Thought machine.

What a flockin' discovery!

2006-06-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

Flock is a nice browser. This is my first post using the blog editor built into the Flock web browser. Flock nicely integrates many services that I already used and makes it dead easy to use other services. I know Firefox can accomplish the same things with addon extensions, but my lazy self never got around to downloading any. But with one click of a button, I have a single interface to Flickr, Blogger, my del.icio.us bookmarks, and more. Simple. Nice. I like it.

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Latest Screenshot

2006-03-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

The corner applets have been combined into 2 'bars'. The top is called the DesktopBar. The far left icon brings up a menu that provides basic functions like Run Command, Lock Session, and Log Out. A wrote a pager that resides in the middle. The far left icon shows the desktop, providing quick access to the Manager, Sidebar, or any other Kuartet applets. The Taskbar and System Tray reside at the bottom. Clicking those icons show/hide the taskbar/systray.

I got around to writing a few more plugins for the Sidebar. These can be removed by editing a text file, but I'll eventually get around to making a config dialog similar to the ones I wrote for configuring the Manager.

I'm going to release 0.4 today, though its not 100% complete. I still have a few things to do, however it's 98% complete and is at a more usuable state than any of my past releases. I'll post the link to the download as soon as I get it packaged and uploaded to Sourceforge.

It's starting to come together...

2006-03-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Like what you see?

The Kuartet Desktop project is really coming together. I've gotten the Manager applet to a decent point and have started work on the corner applets. The corner applets were originally planned for all along, however haven't become a priority until now.
The three applets in the screenshot are the taskbar applet in the bottom left, the system tray in the bottom right, and the new Utility Sidebar in the top right. The fourth corner applet will be in the top left, and will feature a simple menu that lets you open the manager, show the desktop, and log off or lock the computer. It has yet to be written, as it is the easisest of the bunch. However it will be included in the next release as well. All of these applets can be collapsed by clicking the icons. This leaves a very uncluttered, clean desktop with only four icons in the corners. Very appealing (at least to me :) )

You might be wondering 'What is this Utility Sidebar?'. Well, basically instead of writing separate applets that float on the desktop (this can/will still be done, though), a developer can use the same libraries to write an applet that docks into the Sidebar. So far, I've only included the Clock from AeroAIO, but I plan on including a QuickLaunch applet that provides quick access to favorite applications, a system monitor, and also a trash applet. I plan on incorporating Drag n Drop controls so that adding to the Sidebar is quick and simple.

Well, I have to run off to work, but in case anybody was wondering, this is what's new with Kuartet. Hopefully there will be a release by the end of the week, but that is very optimistic. Probably next Friday will be designated as the release date.

new manager screenshot

2006-03-01T15:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a screenshot of what the new Kuartet Manager will look like. I'll post more details, but I have to go to work (yeah, 7-11:30 shift sucks).

Some new themes...

2006-02-27T12:26:00.001-08:00

Working under the hood...

2006-02-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

Here's a new screenshot featuring a new theme for my upcoming 0.4.0 release. Why the jump from 0.3.1 to 0.4.0 instead of 0.3.2? Well a lot of work has been put into kuartetlib to make it easier for third-party applet development. I'm trying to make 0.4.0 to be the first release of production-level.

I haven't worked on the Manager yet, however you can see a very useful applet in the top right corner. It's called Search-N-Run, and the name basically sums it up. You can easily run or search various web sites right from your desktop. Simple.

New Screenshot

2006-02-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

After the 0.3.0 release, i spent most of my free time messing around with the Kubuntu Dapper Flight 4 live cd. After two days of trial and error (and a few wasted CDs) I was finally able to get Kuartet to load on boot.
After that triumphant moment, I debated whether or not I wanted to pursue a release of the Gomerix live cd, or if I should work on Kuartet. I decided to add some more features to Kuartet before releasing a live cd. It only took a day for me to come up with something nice...

This release sees the return of the panels of version 0.2.x. I realized that apps, places, websits, and documents are all somewhat related and should be grouped together. Also, I've ported a couple Aero AIO plugins over to kuartetlib. A few more applets are in the works, like a 'Communicate' applet that monitors email accounts, RSS newsfeads, and instant messanger (kopete and eventually gaim) notifier.
Most of my work will go into kuartetlib and the Manager applet, which is going to be the flagship Kuartet application. I need to add a filter function so that everything is searchable. With the release of a KDE interface for beagle, I'll spend some time getting that to work on my system so that I can add an interface to that as well. If I can make more progress on kuartetlib, I should be able to recruit some talent and thus speed up Kuartet development.

0.3.0 finally released

2006-02-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

New Release of Kuartet. Grab it at http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/kuartetdesktop/kuartet-0.3.0.tar.gz

0.3.0 finalized

2006-02-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a screenshot of the final version of 0.3.0. The release will up later tonight or tomorrow morning. I have to go watch the Mountaineers kick Pitts ass in basketball. LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS! EAT SHIT PITT! Hehe. If you've never attended a WVU sporting event, then don't mind those above comments.

New Kuartet Release?

2006-02-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

After weeks of laboring, I've come ridiculously close to my next release, version 0.3.0. This is actually the third major rewrite in 3 weeks; two of the rewrites were shelved due to inefficient design flaws. I finally found the cause of the cpu hogging, KIconLoader. After scaling down the code a good bit, I was still stuck with the problem of not being able to load the KMenu into my themes.

