What is XPde?

It's a desktop environment(XPde) and a window manager(XPwm) for Linux. It tries to make easier for Windows XP users to use a Linux box. Nothing more, no clipboard compatibility between Gtk and Qt applications, no emulation of Windows applications, no unification on the widgets of X applications, just a desktop environment and a window manager.

Why are you doing this?

Basically to learn more about Linux application development, and for fun. I have never been involved in a GPL project before, and I'm already starting to get the first benefits - a lot of friends around the world and a lot of fun. When I started this project, I thought it could be commercial - I even thought some distribution like Lindows or Lycoris would be interested in it. I contacted Lindows and explained the idea - they liked it, but they answered no, so I started to think how to develop this project and how to make it reach it's target. The answer was only through the GPL, because the main purpose is to allow *existing* Windows XP users to use a Linux machine. This can only be possible if it's available to everyone.

Why do you think this project will be a success? KDE and Gnome are out there and also can be customized to look like Windows XP.

I don't know if it will be a success, but let's imagine this scenario:
-You are a Windows developer
-You develop an accounting, payment and desktop application for Windows
-You would love to develop for Linux, but you can't because none of your customers run Linux
-You could tell them, "hey!, I'm going to change all your machines to Linux, it's cheaper, faster and safer! (and all the Linux propaganda you can eat)"
-Your customers would say "Why? Our system works, we know how to print, send mail, create documents, copy files and all we need, we don't want to change, this will mean we need to teach all my employees the new stuff and I'm not going to lose that time!"

This is a common scenario in the real world of development. There is not enough time and money to forget Windows and install Linux, so this project is just another piece of software that could help to reduce the learning curve of a normal user to use a Linux computer. The main goal is to create an "exact" copy of the Windows XP interface (without any registered logos or graphics). That way, a plain user can start to use new applications (StarOffice, Mozilla, etc) without being frightened by a new desktop.