here. I won’t go into the details so i don’t bore everyone, but i think the show-off item in those shots are the window in the center, and not so much the desktop behind it.
Looks good Justin. I’m interested in tinkering with it when you have files up to grab. Kudos
To address the Redhat question:
I am not basing the software on Redhat. I use Redhat for development and testing, but the system will eventually be an extemely slim Linux distribution. Just the libraries and programs it needs to run, and not much else. Hopefully small enough to fit in a Disk on Chip or something like that.
Would the center be full screen? To save resources (and cut down manufacturing cost), why not use some other thing like PicoGUI (name?) or Microwindows? Or DirectFB?
I had an idea to do something like this ealier this year. Very clean UI. Have to remember that peeps will want to navaigate this with a remote control. So far, it looks like his interface and be navigated with a remote. Nice work…
I wonder if he is going to implement sometype of TIVO capabilities?
Is that the RH Null Beta3? It looks slick!
As for the interface of the app itself, I like it, but it’s a bit too “Freestyle” if you know what I mean…
Haven’t tried it yet thus can’t say anything much but it definetly needs some better looking icons/grpahics. It has the same purpose as Freevo? I’m sure Steve Jobs will visit Freevo pretty soon for those icons that Freevo uses.
http://freevo.sourceforge.net
The Xbox and PS2 have a good bit of power.. but the Dreamcast’s CPU is relatively slow at graphics when you don’t have hardware acceleration (which isn’t supported under linux)
You mention you’d like to run it on the Dreamcast though. How resource intensive is the app now? What graphics toolkit is it based on, if any? This is pretty much exactly what DirectFB was designed for…
Never mind, the page has docs too
It’s based on Evas
I’ve been waiting for something like this for some time now. This looks great. Just hope it works with the ati all-in-wonder radeon series. The tivo type functionality would be sweet but hey I don’t need everything… just want it.
I am using (what appears to be) an orphaned packaged called QuickScore Elite Level II on Windows. It has a whole lot of music-preparation functions (notation, player-piano, controller manipulation, track sheet, mixer, MIDI event viewer, song arranger.) I get the impression that the Brahms program (brahms.sourceforge.net) is an attempt to do this on Linux, but I’ve never been able to get it to compile on anything, much less install.
I would be interested in FlameThrower if I could use Brahms on it. Not otherwise. QuickScore Elite Level II is the *only* program I run on Windows anymore.
Is that the RH Null Beta3? It looks slick!
Uses the same theme as Null, but the icons are different. Couldn’t be sure.
To answer rajan’s question, Evas2 will be able to support quite a range of display systems, including X, Linux Framebuffer, DirectFB, rotated PDA display’s, etc. It also has a pluggable architecture, allowing other display systems to be written. Resource efficiency is really a key feature of evas. So, I think he made a good choice with the toolkit.
Btw, the screenshots look very nice, can’t wait for a tarball to play around with.
I just noticed he used evas. I went straight to the screenies, and I made an assumption it is based on GTK+
Besides, I notice there is an menu for “DVD”. Can it play encripted DVDs? Legally, I mean (as in a propeitary component)….