Enlightenment (window manager) facts for kids
 |
|
Enlightenment 0.26.0
|
|
| Original author(s) | Carsten Haitzler |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Enlightenment development team |
| Initial release | 1997 |
| Stable release |
0.26.0
 / 23 December 2023 |
| Written in | C (EFL) |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Type |
|
| License | BSD 2-Clause |
Enlightenment, often called E, is a special program for computers. It helps you organize your computer screen. Think of it as a smart helper that manages all the windows you open. It works with systems like X Window System and Wayland. These are ways computers show graphics.
Enlightenment is mainly a window manager. This means it controls how windows look and behave. But it can do much more! With extra parts, it can become a full desktop environment. This is like the complete look and feel of your computer screen. Some Linux computers, like Bodhi Linux, use Enlightenment.
Contents
The Story of Enlightenment
Enlightenment has been around for a long time. It started in 1997 and has changed a lot.
How Enlightenment Started
The first version of Enlightenment came out in 1997. It was created by Carsten Haitzler. At first, it was just a simple window manager. It helped arrange windows on your screen.
Big Changes: E17 and Beyond
Around 2000, developers started building something new. They created the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL). These are like building blocks for computer programs. The idea was to make it easier to create apps that work well with Enlightenment.
In 2012, a big new version, 0.17.0 (called E17), was released. This version was completely rewritten using the new EFL tools. Because of this big change, E17 works differently from older versions. Some people liked the older version, E16, and kept working on it. E16 is still updated today!
The newest version of Enlightenment is E26. It was released in 2023.
Where Enlightenment is Used
Enlightenment is used in different computer systems. It helps make them look and feel unique.
Bodhi Linux and Moksha
Bodhi Linux is a computer system that used to be built around Enlightenment E17. But then, they made their own version of it. They called their new desktop Moksha desktop. It's like a cousin to Enlightenment.
Elive Linux
Another system, Elive Linux, also used a special version of E17. This was their main desktop until 2019. Elive also uses the older E16 version. They plan to use the newer E26 in the future.
Enlightenment Versions Over Time
Enlightenment has had many updates. Each new version often brings improvements. Here are some of the main ones:
- 1996: Enlightenment Alpha1 – The very first version.
- 1998: DR13 and DR14 – Early versions.
- 1999: DR15 and DR16 – DR16 is still updated today! Some people like it for a "retro" look.
- 2012: DR17 – A major rewrite using new tools. This version was used to create the Moksha desktop.
- 2013-2021: DR18 to DR25 – Many updates came out during these years.
- 2023: DR26 – This is the most current version of Enlightenment.
Images for kids
-
The official logo for Enlightenment.
-
A screenshot of Enlightenment version 0.26.0.
