GPE does not have any of the GNOME Core Applications, but instead software was written from scratch, tailored to the embedded environment. GPE is based on GTK+, and because GTK+ did not gain support for Wayland until versions 3.10, GPE uses X11 as its windowing system, e.g. with the combination X.Org Server/Matchbox.
The project provides an infrastructure for easy and powerful application development by providing core software such as shared libraries, database schemata, and building on available technology including SQLite, D-BUS, GStreamer and several of the more common standards defined by freedesktop.org.
One of the major goals of the GPE project is to encourage people to work on free software for mobile devices and to experiment with writing a GUI for embedded devices. Some of the applications already developed for GPE include:
GPE-Contacts - A contacts manager
GPE-Calendar - The calendar application
GPE-Edit - A simple text editor
GPE-Filemanager - A file manager with MIME type and remote access support
GPE-Gallery - Small and easy to use image viewer
GPE-Games - A small collection of tiny games
GPE-Mini-Browser - A CSS and JavaScript compatible compact web browser
GPE-Sketchbook - Create notes and sketches
GPE-Soundbite - A voice memo tool
GPE-ToDo - A task list manager
GPE-Timesheet - Track time spend on tasks
Starling - A GStreamer based audio player
GPE's PIM applications (GPE-Contacts, GPE-Calendar, GPE-ToDo) can be synchronized with their desktop and web counterparts (such as Novell Evolution, Mozilla Sunbird and Google Calendar) through the use of GPE-Syncd and the OpenSync framework.
Though it may not be as highly supported as the distributions listed above, GPE is also available through package management utilities in the following distributions:
There are ongoing controversies surrounding the GPE project regarding a change of hosting service, ownership of an IRC channel, and a trademark dispute.[4][5]
Web hosting
Serious issues first began developing over a proposed change of hosting service. GPE had been hosted at Handhelds.org since April 2002. Some of GPE's developers suggested, and later followed through with, a move to Linuxtogo.org by October 2006.[6] Handhelds.org responded by removing the user accounts of the departing developers, and any links or reference to the new GPE Linuxtogo.org location on the original GPE Handhelds.org site.[7]
Trademark
George France, has filed for trademark registration with the USPTO for GPE, in addition to OPIE and Ipkg as of March 6, 2007.[8] On June 25, 2007, the USPTO declined to accept a screenshot of the Handhelds.org GPE website as proof of Handhelds.org's ownership, and in addition requested a better specimen for a “GPE product”.[9] Handhelds.org, and OSI board member Russ Nelson, assert that the GPE project was given over to Handhelds.org for public development.[10]
The GPE developers working at Linuxtogo.org maintain that they represent the active GPE project, and Handhelds.org was only a hosting provider.[11][12] Furthermore, they point out that the GPE project existed before it was hosted on Handhelds.org.[13]
The USPTO issued a final rejection regarding the GPE trademark on February 27, 2008. George France amended the application (removing references to GNU and Linux). The GPE trademark was officially published for opposition June 3, 2008.[14]
Despite George France's impending personal GPE trademark, the core GPE development team at Linuxtogo.org has abandoned much of the Handhelds.org GPE infrastructure. Linuxtogo.org developers have switched GPE to a new bootloader and replaced IPKG with OPKG, and made major changes to the GPE gui applications.[15]
The Trademark of GPE was registered to George France on Aug 19, 2008 by the USPTO.[16]
^"Archived copy". www.handhelds.org. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
