Re: official support for more scripting languages in gnome needed

["David T. Bath" <bathd valpro edipost auspost com au>]

On Monday 19 March 2001 19:06, James Henstridge wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Mar 2001, Naba Kumar wrote:
> > Ben Ford wrote:
> > > > > What I propose is to make
> > > > > popular scripting languages like Python and Perl
> > > And it will also result in at least one fewer Gnome user.  Me.
> >
> > And me. :-).
> Why should you care what language a useful tool is written in?

I can understand trepidation where the scriptability of the
tool can decrease security, especially where scripts might
be URL-sourced.

A possible compromise is to allow discretionary execution of
scripts.  I am reminded of the KDE Konqueror ability to control
execution of java, javascript (and cookies) with per-domain
settings and "accept/reject always" or "ask each time".
Each "language" is separately configurable.

A possible problem however is telling that something actually
comes from the network, and where exactly it comes from.
Stuff under /net (automounters), mail attachments and vfs
spring to mind.

This sounds like something BOTH KDE and Gnome might work on
together to get a "script security specification mechanism"
a la the WMSPEC.  I guess the first thing to do would be think
of how discriminating it needs to be:
   1. Per user and system defaults
   2. Links with MIME catalogs
   3. Ask/Reject Always/EachTime
   4. Domain (as .oracle.com, ipaddress/mask ....)
   5. Language of script
   6. Host "program"
   7. Can a user LOOSEN an explicit system default?
Not an easy job, if it is thought necessary.

Its not the language a tool is written in so much as to whether
it is scriptable, and thus possibly subject to maliciousness as
are many M$ products.
-- 
David T. Bath - bathd edipost auspost com au
+61 3 9204 8713 (w)   0419 316 634 (M)