Bug#901314: ITP: linoleum -- Java desktop environment and software distribution

[raphael.jolly@free.fr]

Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist

* Package name    : linoleum
  Version         : 1.6
  Upstream Author : Raphael Jolly <raphael.jolly@free.fr>
* URL             : https://linoleum.java.net/
* License         : GPL
  Programming Lang: Java
  Description     : Java desktop environment and software distribution

This projects allows you to do your daily work from inside the JVM - just like Java is your operating system. Your usual Linux workflow is preserved, with apt-get install some-library, make and run replaced by install maven dependencies, build with Javascript and run - in a everything runs in the same JVM philosophy.

In addition, the projects brings an API for third-party applications. Once your project builds against this API, it can be published in Maven, and becomes available as a market application - like in Android. But unlike with Android's market, with Maven, dependency management is properly done, and not everything is repackaged again in every new application, saving lots of space.

Already existing applications include a file manager, script shell, web and e-mail, pdf viewer and open street map.

Hence, the project bridges a gap between Linux and Java, aleviating the need to repackage every single Java project to make it available in Linux. Already repackaged applications can help though, especially the ones with binary hooks, and this is where Linux can make a difference, in terms of Java extensibility - think bluetooth, media or java3d for instance - each of which a whole separate topic.

Lastly, Linoleum has the bootstrap property, meaning it can build itself, just like the Linux kernel, but unlike Android, which can not be used to develop itself.