Show HN: Petal, open-source CoScreen/ScreenHero finally free

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Appreciation and excitement for the newly released Linux support

"Thank you for your work, looking forward to the Linux version!" — therealbithead
Feeling that the arrival is late compared to earlier tools like Screenhero

"i loved screen hero but this is probably 10 years too late" — iovrthoughtthis
Acknowledgment of the team's journey and milestone achievement

"Till here, another co-founder of CoScreen… we did a lot of things since we're proud of but a few plans remained unfulfilled, like support for Linux, until now." — coscreen

🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

A native Linux desktop client built on the open‑source Petal framework to enable low‑latency, multi‑user screen sharing with window‑level granularity.
Core value: brings the collaborative screen‑sharing experience of CoScreen (and the missed Screenhero) to Linux developers, filling the gap highlighted by HN commenters.

Key	Value
Target Audience	Linux‑based developers, remote teams, open‑source contributors
Core Feature	Cross‑platform (Linux/macOS/Windows) real‑time screen/window sharing with multi‑cursor, voice chat, and optional recording
Tech Stack	Petal (WebRTC signaling), Rust/GTK 4 or C++ for native UI, WebRTC data channels, Opus audio
Difficulty	Medium
Monetization	Hobby

HN users explicitly asked for Linux version ("looking forward to the Linux version!") and missed Screenhero.
Could spark discussion about open‑source collaborative tools and serve as a foundation for plugins.

A deployable server package (Docker/Kubernetes) that implements the Petal protocol for private, on‑premises collaborative screen sharing.
Core value: gives teams full control over data, latency, and compliance while reusing the same client experience as CoScreen.

Key	Value
Target Audience	Enterprises, security‑conscious teams, educational institutions
Core Feature	Self‑hostable signaling and media relay (TURN) server with authentication, audit logs, and optional recording
Tech Stack	Node.js/Go signaling server, coturn for media relay, PostgreSQL for metadata, Docker compose, optional Helm chart
Difficulty	Medium‑High
Monetization	Revenue-ready: $9/month per active user

HN commenters valued CoScreen's early feedback; a self‑hosted version would address privacy concerns and enable custom integrations.
Practical utility for remote teams needing GDPR/HIPAA compliance.

An IDE plugin that uses Petal to share a developer's screen, editor, and terminal inside VS Code or JetBrains IDEs, enabling real‑time pair programming with shared cursors.
Core value: brings the fluid, low‑latency collaboration of Screenhero/CoScreen directly into the developer's workflow without leaving the IDE.

Key	Value
Target Audience	Developers using VS Code or JetBrains on Linux/macOS/Windows who pair program remotely
Core Feature	IDE‑integrated screen/window sharing, synchronized editor cursors, shared terminal, voice chat via WebRTC
Tech Stack	Petal client library (TypeScript), VS Code Extension API (TypeScript) or JetBrains plugin (Java/Kotlin), WebRTC
Difficulty	Low‑Medium
Monetization	Hobby

HN user iovrthoughtthis loved Screenhero but felt it's too late; this plugin would revive that experience.
Would generate discussion on HN about improving remote pair programming tools.