Add GNOME-based Shells and OS ?

[Kazhnuz]

As GNOME is a project that comprise a Shell, a set of libraries, a set of application and a set of Human Interface Guidelines, the extant of what can be considered GNOME-based might be a bit difficult.

We have in the Linux desktop several OSes that use the GNOME HIG, but with a kinda different desktop. For instance, Zorin OS and Endless OS are both GNOME-based, uses GNOME technologies and GNOME apps looks good on them. Ubuntu uses GNOME Shell, but with a whole different UI. Same for other desktop that uses GNOME as a base like Budgie 10 and GNOME Flashback.

So I wonder if we should add alternate desktop and GNOME-based OS to this list. And if we do it, how could we do it ? Should we have an OS and a "desktop/shell" list separated (the problem is that some shell don't exist outside of their OS, like the Ubuntu session or the Zorin Shell). The last question would be what a shell need to be considered GNOME-based.

[Kazhnuz]

My proposition would be to have first a category for GNOME-based Operating Systems (with several subcategory : Vanilla, Customized and special categories for alternate desktops), then a category for alternate desktop.

For the choice of desktop I'm not sure though. Maybe desktops that are gtk or shell-based, and where applications that use the GNOME HIG won't look alien (as their default apps use it too).

[lokesh-krishna]

Great idea on listing OS shipping with GNOME! Should we restrict ourselves to only those cases where GNOME is the default or flagship offering? GNOME is too popular and we would otherwise end up listing a really large number of OS.

I am not sure about adding alternate desktops though. I feel like that is stepping too much outside the direction of this list. Also, regarding Budgie, you should read this where they state they are moving to Qt from GTK. Will that influence our decision regarding it?

[Kazhnuz]

Well, for budgie, I agree with you, I forgot about its switching to Qt. I agree with you too for restricting the list to OS where GNOME is available by default, and not all that have GNOME available (like Arch, that is a "do-it-yourself" distro and therefore haven't a default desktop). Should we count "official variant"/"flavour", like Solus GNOME, as there is an official iso to download ?

For the "alternative shell", I'm a bit conflicted. On one hand, some people can like the GNOME HIG and its apps but want to try other layouts for the desktop, on another hand you're quite right about it steeping a bit too much outside the direction. I wanted them because there are some distribution that are gnome-based (and even GNOME-Shell based) but with a slightly (Ubuntu) or heavily (Zorin and Endless) modified Gnome-Shell. But maybe we could just divide the "Operating Systems" category in two sub-category : A "Vanilla" and a "Customized"/"Alternative UI" or something similar ?

[lokesh-krishna]

Should we count "official variant"/"flavour", like Solus GNOME, as there is an official iso to download ?

I think it would be better to restrict ourselves to distributions that offer GNOME as their flagship offering. It doesn't seem all that easy to determine which desktop offering is a distribution's flagship offering though. Solus itself is an example of this confusion.

I wanted them because there are some distribution that are gnome-based (and even GNOME-Shell based) but with a slightly (Ubuntu) or heavily (Zorin and Endless) modified Gnome-Shell.

How about dropping the slightly customized ones and offering the Alternative UI ones as something that you should look into if you like GNOME?

[Kazhnuz]

I think it would be better to restrict ourselves to distributions that offer GNOME as their flagship offering. It doesn't seem all that easy to determine which desktop offering is a distribution's flagship offering though. Solus itself is an example of this confusion.

Yeah, you're right !

How about dropping the slightly customized ones and offering the Alternative UI ones as something that you should look into if you like GNOME?

By dropping them, do you mean not having them in the list, or just not having them in a separate category ? I would be a bit more for the second one, as they are imho a part of the GNOME world.

[Kazhnuz]

I started the work in the branch operating-systems.