Re: 2.4 features to consider

[Shahms King <shahms shahms com>]

On Mon, 2003-02-03 at 11:28, MArk Finlay wrote:
> Some comments: 
> 
> >  - MIME system. A spec needs to be documented on xdg-list, 
> >    and it has to be implemented. A #1 UI issue right now.
> >    (Rather than calling this "MIME system" the UI-focused name 
> >    might be "opening the right app when you double click")
> 
> Is it just me or does the gnome MIME system need to be totally
> overhauled. Nautilus just doesn't seem to be properly integrated. I was
> trying to work out how to merge the the nautilus "open with" stuff with
> the gnome mime type dialog but I think i just gave up and said "this
> needs to be redone not fixed".

It's not just you, the GNOME MIME system needs to be overhauled. 
freedesktop.org has a spec for storing the basic MIME info, but
associating applications and actions with the MIME types isn't covered. 
I would think using the applications .desktop file would be the logic
place for such associations (gnome-vfs or whatever could query
all-applications: to get a list of possible applications to launch a
mime type, etc.)  It's an oft discussed topic, but I don't know if
anyone is actually working on it.
 
> >  - Preferred applications spec. There should be a cross-desktop 
> >    way to specify your preferred web browser, etc.; ideally, this 
> >    would automatically adjust the default menus and panel
> >    configuration when appropriate.
> 
> We should have default e-mail program in there somewhere. It's hidden
> somewhere in gconf IIRC atm.

This should probably be related to MIME -> application matching to some
degree.

> -Panel: move preferences into a top level menu. fix the applications
> menu context menu. Applets should inherit background from panel. Should
> only be one or two types of panel. Add a help menu. etc....

Yeah, it'd be nice if the menu panel "went away" and was replaced with
"menu applets" or something along those lines.  I use the menu panel
almost exclusively, but it really feels like an unnecessary "special
case" edge panel and it's features are general enough that I should be
able to put them on any panel.

-- 
Shahms King <shahms shahms com>