Stef, This does seem to be the consensus....
Now we need help to actually make it happen. GC On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 7:30 PM, Stef Bidi <stefanb...@gmail.com> wrote: > Forgot to reply to all! > > On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 10:45 AM, Nicola Pero > <nicola.p...@meta-innovation.com> wrote: >> >> > It would undoubtedly be good to have some packager-specific >> > documentation, but obviously the target readership is a very small >> > group .... >> >> We *do* have packager documentation, in >> >> core/make/README.Packaging >> >> Feel free to add a short section about what was discussed here. :-) > > I saw Richard committed something there. This is really the first time I've > ever heard of GlobalDomain.plist, and will not forget it. > >> >> >> - How does this allow a packager to install and remove defaults as >> >> part of package installation / uninstallation? Presumably you can >> >> use plmerge to install them (again, is this documented anywhere?), >> >> but how do you uninstall them? >> >> I agree with Richard's later suggestion that the package system might deal >> with that >> by having a directory where each package installs a .plist upon >> installation, and removes >> it upon deinstallation. At the end of each package >> installation/deinstallation, the >> package scripts could do a plmerge so that all the currently existing >> .plists in the >> directory are plmerged to create the global default plist, which is hence >> kept up-to-date. :-) >> >> That said, it should probably be used with restrain ;-) >> >> Presumably you have a specific example in mind where it makes particular >> sense (Etoile ?); but >> in general, I personally don't see a reason why installing a package >> should change some system defaults. >> Installing a package doesn't necessarily mean enabling it. >> >> Eg, I could be installing 10 or 20 themes or other GNUstep GUI-changing >> bundles, but that doesn't mean >> every theme that is installed must be trying to force all users to switch >> to it. I'd expect to have >> a Preferences panel somewhere where I can change my own user defaults and >> activate/deactivate the bundles >> or themes I want/don't want. Different users might activate/deactivate >> different bundles. > > I agree with you, but the packager/distribution developers need to know what > they want. For example, in Debian when I install "gnome-core" I get nothing > but a plain GNOME desktop with no theming (default GTK theme), but when I > install "gnome" I also get a few themes and theme engines installed but only > 1 is sets Clearlook as the default theme. If the themes are installed > separately (outside the "gnome" package) nothing happens, they're just > installed and it's up to you to do something. > > Similarly, a "gnustep" package might want to install some core packages and > an "etoile" package install Camaleon and it's themes and set 1 of them as > default, setup horizontal menus, etc. > >> So I think it is more important to have a very good preference application >> that allow real users >> to configure their environment to suit their needs, including turning >> on/off bundles or extensions. :-) >> >> Thanks > > > By the way, is anyone keeping notes so that this won't all disappear after > the discussion dies down? What I've gotten so far is: > > * Seems to be a consensus in keep GNUstep with it's default theme. > GlobalDomain.plist allows packagers or distributions to global define their > theme if it pleases them. > * Everyone seems to want a new website. Content needs to be looked over > because there is a lot of old and outdated information out there confusing > newcomers. > ** On the same topic, people also seem to be getting detracted by the > decentralized information about GNUstep. > * Packages, packages, packages. Last I heard we lost the person who did the > packages for the Debian project (which is really bad). I've also been > slacking on the Slackware packages (lack of time and a dedicated "play" > computer). > * Code beautification? > > Anything I missed so far? > > Stefan > > _______________________________________________ > Gnustep-dev mailing list > Gnustep-dev@gnu.org > http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnustep-dev > > -- Gregory Casamento Open Logic Corporation, Principal Consultant ## GNUstep Chief Maintainer yahoo/skype: greg_casamento, aol: gjcasa (240)274-9630 (Cell), (301)362-9640 (Home) _______________________________________________ Gnustep-dev mailing list Gnustep-dev@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnustep-dev