Default File Manager (was Re: simplifying the "Startup programs")

[Frank Worsley <fworsley shaw ca>]

> Currently I can do everything in the control centre without having to
> start Nautilus (I don't have it running by default). I would like to
> retain that option; not just for my own preferences, but because GNOME 2
> is pretty much usable on a low-end machine (slow CPU, 32M of RAM), but
> you have to turn off all the bells and whistles and disabling Nautilus
> certainly is an option in that case. And if Nautilus _is_ currently not
> running, starting it up takes a looong time relative to the response of
> other items (I even notice it on my fast machines), so that should be
> avoided.
> 
> That said, a lot of people do use Nautilus all the time, so utilising it
> when present sounds like the Right Thing.
> 
> So can it be coded so that if Nautilus is running, it behaves as Bastien
> suggests, if not, something similar to the current notebook page (as a
> separate dialog box?) pops up.
> 
> Bastien: I'm not saying you need to do all the work, but could you
> design the code so that hooking in the "if Nautilus is not running"
> functionality is possible?

It should be possible to use gnome_url_show () to open a folder and that
function should then decide if it should use nautilus or something else.
There are two other file managers for Gnome out there right now (Gnome
Commander and one other I know of) so ideally it should be possible to
easily change the system default file manager to use. 

Maybe gnome_url_show () could just check a gconf-key for what file
manager program to use?

Or am I behind the times and this is actually already possible and
implemented?

- Frank