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GPE Palmtop Environment

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GPE Palmtop Environment
Final release
2.8 / August 7, 2007(2007-08-07)
Operating systemLinux
PlatformPersonal digital assistants
TypeUser interface
LicenseGNU General Public License,GNU Lesser General Public License
Websitegpe.linuxtogo.org

GPE(arecursive acronymforGPE Palmtop Environment) is agraphical user interfaceenvironment forhandheld computers,such aspalmtopsandpersonal digital assistants(PDAs), running someLinux kernel-based operating system. GPE is a complete environment of software components and applications which makes it possible to use a Linux handheld for tasks such aspersonal information management(PIM), audio playback, email, and web browsing.

GPE isfree and open-source software,subject to the terms of theGNU General Public License(GPL) or theGNU Lesser General Public License(LGPL).

Supported devices

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GPE is bundled with embeddedLinux distributionstargeting the following platforms:

In addition, GPE maintainers and the open source community are developing ports for additional devices:

On February 5, 2007, The GPE project announcedGPE Phone Edition,a new variant of GPE developed for mobile phones.[3]

Software components

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See also:List of GTK+ applications
GPE on a Sharp Zaurus C1000

GPE does not have any of theGNOME Core Applications,but instead software was written from scratch, tailored to the embedded environment. GPE is based onGTK+,and because GTK+ did not gain support forWaylanduntil versions 3.10, GPE usesX11as itswindowing system,e.g. with the combinationX.Org Server/Matchbox.

The project provides an infrastructure for easy and powerful application development by providing core software such asshared libraries,database schemata, and building on available technology includingSQLite,D-BUS,GStreamerand several of the more common standards defined byfreedesktop.org.

One of the major goals of the GPE project is to encourage people to work onfree softwarefor mobile devices and to experiment with writing a GUI for embedded devices. Some of the applications already developed for GPE include:

  • GPE-Contacts- A contacts manager
  • GPE-Calendar- The calendar application
  • GPE-Edit- A simple text editor
  • GPE-Filemanager- A file manager withMIME typeand remote access support
  • GPE-Gallery- Small and easy to use image viewer
  • GPE-Games- A small collection of tiny games
  • GPE-Mini-Browser- ACSSandJavaScriptcompatible compact web browser
  • GPE-Sketchbook- Create notes and sketches
  • GPE-Soundbite- A voice memo tool
  • GPE-ToDo- A task list manager
  • GPE-Timesheet- Track time spend on tasks
  • Starling- A GStreamer based audio player

GPE's PIM applications (GPE-Contacts, GPE-Calendar, GPE-ToDo) can be synchronized with their desktop and web counterparts (such asNovell Evolution,Mozilla SunbirdandGoogle Calendar) through the use ofGPE-Syncdand the OpenSync framework.

GPE also contains a number of GUI utilities for configuring802.11 Wireless LAN,Bluetooth,IrDA,Firewall,ALSA,Package Management,among others.

A mobilepush e-mailclient based on the Tinymail framework is in development.

Linux distributions

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Wikipedia viewed with the GPE Mini-Browser

GPE can be found as a primary environment in the following embedded Linux distributions:

Though it may not be as highly supported as the distributions listed above, GPE is also available through package management utilities in the following distributions:

Controversy

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There are ongoing controversies surrounding the GPE project regarding a change of hosting service, ownership of anIRCchannel, and a trademark dispute.[4][5]

Web hosting

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Serious issues first began developing over a proposed change of hosting service. GPE had been hosted atHandhelds.orgsince April 2002. Some of GPE's developers suggested, and later followed through with, a move toLinuxtogo.orgby October 2006.[6]Handhelds.org responded by removing the user accounts of the departing developers, and any links or reference to the newGPE Linuxtogo.orglocation on the originalGPE Handhelds.orgsite.[7]

Trademark

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George France, has filed for trademark registration with theUSPTOfor GPE, in addition to OPIE andIpkgas of March 6, 2007.[8]On June 25, 2007, the USPTO declined to accept a screenshot of the Handhelds.org GPE website as proof of Handhelds.org's ownership, and in addition requested a better specimen for a “GPE product”.[9]Handhelds.org, andOSIboard memberRuss Nelson,assert that the GPE project was given over to Handhelds.org for public development.[10]

The GPE developers working at Linuxtogo.org maintain that they represent the active GPE project, and Handhelds.org was only a hosting provider.[11][12]Furthermore, they point out that the GPE project existed before it was hosted on Handhelds.org.[13]

The USPTO issued a final rejection regarding the GPE trademark on February 27, 2008. George France amended the application (removing references toGNUand Linux). The GPE trademark was officially published for opposition June 3, 2008.[14]

Despite George France's impending personal GPE trademark, the core GPE development team at Linuxtogo.org has abandoned much of the Handhelds.org GPE infrastructure. Linuxtogo.org developers have switched GPE to a new bootloader and replaced IPKG with OPKG, and made major changes to the GPE gui applications.[15]

The Trademark of GPE was registered to George France on Aug 19, 2008 by the USPTO.[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Posts Tagged" treo-linux "".
  2. ^"Archived copy".www.handhelds.org.Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2010.Retrieved12 January2022.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^Boor, Florian (2007-02-05)."New Project: GPE Phone Edition".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-07-26.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  4. ^Willis, Nathan (2007-05-24)."GPE project and Handhelds.org in acrimonious trademark dispute".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-09-17.Retrieved2007-08-18.
  5. ^Corbet, Jonathan (2007-07-07)."Whose project is it anyway?".Retrieved2007-08-22.
  6. ^Nils Faerber (2006-08-17)."New home for GPE?".Newsgroup:gmane.comp.handhelds.gpe.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-29.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  7. ^"Diff for" GPEProject "- Handhelds.org MoinMoin Wiki".2007-01-04.Retrieved2007-08-23.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^"US Serial No: 77123546, Application".2007-03-26.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  9. ^"US Serial No: 77123546, Offc Action Outgoing".2007-07-25.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  10. ^Nelson, Russ (2007-05-25)."The backstory to the trademarks".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-07-08.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  11. ^Nils Faerber (2001-12-21)."Re: crosscompiling question,...Maybe this could be hosted on sourceforge.handhelds.org?..."Newsgroup:gmane.comp.handhelds.ipaq.general.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-29.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  12. ^Boor, Florian (2007-05-23)."Threatened - update".Retrieved2007-08-23.
  13. ^Nils Faerber (2001-12-22)."GPE - GNU PDA Environment".Newsgroup:gmane.comp.handhelds.ipaq.general.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-29.Retrieved2007-08-23.
  14. ^"Latest Status Info".2008-06-03.Retrieved2008-07-01.
  15. ^Boor, Florian (2008-03-28)."GPE trademark rejected".Retrieved2008-07-01.
  16. ^"GPE Registration Certificate".Retrieved2008-08-17.[permanent dead link]
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