Speaker
Description
Session Overview:
The GNOME project is best known for its role as a leading desktop environment, but its technologies are increasingly being used in spaces far beyond traditional PCs. From mobile phones and single board computers to automotive dashboards and experimental open hardware. GNOME is proving to be a flexible and adaptable platform for the next generation of devices.
This talk will present an overview of how GNOME technologies such as GTK, libadwaita, and GNOME Shell derivatives are being applied in embedded and open hardware contexts. Examples include Phosh, the GNOME based mobile shell powering devices like the PinePhone, GNOME running on Raspberry Pi and low cost desktops and early efforts to bring GNOME to emerging architectures such as RISC-V.
We will discuss the technical challenges of running GNOME on devices with limited resources like improving performance, adapting interfaces for small screens, and supporting new hardware and show how these challenges provide opportunities for contributors to get involved and make a real impact.
By expanding GNOME “outside the desktop” we not only reach new platforms and users but also open up possibilities for innovation and accessibility.
| Category | Use of GNOME Technologies outside of desktop |
|---|---|
| Talk Description | This talk will explore how GNOME technologies are being used beyond the traditional desktop, with a focus on embedded systems and open hardware platforms. While GNOME is well known as a desktop environment, initiatives such as Phosh (a GNOME based mobile shell), GNOME on Raspberry Pi, and experimental work on RISC-V boards demonstrate its flexibility and potential on new devices like phones, low-cost computers, and kiosks. The session will begin with a short introduction to embedded systems and open hardware, and why they matter for GNOME’s future. It will then highlight real-world examples of GNOME in these environments, including adaptive applications and community driven distributions. The talk will also address key technical challenges such as performance optimization, UI scaling, and hardware support while presenting the opportunities they create for innovation and contribution. The presentation is divided in following sections : Introduction: Why GNOME beyond the desktop matters (3 min) Examples: Phosh, Raspberry Pi, kiosks, RISC-V (5 min) Technical Challenges: Performance, adaptive UIs, drivers (5 min) Opportunities for Contributors: Where developers, designers, and newcomers can help to expand GNOME outside the Desktop world. (7 min) Future Directions & Wrap-Up (5 min) Q&A / Discussion (5 min). The audience will gain an understanding of how GNOME is already being applied on embedded and open hardware platforms, what technical and design challenges need to be addressed, and how contributors of all levels i.e developers, designers, and newcomers can get involved in shaping GNOME’s future beyond the desktop. |
| Author(s) Bio | I’m Rajesh Khadka, an open-source enthusiast and freelance software developer focused on web and mobile apps. I’m pursuing a Bachelor’s in Information Technology at Cosmos College, Pokhara University. |
| Pronouns | he/him |
| Twitter and/or Mastodon Handle | https://x.com/rajeshkhadka200 |
| Where are you located? | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Do you need travel sponsorship from GNOME Foundation in order to join our event? | No |
