Discussion: Network Status and Profiles

[Frank Belew <frb ximian com>]

Summary:  Dynamic network settings needed to enhance mobile user
experience. 


Background: More and more people are roaming on networks, whether simply
a laptop from home<->work, or even going down to the local internet
enabled cafe. GNOME needs a simple user oriented method of changing
network settings. Examples:

* User takes laptop home, and needs to disable the proxy from work

* User has dialup access, but hangs up, doesn't want apps to incessantly
try and reconnect

* User goes on a business trip, and needs specialized settings for
conference.

* User goes to friends house with wavelan, and wants all his network
apps to reconnect. (irc, IM, imap, etc)


As all of us can see, this is becoming a problem. 
I'd like to have a preliminary discussion on the feasibility of this
setup before creating a proper GEP.

Issues to consider: 

* OS integration for local settings, such as resolver, and hosts.

* Proxy configuration profiles

* Online/Offline/Profile Changed signals of some kind for apps

* Add your own issue I didn't think of

Let the Discussion begin!




-- 
Life is a whim of several billion cells to be you for a while.
Frank "frb" Belew