QMole – Linux Apps on iPhone

 

I am happy to announce the technology preview of QMole for the Apple^TM IPad^TM.  Have you noticed that many stock applications which are free on Linux require payment on the IPhone^TM  and IPad ^TM? Don’t want to re-implement Linux software on IOS^TM ?  QMole is the answer. QMole is a new desktop system allowing the free operation of software ported from the world of Linux on the IPad. The technology enables retaining a touch screen operation of stock GTK Linux applications without requiring their redesign or reimplementation. Unlike remote desktop solutions that require a network connection, QMole requires none. All “Linux” applications execute locally on iPad ^TM, just like native IOS ^TM applications. Curious?

 

IPython Notebook on IPhone

Embeddable Common Lisp on IPhone

Node.js Java Script on iOS

QMole Linux Desktop Manual

 

Proposed Use-Cases

1. A complement to Cydia’s alternative to Apple’s App Store ^TM
2. A Linux vendor publishing their applications  on the IPad ^TM
3. An organisation deploying legacy software to the IPad ^TM without re-developing for IOS^TM
4. Bring the JVM suite of languages to IPad ^TM — that is Java, Scala & Clojure
5. Bring Adobe Flash  to the IPad ^TM

The IPad^TM commands a vast user base and therefore represents a significant market.  QMole aims to open this market to Linux applications and the JVM…

QMole Features

• X11 Linux graphics support 
• A tiling window manager
• Transparency support
• Virtual desktop support
• A graphical file manager
• A “stock” desktop application bundle:

1. A web browser
2. E-mail
3. Command line terminal
4. Code editors
5. Integrated development environment (IDE)
6. Calculator
7. PDF viewer & editor
8. Notebook application

QMole and its applications are built directly on-IPad, not created with a cross compile tool chain from Linux or Mac OSX^TM, and have been chosen specifically to facilitate low-resource, embedded device use. The list of applications has been carefully tuned with the following objectives in mind:

• Demonstrate potential — show full desktop applications, like web browsers, IDEs etc. 
• Make the platform useful in its basic form by supporting common work flows 
• Create enough development infrastructure to allow others to create more applications

Thusly…

• An eco-system for porting ever more applications…

  Access to programming languages directly on-IPad includes the following:

Common Lisp (ECL) 
C, C++ (gcc, g++, clang, clang++)
Java (JamVM)
Clojure 
Lua
Scheme (Gambit)
OCaml
Python
Perl
A+ APL (a cousin of KDB's Q array language) 

Feature Gallery

 

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QMole Desktop

QMole Desktop

The QMole desktop features a program launcher toolbar ( bottom ) and virtual desktops switcher toolbar ( top ). Kbd+ and Kbd- are options to accommodate the IPad soft keyboard in the real-estate of QMole’s screen layout.

 

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Unix Terminals in Tiling Window Mode

Unix Terminals in Tiling Window Mode

Note that terminal category applications appear on the Terminal virtual desktop by default and multiple terminals are tiled. Also note the use of transparency — the desktop wallpaper is partially visible in the background.

 

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Web Browser

Web Browsing to Google

Perhaps the most “stock” desktop application of all besides e-mail — a web browser — shown here running under QMole.   Web browsing demo video on YouTube  http://youtu.be/bEZ0JSCGZJE

 

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File Manager

File Manager

QMole includes a stock file manager like Windows^TM and Linux. File associations can be used to open files with specific programs. Browsing the IPad file systems works just the same as it does on Linux.   PDF Authoring, Virtual Desktop &  File Manager Video on YouTube:  http://youtu.be/Dck8bpsu6V8   IPad Soft Keyboard Demo Video on YouTube:  http://youtu.be/V9SWeewZm4Y

 

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PDF Viewer & Editor

PDF Viewing & Editing

PDF documents may be viewed as well as authored. This application doubles as a note taking platform.

 

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QMole E-Mail

E-Mail

QMole includes a stock e-mail client supporting all the common e-mail protocols for traditional access to IMAP and POP3 mailboxes.

 

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A Potpourri of Programming Languages

Common Lisp (ECL) 
C, C++ (gcc, g++, clang, clang++)
Java (JamVM)
Clojure 
Lua
Scheme (Gambit)
OCaml
Python
Perl
A+ APL (a cousin of KDB's Q array language) 

Programming Languages

Java & Clojure

Supported programming languages range from mainstream to the obscure… The typical Linux build chain, configure, make, cmake all work.  The Developer’s Corner Demo Video on YouTube http://youtu.be/XNkFiT0qn5U

 

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Debugger Support

CGDB

Source level debugging is essential when developing software. To date, developers working with XCode on Max OSX ^TM tend to work with IOS ^TM simulators when developing their applications. Simulators are never perfect.  This is why QMole allows developers to debug interactively directly on the device.

 

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Built-In IDE Support

Emacs on IPad is documented separately here https://chriskohlhepp.wordpress.com/emacs-ocaml-on-ipad/. The above link also demonstrates elements of https://chriskohlhepp.wordpress.com/emacs-ide-frametools/  Note that Emacs is built with GTK3 support. This version of GTK runs natively on the IPad.

Geany

Also supported is the lightweight C++ IDE http://www.geany.org.

Click here for QMole’s Integrated Screen-Shot Facility

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Shutterbug Built-In Screenshots

Shutterbug

QMole can take its own screen-shots, separate from the  IPad camera roll, and allows the user to select desktop snippets.

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Gnome Paint

Gnome Paint

QMole supports elements of Gnome & GTK. While full Gnome might be too heavyweight for embedded use, elements of Gnome & GTK are very practical given the increasing computing power of mobile devices.

Proof

uname-a

The above screen-shot is intended to demonstrate proof that QMole indeed runs on an IPad system. The uname kernel utility reveals we are running Darwin kernel version 11 on an ARM CPU. This is indeed an IPad.

Conclusion

Gnome paint is hardly worthy of news. However, a full Linux Gnome application running on an IPad promises to be a world-first. In combination with a build-tool-chain and support for every common programming language known, QMole has the potential of turning the IPad into an open source platform of free software. Free that is, as in beer!

Roadmap

These are the tasks remaining before a successful release of QMole:

• Create a package management system
• Create a build system with dependency tracking and continuous integration
• Create a repository to enable direct installation onto the IPad via Cydia
• Test on IPad 2 and IPad 3
• A client app with QMole’s own icon would assist branding  & name recognition

Gnosis elevates the human condition!