The Plasma Active OS has been on Desktop and Netbook interfaces for quite awhile now. The exploration into a much wider range of devices that can utilize the Plasma interface is the goal of the current beta testing. By displaying the possibilities of Plasma OS to other devices through a beta run, the developers at KDE are targeting the largest pool of users possible.
One of the major contributors and investors of Plasma Active OS is Basyskom. Once the developers at Basyskom had the chance to see the operating system in action, an idea came to mind. The idea is called Contour and is one that matches the flexibility of a tablet with the features and benefits of the touch-based plasma Active OS.
The beta for the Plasma Active OS is teamed up with the newest QtQuick technologies. This is being done without disturbing the desktop or Netbook interfaces of the current programs. The beta hopes to showcase not only the newest developments for the Plasma Active OS but also the breadth of usability on such devices as Tablets and PDAs.
The developers at KDE have a goal and this is, “to create an innovative object of desire, one which people will want and, once they have it, build a personal connection with over time and through usage. We also knew it has to be 100% open, from planning through to development, and we gave ourselves just six months to come up with the first version of it,” according to Aaron J. Seigo, a member of the KDE Plasma Active OS Development Team.
The beta for the Plasma Active OS is not a made from scratch endeavor. The Plasma framework is the foundation that builds upon Qt’s and KDE’s libraries. The component-based approach allows KDE to re-use components and rework what was needed, allowing for expansion while not requiring a great amount of effort. The goal is to achieve an interface that is radically different from what was already delivered and installed on the Desktop and Netbook.
TFOT has covered new computer technologies that are related to operating systems research and development in earlier issues. Please read all about these exciting new computer developments in: MRAM – The Birth of the Super Memory and Green Computing.
More information on the Plasma Active OS beta can be found on the KDE website.