The solution to my problem came in the form of a great update to superkaramba by Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton (thank you), his kroller.sez karamaba theme (http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=31081), and finally his updates being incorporated into KDE 3.5.1.

I've also added mouse over effects to the Applications and Favorite Places themes. I have to port my RecentDocs and AmarokControl themes to my 0.3.0 framework, and might attempt an RSS news reader as well, but that might have to wait until 0.3.1. Also, I need to work on creating a better way to configure the applets, but for now, 0.3.0 will include the current buggy, yet functional KuartetConfig program. And as always, themes, themes, themes...I need themes.

Change of plans...

2006-02-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

Kuartet development has hit a snag. I've been experiencing some issues with performance in the latest build, so I've been reluctant to release it until I can scale some things down. I've realised that a lot of my ambitions for the Kuartet Desktop Project should wait until KDE 4.0 and Plasma become more stable. I plan on contributing to KDE 4.0 a lot, but in the mean time...

I'm going to be working on GomerOS (or Gomerix, work in progress), my distrobution that is going to be based on Kubuntu Dapper. The main selling point will be that GomerOS will showcase the latest and greatest desktops available on any platform. A lot of work is going to go into incorporating the best, in my opinion, karmaba applets into a central theme configuration. The majority of my work on Kuartet work will carry over to this project, however the GomerOS Desktop will incorporate many of my customizations to KDE. I'll try to keep releasing Kuartet on a regular basis, but my real concern lies in getting GomerOS out as soon as possiible.

Here is a screenshot of the GoBar, the kicker replacement based on the GlassTaskbar theme:

More screenshots and images will be posted in the near future.

New Application Panel

2006-01-25T05:39:00.000-08:00

New Application Panel to go along with a lot of code cleanup. Next version to be released soon, though a few more bugs need fixing.

Amarok Panel

2006-01-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

Working on some more panels...

New Theme, New Config Editor

2006-01-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

I decided to hold off on including the taskbar for the time being, and went back and extended the configuration editor so that it is a little more useful. Also, a lot of code cleanup is being done, so that new stuff can be added easier. The SystemPanel is finished and will be included in the upcoming 0.2.3 release. Also, kuartetdesktop.sourceforge.net is official now, though no site is up yet. One should be coming around the same time as my next release. Documentation is also in the works, but is a hard job since the API is nowhere close to being final.

0.3.0 Preview Screenshot

2006-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a screenshot of the upcoming 0.3.0 release. There is still a lot of work to do, but as you can see, I've included a taskbar (thanks to the GlassTaskBar theme) that is incorporated into the Kuartet theme. Also, I'm working on creating a separate System Panel that can be used independently of the Command Panel. I have some code clean up to do, and also I'm going to include the Bar code into the Kuartet API. Good things to come ;)

2006-01-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

Theme: SimpleTransparentBlue

New Release

2006-01-16T18:43:00.000-08:00

Kuartet 0.2.2.1 has been released. A few bugs in KuartetConfig have been fixed. Also, a new theme (RoundTransparentDark2) by Lee Olson has been added. Look for a theme package to be released shortly.

Grab it at KDE-Look.org

New Themes

2006-01-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

Here are a few screenshots of some of the new themes to be released with version 0.2.2:

0.2.1 Screenshot

2006-01-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

Here are screenshots of the soon (later today) to be released version 0.2.1. Now people can create themes for Kuartet.

Default Theme:

Aero G Theme (my favorite):

Red Flare Theme:

I'll have documentation up soon for those who might want to contribute some artwork to the project.

Quick Launch Screen Shot

2006-01-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a screenshot featuring Eva Mendes of the new customizable Quick Launcher to be included in the 0.2.1 release.

Download Now!

2006-01-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

Version 0.2.0 can now by downloaded at http://www.kde-look.org/content/download.php?content=32541&id=11.

Kuartet Desktop 0.2.0 Finalized

2006-01-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

Kuartet Desktop version 0.2.0 has been finalized though it has yet to be released (this is only due to the fact that I've yet to upload it anywhere and there are a few wrinkles the need ironed out.) Here are a few facts surrounding the project:

Kuartet is my vision of what the most productive desktop environment would look like. Its current version has not even scratched the surface of what I intend to implement (It's basically the work of about 3 days of programming spread out over 3 weeks. Also, I am NO artist. So until I get some artist's behind me, things may look a little rough around the edges.) Basically, my idea is to mimic SymphonyOS's Mezzo environment in KDE using SuperKaramba. However, the project, in its short lifespan, has evolved into much more, becoming the foundation of a unique Desktop API that allows for easy programming to build powerful desktop applications.

The Kuartet Desktop will consist of not just of SuperKaramba apps, but will encompass customizations that alter the whole feel of the desktop environment. To accomplish this, a distribution based on PCLinuxOS is in the works tentatively named KuartetLive!. The KuartetLive! Live CD will be published online by the end of January to give users the chance to test drive my vision themselves.

Now with all that out of the way, here are some screenshots of the soon-to-be released version 0.2.0:

Again, there is much to be done on the surface, however a lot more work must be done to the API to provide a stable foundation for future Kuartet development. So while it looks kind of bland at the moment, this will change in the (hopefully) near future.