Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
1–10 of 54 posts
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#2Nice name, I suppose it recalls Apple’s Rhapsody project.
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#3Nice name, I suppose it recalls Apple’s Rhapsody project.
Additionally, Gershwin is the name of the intended follow-up to the cancelled Copland project.
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#4I will have to try this out when I get the free time! I’ve been periodically checking on the GNUstep ecosystem since 2004, and this is the most exciting development I’ve seen since Étoilé from the late 2000s. Judging by the screenshots, the desktop appears to be Mac-like while also not being an exact clone.
If this desktop takes off, maybe we’ll finally see an ecosystem of applications that use GNUstep instead of GTK or Qt. In my opinion, the traditional charm of the Mac isn’t just the desktop; it’s the entire ecosystem of applications that conform to the Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines. It would be cool to finally see this happen with a GNUstep/Gershwin ecosystem!
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#5Nice name, I suppose it recalls Apple’s Rhapsody project.
Screenshots look like OS X 1.0 and nothing like Rhapsody. I've found the OS X aesthetics unpleasant compared to how Rhapsody looked like so it was the final straw pushing me to Windows :)
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#6I will have to try this out when I get the free time! I’ve been periodically checking on the GNUstep ecosystem since 2004, and this is the most exciting development I’ve seen since Étoilé from the late 2000s. Judging by the screenshots, the desktop appears to be Mac-like while also not being an exact clone. If this desktop takes off, maybe we’ll finally see an ecosystem of applications that use GNUstep instead of GTK…
I’m working on something similar for Linux. Would love to chat if this is interesting to you.
The idea is to bring the UX of OSX Snow Leopard back, adjusted for today’s possibilities (better developer experience, AI, etc.). I’m developing a DE, SwiftUI/AppKit-equivalent, and a bunch of reference apps I‘m personally missing in terms of quality (e.g. Raycast/Spotlight, Mail).
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#7I will have to try this out when I get the free time! I’ve been periodically checking on the GNUstep ecosystem since 2004, and this is the most exciting development I’ve seen since Étoilé from the late 2000s. Judging by the screenshots, the desktop appears to be Mac-like while also not being an exact clone. If this desktop takes off, maybe we’ll finally see an ecosystem of applications that use GNUstep instead of GTK…
> “In my opinion, the traditional charm of the Mac isn’t just the desktop; it’s the entire ecosystem of applications that conform to the Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines”
Sadly this barely exists anymore.
Cross-platform Electron apps have replaced native AppKit. Cloud-based apps like Linear, Slack and Figma cater to the lowest common denominator of desktops by shipping their web client in a wrapper.
The last real native Mac app that was truly successful was probably Sketch ten years ago, and Figma ate their lunch.
Meanwhile Apple themselves have given up on the HIG. In the Alan Dye era, it’s been form over function across all the Apple operating systems. Their own apps don’t follow any guidelines and the latest macOS 26 is a UI disaster – probably the most inconsistent Mac release since OS X early betas.
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#8I love this. I deeply miss the productive, well-built UX era of OSX.
The screenshot shows a mix of styles. Some of it looks very old (eg the Finder analogue). Scrollbars are flat, traffic light window buttons are gel. Semi-puzzling so far in terms of UI design target.
I found this: 10.2-era, pre-Brushed Metal, seems to be the target: https://github.com/orgs/gershwin-desktop/discussions/1
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#9I love this. I deeply miss the productive, well-built UX era of OSX. The screenshot shows a mix of styles. Some of it looks very old (eg the Finder analogue). Scrollbars are flat, traffic light window buttons are gel. Semi-puzzling so far in terms of UI design target. I found this: 10.2-era, pre-Brushed Metal, seems to be the target: https://github.com/orgs/gershwin-desktop/discussions/1
Looks like the Finder layout is inherited and may change: https://github.com/orgs/gershwin-desktop/discussions/8
This is pretty exciting!
Re: Gershwin-desktop: OS X-like Desktop Environment based on GNUStep
#10Interesting. I wonder what happened to Étoilé which was supposed to fill this niche and was chucking along fine until about 2015 or so. It got pretty far too with the underlying components.