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[[Image:Sugar.png|right|thumb|Sugar GUI Shell (Our Goal)]]

[[Image:Sugar.png|right|thumb|Sugar GUI Shell (Our Goal)]]

The OLPC's software environment is a heavily modified [[Fedora]] 7 Linux system running a custom [[Sugar|GUI shell]] (Sugar).  To develop for the platform you will eventually need access to a platform which runs in a manner substantially similar to the OLPC environment.  To put it simply, you will likely need to have Sugar running on a computer.

The OLPC's software environment is a heavily modified [[Community/Distributions/Fedora| Fedora]] 11 Linux system running a custom [[Sugar|GUI shell]] (Sugar).  To develop for the platform you will eventually need access to a platform which runs in a manner substantially similar to the OLPC environment.  To put it simply, you will likely need to have Sugar running on a computer.

There are two major approaches to running Sugar, running it natively on your machine, and running it in an emulated environment.  Which approach you choose will depend on a number of factors, including:

There are two major approaches to running Sugar, running it natively on your machine, and running it in an emulated environment.  Which approach you choose will depend on a number of factors, including:

Sugar, though a bit exotic seeming compared to most GUI shells, such as KDE or Gnome, is really just a GUI shell.  As such, you can run it either as the actual shell for a GUI login session, or in a virtual X session (that is, a window that mimics a whole X session/server).

Sugar, though a bit exotic seeming compared to most GUI shells, such as KDE or Gnome, is really just a GUI shell.  As such, you can run it either as the actual shell for a GUI login session, or in a virtual X session (that is, a window that mimics a whole X session/server).

The official OLPC images, of course, run Sugar as the GUI shell for the primary X server.  So if you are running an official image (for example because you are working directly on an OLPC-XO) you will be running Sugar as your GUI shell. Similarly, the [[#Live CD|Live Backup Live CD]], which is based on an official image, boots directly into the Sugar shell.  On Fedora 7, you can also (with recent versions of Sugar) choose a Sugar session from your GDM/KDM/XDM-based login manager.

The official OLPC images, of course, run Sugar as the GUI shell for the primary X server.  So if you are running an official image (for example because you are working directly on an OLPC-XO) you will be running Sugar as your GUI shell. Similarly, the [[#Live CD|Live Backup Live CD]], which is based on an official image, boots directly into the Sugar shell.  On Fedora 11, you can also (with recent versions of Sugar) choose a Sugar session from your GDM/KDM/XDM-based login manager.

''Virtual X Server''

''Virtual X Server''

This is what the core development team uses and is one of the most pleasant ways to work (once set up). Compared with using an Emulated XO, installing sugar takes more time and space to set up, and can be difficult to maintain, but results in a more flexible environment.

This is what the core development team uses and is one of the most pleasant ways to work (once set up). Compared with using an Emulated XO, installing sugar takes more time and space to set up, and can be difficult to maintain, but results in a more flexible environment.

The 'native' environment for sugar-jhbuild is [[Sugar_on_Fedora_7|Fedora 7]], and this is by far the best supported development platform for sugar-jhbuild. [[Community/Distributions/Gentoo|Ubuntu]] (Feisty or Gutsy) and [[Community/Distributions/Gentoo|Gentoo]] can also build the environment.

The 'native' environment for sugar-jhbuild is [[Community/Distributions/Fedora|Fedora]], and this is by far the best supported development platform for sugar-jhbuild. [[Community/Distributions/Gentoo|Ubuntu]] (Feisty or Gutsy) and [[Community/Distributions/Gentoo|Gentoo]] can also build the environment.

Currently sugar-jhbuild requires about 2.5 hours to complete building on a modern workstation (AMD4800+).

Currently sugar-jhbuild requires about 2.5 hours to complete building on a modern workstation (AMD4800+).