Focus: Graphics

Graphics is always a fun issue. Everyone, including the fans of the command line, believe graphics are important to any operating system. With so many people learning to use computers on Windows or Macintosh systems, graphical interfaces are a necessity to make Linux applications accessible to these users. In past issues, we've had articles about KDE and GNOME, as well as developing GUIs with Java and CDE (common desktop environment). This month, we have a tutorial on building GUIs with Motif or Lesstif (Motif's freely available counterpoint).

Another reason graphics are important is games. Loki Entertainment has entered the gaming world by porting the popular Civilization game to Linux, and they have plans to port even more games. Michael Hammel talks to both the president and the lead programmer of Loki to find out what's happening with Linux in gaming.

We also explore the graphic arts industry and how Linux is being used here—a subject near and dear to our hearts. Finding that Linux is making inroads into pre-press departments is just the news we want to hear.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a good look at Red Hat Software via an interview with Bob Young and a tour of their offices. We have also included a new section called “Up Front” to bring you bits of news about Linux and its proponents, quotes from Linux notables and kernels of information we think you will find interesting.

Marjorie Richardson, Editor in Chief