What version of software to download?

[Kevin Fries]

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Leandro Melo wrote:

| Hi, i'm a beginner use. I've been trying to set up my development
| enviroment in fedora. Don't know if i'll be able to do it, but as i
| go one step further i come up with thousands of doubts. Here's a
| basic one. I'd like to download Eclipse (java ide) and there are a
| few builds for linux. In my case, i know i'd get the x86's
| versions, but there're two of them.
|
| - Linux (x86/Motif) - Linux (x86/GTK 2)
|
| There are an info page that says the red had system would use the
| gtk version, so i think that that's what i should use in fedora.
| However, i have a doubt: i understand that motif and gtk are user
| interfaces software, but i don't understand why would they have two
|  diferent builds in this case. Can anyone explain to me? Also, i
| use default's gnome in fedora core, may it cause any problem?
| Thanks

Its one thing to know which version to use, its another to know why.

Linux treats the graphic system as an addon.  Unlike M$, it does not
use the actual Window objects to sending operating system messages
(the reason that all Win apps need a window, even if it is hidden) but
instead has a separate signaling mechanism.  The graphic system in
Linux is called X Windows.  X by itself is extremely raw, and not very
user friendly.

Sitting on top of X is generally a series of programs that handle
everything from window decorations (Metacity, etc) to full desktop
management (KDE, GNOME, etc).  Its all a wonderfully beautiful
sandwich with layer upon layer until you get the GUI you see.

Motif is a graphics package that was used to create older desktops
such as CDE and OpenWin.

GTK is the graphics package that was used to build GNOME.

QT is the graphics package that was used to build KDE.

In the simplest form, you can think of these as widget factories
attached to an API.  (Yes, for you purists I realize this is not
exactly accurate, but this is a newb and its close enough for his
needs).  Almost the equivalent of the Windows API.  Motif, GTK, and QT
are all supersets of X.

Most modern Linux systems include both the GTK and QT libraries even
when only one of the desktops are installed.  This is why I can run
GIMP (also built on GTK) on a KDE desktop, or Kate (built with QT) on
GNOME.  However, Motif is not generally included any longer.  You
could technically add it on if you needed, but with modern systems,
there really is no good reason to do this.

So know you know why

Welcome to Linux, and have fun
Kevin Fries
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