Oracle Solaris Desktop Feature Summary

The default desktop environment in Oracle Solaris 11is the Oracle Solaris Desktop, which includes GNOME 2.30 from the GNOME Foundation. Also included is the Firefox web browser, Thunderbird Email client, and the Lightning calendar manager from the Mozilla Foundation.

Other new desktop features include the following:

• Accessibility feature enhancements

• Bluefish HTML editor

• Compiz OpenGL based window manager

• D-Bus IPC Framework

• Evince PDF viewer

• GIMP image editing program

• GNOME Python bindings

• Gobby text editing collaboration tool

• Multimedia support enhancements

• Planner and openproj project management tools

• Trusted Extensions integration

• xchat IRC client

• Xserver features that augment the desktop, such as virtual terminal (VT) switching

Key Desktop Features

The following key features are new or enhanced in Oracle Solaris 11:

• Accessibility enhancements – Users with disabilities can use a wide range of accessibility features, including Orca, espeak, and brltty. These features replace gnopernicus and provide better text-to-speech support. The dasher on-screen keyboard also has been added in this release.

  Note that the GNOME On-screen Keyboard (GOK) program that is used Oracle Solaris 10 is no longer available. The new dasher application can be used as a replacement for some users.

• Command Assistant – Locates command-line information in Oracle Solaris managed content, for example books and man pages. To add Command Assistant to the desktop panel, use the Add to Panel → Command Assistant dialog box.

• Graphical login manager – Oracle Solaris 10 uses the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) and dtlogin as the default login GUI. The GNOME graphical desktop manager (GDM) is also available in Oracle Solaris 10. In this release, GDM is the only graphical login option.

  The GDM configuration process has also changed considerably in Oracle Solaris 11. To learn more, consult the gdm and console-kit-daemon man pages. ConsoleKit configuration features are now used to manage multi-seat environments. To troubleshoot transition issues, see GNOME Desktop Manager Issues.

• Multimedia support:

  • FreeDesktop GStreamer – The FreeDesktop GStreamer module is a desktop tool that provides multimedia support. GStreamer uses a plug-in infrastructure that enables the use of additional media formats.

  • gksu – Is the graphical version of the sudo command. When launched, the tool displays a prompt that enables you to type an additional password to run an administrative tool.

  • Multimedia formats – The FLAC, Speex, Ogg Vorbis, and Theora media formats are supported through the use of GStreamer plugins. Oracle Solaris 11 provides GStreamer 0.10, while Oracle Solaris 10 uses GStreamer 0.8.

  • Open Sound System – The Open Sound System (OSS) framework manages audio devices and provides better audio support. Some audio devices that were previously supported are no longer supported. Programs that use the Sun Audio Device Architecture (SADA) interfaces continue to be supported. If your audio device is not working properly, you can launch a dialog box from the desktop that enables you to choose which audio device and GStreamer audio input/output plugins to use:

    $ /usr/bin/gstreamer-properties

    This program also includes a Test button that enables you to determine whether your audio settings are correct. Note that some audio cards present themselves as having more than one device, for example, one for analog audio and one for digital audio. If you are currently using RealPlayer, you will need to transition to the multimedia tools that are currently supported.

  • PulseAudio sound server – Introduced in Oracle Solaris 11.1, the PulseAudio sound server supports improved audio mixing. The /usr/bin/gnome-volume-control Device combo-box displays additional PulseAudio devices. For desktop and laptop computers, the “OSS” device choice should work best. To determine the best setting for your audio hardware, some initial trial-and-error might be required. If you continue to experience audio problems, run the following command to verify that the correct default Input/Output audio plug-ins are selected:

    $ /usr/bin/gstreamer-properties

    PulseAudio additionally provides CLI configuration capabilities: $HOME/.pulse, and $HOME/.pulse-cookie. See pulseaudio(1) for details. On systems with a working audio card, you will notice that the /usr/bin/pulseaudio process is running for GNOME sessions. More information can be found at http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio.

  • Other media tools – The Rhythmbox media player, Cheese photo/video tool, the Ekiga video conference tool, and the Brasero CD/DVD burner are included in this release.

• Network configuration management – The network administration GUI (formerly NWAM) is used to manage network configuration from the desktop. This tool functions similarly to the various networking command-line tools. See Managing Network Configuration From the Desktop..

• Package Manager and Update Manager – Are the graphical versions of the IPS command-line tools. Package Manager and Update Manager can be used to manage and update software packages from the desktop. See Chapter 2, IPS Graphical User Interfaces, in Adding and Updating Oracle Solaris 11.1 Software Packages for instructions on using these tools.

• Print management – CUPS is the default print service in Oracle Solaris 11, replacing the LP print service. Solaris Print Manager is no longer available. CUPS has a print manager that can be started from the desktop by choosing System → Administration → Print Manager. See Setting Up Printers by Using CUPS Print Manager in Oracle Solaris Administration: Common Tasks.

• Removable media – Oracle Solaris 11 includes various removable media enhancements, including support for hot-pluggable device discovery, content recognition, usability, security, and performance across all layers of the software stack, from device drivers to the GUI. You can use the Eject button on a CD/DVD drive's front panel to eject a disc, even if it is mounted. The Nautilus file manager automatically registers when external hard drives or flash cards are inserted.

  The functions of the vold daemon and the volcheck command are now performed by the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) through the rmvolmgr and gvfs-hal-volume-monitor commands, which are HAL-aware. See rmvolmgr(1M).

• Seahorse – GnuPG is now supported. The Seahorse application manages encryption keys and passwords in the gnome-keyring. Seahorse also replaces the gnome-keyring-manager for managing SSH and GnuPG keys.

• Trusted Extensions (GNOME) desktop – The Trusted Extensions feature of Oracle Solaris is now supported only in the Oracle Solaris Desktop (GNOME 2.30). In Oracle Solaris 10, this feature is supported in both CDE and the GNOME Desktop. In Solaris 8, this support is limited to CDE.

  This version of the Trusted Extensions desktop includes significant changes that improve usability, robustness, and functionality, which also includes zones and RBAC improvements. For example, the txzonemgr GUI has significantly improved. This tool can now be used to manage most aspects of Trusted Extensions. If you are currently using Trusted CDE, you will need to migrate to the a currently supported version of the product.

  For up-to-date information about Sun Ray software support for the Oracle Solaris Desktop and Trusted Extensions, go to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/sunrayproducts/overview/index.html.

• Time Slider – Manages ZFS snapshots. The tool can be used to regularly back up data by taking timed ZFS snapshots.

• Virtual console terminals – You can now switch between an X session and a virtual console terminal. This service is enabled by default. To switch between sessions, use the Alt + Ctrl + F# hotkey combination. For example, to switch to vt2, press Alt + Ctrl + F2. Also, you can create graphical VT sessions and then switch between those sessions by using the User Switcher panel applet. To add the applet to the desktop, right click the panel, then select the Add to Panel... option. To switch to a new or different graphical login session, click the applet, then select Switch User.

• Web browser and Email – Oracle Solaris 11 includes the new Firefox and Thunderbird applications.