The developers behind Linux distribution NitruxOS have built a new desktop environment intended for use on different types of devices. The developers have released a first alpha version of that convergent Maui Shell.
The makers of NitruxOS or NXOS have been building Maui Shell for some time. Of that is now an alpha release appeared. Separate builds of the OS have been available since last month, but not as an official release. Users still have to compile if they want to use the release. Maui Shell consists of Cask as the shell container and Zpace as the composer. The developers say that they have paid a lot of attention to Cask in the alpha version.
The operating system is intended for use on desktops as well as phones and tablets. This is done with cards that automatically shrink when the user uses a smaller screen. The cards are stackable, the makers say, so they can be used one above the other on the desktop. All of these can also be called up from the status bar menu. The audio, bluetooth and brightness can also be controlled there immediately.
The makers also say they have made new cards for the media player, for statuses and for notifications. In addition, the dock has been adjusted, although these are mainly visual adjustments. The developers warn that there are still many bugs in the version, including a bug where the OS crashes when users drag files into other programs.