Re: three open issues for gnome

[Sean Middleditch <elanthis awesomeplay com>]

I could be totally wrong here, but all of these already exist, don't
they?

On Sat, 2002-04-27 at 16:10, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
> 
> 
> I have three open issues for me--things that I frequently wish worked
> better when using Gnome--and I wanted to bring them up.
> 
> If they have already been discussed, can you please give me a pointer,
> and I'll review the previous discussion?
> 
> 1) Sound
> 
> Many programs make sounds.  It could be just audio-feedback (which is
> already nice) but also of course a/v viewers and so forth.  But alas,
> of course, this doesn't work for applications being run via a remote X
> server set up with ssh -X.  Ideally, X should be extended, I
> think--audio output should be coupled with video output and mouse and
> keyboard input.  But changing X is, well, unlikely.  It would be very
> nice if Gnome include architectural support for remote sounds so that
> things Just Work.  A related problem here is the lack of agreement
> about just what the sound outputs should be: importantly, some
> programs insist on using /dev/dsp and don't have esd output, and this
> loses.  A useful thing would be a /dev/dsp-like device that could take
> samples and feed them to esd.

I'm fairly sure all the core GNOME apps use ESD.  If not, I'm sure there
is support for a pseudo /dev/dsp device for ESD.  Is it part of ESD
core, or a non-standard add-on?

> 
> 2) Web browsing.  Lots of gnome programs provide live links that pop
> up a web browser.  I run galeon on the same system as my X server, and
> I want programs started up remotely to automagically get the galeon on
> the same machine as the X server.  And indeed, I want to always get
> galeon.  It seems quite random what I do get---sometimes mozilla pops
> up, or *netscape*.  One program thought the thing to do was bring up
> emacs in w3 mode!  There is some infrastructure here (gnome-moz-remote
> and all), and it may be that I just have things configured badly, but
> I would like it if it DTRT

gnome-moz-remote shouldn't be used by modern applications.  The
applications should be using the GNOME URL handlers, which you should
configure for the web-browser of your choice.  Non-GNOME applications
should make use of the BROWSER environment variable... if not, you
should e-mail the application authors and tell them their app is broken;
it doesn't follow the "standard way of doing things."

I will say right now that the GNOME URL handling configuration capplet
sucks.  I haven't seen GNOME 2's yet, I certainly hope its better.  If
it's not in GNOME 2, perhaps 2.2 could use this idea: let applications
register themselves as handlers for particular URL's.  Then, simply give
a drop-down list for the standard, or registered, URL types.  i.e., I
could go to the URL handlers, and for HTTP/Web select Galeon, Mozilla,
or Links from a drop-down list, and allow a Custom selecting for adding
new applications.  If an app registers itself for SMB, add drop-down
list for that too, listing the application and the Custom entry. 
Perhaps there should even be an /etc/gnome/url-types (or maybe a more
standard file) for adding URL handlers and descriptions (a line for SMB,
description is Windows File and Print Sharing).

> 
> 3) mailto URLs.  I use Emacs to send mail.  When I click on a mailto
> URL--within or without my web browser--it should pop up an emacs
> window sending mail to the relevant spot.

The same thing can be done using the previously mentioned URL handlers. 
I have mine setup to use Evolution; I'm sure you can set it up to launch
the proper command for Emacs.

> 
> Thomas
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