• Evolution
• History
• Milestones
• Licensing Policy

Development History of MiniGUI

About 12 years have pasted since MiniGUI was initially created at the end of 1998, and now it becomes much reliable and stable. During the past years, many remarkable changes have taken place in the MiniGUI project.

At the original, the version 0.2.xx was based on SVGALib and PThread (LinuxThreads). Then the version 0.3.xx had many enhanced features including Graphics Abstract Layer (GAL), Input Abstract Layer (IAL), and the support for multiple charsets and multiple fonts.

In version 1.0.00, we designed MiniGUI-Lite, which was more fit for some complex embedded systems, such as PDAs, Thin-Clients, or STBs. MiniGUI-Lite made the embedded systems more stable and efficient. The version 1.0.00 provided the native fbcon engine based on Linux FrameBuffer device directly as well.

In the development of version 1.1.00, we re-wrote the GAL and GDI interfaces, and provided some advanced video features, such as raster operation, transparent blitting, alpha blending, and video hardware acceleration. We also provided some important GDI functions, such as Ellipse, Arc, Polygon, and FloodFill.

In the development of version 1.5.0, we added advanced 2D graphics functions to MiniGUI. It provides the abstract logical pen and brush objects, and can be used to render advanced graphics objects.

In the development of version 2.0.0, we developed MiniGUI-Processes.

A brief history description of the developement progress lay below:

• Jan., 2018: FMSoft released miniStudio as a shareware.
• Aug., 2017: FMSoft released the latest source code of mDolphin under Apache 2.0.
• Aug., 2017: FMSoft released the latest source code of MiniGUI under GPL 3.0.
• Jan., 2012: MiniGUI official version 3.0.x released under GPL license.
• Jul., 2008: MiniGUI official version 3.0.0 released.
• Oct., 2007: MiniGUI official version 2.0.4 released.
• Oct., 2005: MiniGUI official version 2.0.2 released.
• Sep., 2005: MiniGUI official version 1.6.8 released.
• Aug., 2005: MiniGUI beta version 2.0.0 released.
• Feb., 2005: MiniGUI official version 1.6.1 released.
• Jan., 2005: MiniGUI tested on ThreadX and pSOS.
• Jun., 2004: MiniGUI tested on VxWorks.
• Feb., 2004: MiniGUI tested on eCos and uC/OS-II.
• Jan., 2004: MiniGUI official version 1.5.1 released.
• Sep., 2003: MiniGUI official version 1.3.1 released.
• May., 2003: MiniGUI official version 1.2.6 released.
• Mar., 2003: MiniGUI official version 1.2.5 released.
• Sep., 2002: The main developers of MiniGUI founded a new software corporation: Beijing FMSoft Technologies Co., Ltd.. And the development and maintenance of MiniGUI changes from loosely-knit team to business organization.
• Apr., 2002: MiniGUI the new stable version 1.2.0 released.
• Mar., 2002: MiniGUI API Reference documentation version 1.0 released.
• Mar., 2002: MiniGUI official version 1.1.0 released. MiniGUI API Reference documentation version 0.9 released.
• Oct., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.1.0Pre4 released. This version have new GAL and GDI interfaces.
• Sep., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.0.9 released , this will be the last version of source branch 1.0.x.
• Sep., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.1.0Pre1 released
• Apr., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.0.00 released.
• Feb., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.0.00Pre1 released.
• Jan., 2001: MiniGUI version 1.0.00Beta1 released.
• Jan., 2001: MiniGUI version 0.9.98 released. You can build MiniGUI-Lite from this version.
• Nov., 2000: MiniGUI version 0.9.96 released.
• Oct., 2000: MiniGUI version 0.9.00 released.
• Sep., 2000: MiniGUI version 0.3.06 released.
• Jun., 2000: Began to develop version 1.0.xx.
• Mar., 2000: Linux distribution installer based-on MiniGUI for HappyLinux 1.0.
• Jan., 2000: VCOnGUI (Virtual Console on MiniGUI) version 0.2.02.
• Sep, 1999: Snapshot of screen or window.
• Sep, 1999: Dialog boxes and message boxes.
• Aug, 1999: Some standard controls.
• July, 1999: GIF and JPG loading support .
• Jun, 1999: Chinese input method.
• May, 1999: Timer, menu, and the sekleton of control sub-system.
• Apr, 1999: The skeleton of MiniGUI, windowing sub-system and basic graphics device interfaces.
• Dec, 1998: Began to write.
• 1994 ~ 1996: MiniGUI DOS version.