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diff --git a/doc/faq/intro.docbook b/doc/faq/intro.docbook new file mode 100644 index 000000000..4e7cc2a20 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/faq/intro.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,218 @@ +<!-- +<?xml version="1.0" ?> +<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" + "dtd/kdex.dtd"> +--> + +<chapter id="introduction"> +<title>Introduction</title> + +<qandaset> +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>What is &tde;?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>&tde; is the Trinity Desktop Environment. The project was initiated +by Matthias Ettrich in 1996 and originally called the K Desktop Environment. +The aim of the &tde; project is to connect the power of the &UNIX; operating +systems with the comfort of a modern user interface.</para> +<para>For additional information about &tde;, check the Trinity web site at +<ulink url="http://www.trinitydesktop.org/about.php">About Trinity</ulink></para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question id="platform"> +<para>On which platforms can I expect &tde; to work?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>&tde; is a Desktop Environment for all flavors of &UNIX; systems. +While most &tde; developers use &Linux; based systems, &tde; should run +on a wide range of systems. You might need to tweak the +source code a bit to get &tde; to compile on different variant +of &UNIX; systems, or when not using the &GNU; development tools, in +particular the &gcc; compiler.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Why should I use TDE?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>TDE provides a traditional computer desktop that is snappy and +responsive. A project goal is to provide a highly customizable +desktop without forcing any particular feature or effect on users. +TDE comes with many software tools to provide a productive and enjoyable +computer desktop system.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Is &tde; a window manager?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>No, &tde; is not a window manager. While &tde; includes a +sophisticated window manager (&twin;), &tde; is much more, providing +a full integrated desktop environment. &tde; includes a web browser, +a file manager, a window manager, a help system, a +configuration system, many tools and utilities, and many +applications, including but not limited to mail +and news clients, drawing programs, a PDF and a &DVI; viewer +and so forth.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Is &tde; a <acronym>CDE</acronym>, &Windows; or &Mac; +<acronym>OS</acronym> clone?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>&tde; is not a clone. Specifically &tde; is not a +Common Desktop Environment (<acronym>CDE</acronym>) or &Windows; clone. +While developers have and will continue to glean the best features from existing +desktop environments, &tde; is a unique environment that has and +will continue to go its own way.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>On what platform is TDE based?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>TDE uses C++ and the <link linkend="qt">&Qt; C++ crossplatform toolkit</link>. +The TDE development team now maintains the Qt3 toolkit, renamed TQt3.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Is &tde; free software?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>Yes, &tde; is free software according to the &GNU; General +Public License. All &tde; libraries are available under the +<acronym>LGPL</acronym> making commercial software development for the +&tde; desktop possible, but all &tde; applications are licensed under +the <acronym>GPL</acronym>.</para> +<para>&tde; uses the <link linkend="qt">&Qt; C++ crossplatform +toolkit</link>, which, since version 2.2, is released under the +<acronym>GPL</acronym>.</para> +<para>Both &tde; and &Qt; can be made available on +&CD-ROM; free of charge. No runtime fees of any kind are +incurred.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Why the rebranding and renaming efforts? Why not continue calling the software KDE?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>The "KDE" name, various logos, and related efforts are trademarked by the KDE +Foundation. Since the Trinity project is not affiliated with the KDE Foundation, +legally we can't use their trademarks.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question> +<para>Why the change in version numbers?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>Trinity evolved from the last KDE 3.5 release, 3.5.10. Subsequent Trinity releases +followed that numbering scheme. Release R14.0.0 marks a turning point in Trinity history +because a great deal of the code infrastructure was changed. While those changes do not +effect the usability or look-and-feel of the desktop that users enjoy, Trinity developers +believe a change in the version scheme distinguishes when those changes occurred. An +original project goal by users was to retain the flavor of the original KDE 3.5 desktop. +That goal remains intact. To reflect that original goal, the last number in the original +version scheme is retained in the new version scheme but is now the primary version number. +While the infrastructure has changed, the desktop itself remains the same as the original +KDE 3.5. This new version scheme indicates a modest divergence from the original KDE 3.5 +series and that Trinity is now its own desktop environment. The new version scheme reminds +users that Trinity retains the original KDE 3.5 design, but is moving forward as a separate +desktop project.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + +<qandaentry> +<question id="trinity-vs-kde4"> +<para>How is Trinity different from KDE4?</para> +</question> +<answer> +<para>Both desktop environments share common roots to KDE 3.5.10, which was the last +official release of KDE in the 3.x series. Many KDE developers wanted to break +from that code chain and tool sets to start afresh. Thus was born KDE4. In +addition to moving to the Qt4 tool set, the KDE developers revamped the +underlying KDE code set.</para> + +<para>KDE4 and Trinity have different philosophies about work flow preferences. +KDE4 developers want to support certain work flow concepts and techniques. +Trinity developers want to maintain a "traditional" desktop environment.</para> + +<para>For example, KDE4 offers the following tools:</para> + +<itemizedlist> + +<listitem> +<para>Semantic desktop through Nepomuk</para> +</listitem> + +<listitem> +<para>PIM (Personal Information Management) data caching through Akonadi</para> +</listitem> + +<listitem> +<para>Desktop file searching through Strigi</para> +</listitem> + +<listitem> +<para>Activities, a computer desktop metaphor for managing tasks and activities</para> +</listitem> + +</itemizedlist> + +<para>Whereas TDE offers the following:</para> + +<itemizedlist> + +<listitem> +<para>Desktop search through the locate:/ tdeio-slave and Beagle</para> +</listitem> + +<listitem> +<para>Integrated PIM suite with plugins</para> +</listitem> + +<listitem> +<para>Related task management using multiple desktops</para> +</listitem> + +</itemizedlist> + +<para>The KDE developers support alternate desktop interfaces, such as those used +with netbooks, tablets, and smart phones. TDE provides a single interface that is +optimized for the mouse/keyboard HCI (Human-computer interaction) model.</para> + +<para>Both desktop environments provide an excellent choice for various work +flows but differ in approach. Trinity leans toward user expectations of how +desktop environments have functioned traditionally. There is a sense of +familiarity with that environment many people like. Similarly other users prefer +the work flow features offered by KDE4 because those features match their +expectations of how they want their computer to behave. The difference between the +two environments does not mean one is better, buggier, or slower -- mdash; only that +they are different and appeal to different types of people. Although sharing a +common heritage, both desktops appeal to different groups of people. As always +with free/libre software, there is a choice.</para> +</answer> +</qandaentry> + + +</qandaset> +</chapter> + |