Re: [Summary] Meta-data/filesystem-encapsulation

[Todd Graham Lewis <tlewis mindspring net>]

On Mon, 17 Aug 1998, Christopher Curtis wrote:

> >     1/ it is extremely clear that trying by all means to keep the metadata
> >        with the data doesn't work, forget about it !
> 
> This is clear to you maybe.  It *can* work, however it cannot be
> guaranteed to work on all platforms at all times.  This is an admitted
> sticking point.  It is not, however, reason to disqualify it outright
> imho, because it is a better solution.  Somebody has to lead, right?

But not GNOME.  GNOME should be fully functional on any modern Unix,
and it should not rely on extending the base operating system in order
to be fully functional.  GNOME is intended to be a unix desktop, not
a Linux desktop.

This has been the goal of GNOME from the beginning.  Remember the question
posed a few days ago about what is GNOMe _not_ going to be?  This is one
of the answers to that question.

If you want to investigate how to do cool desktop tricks which require
extending the filesystem API, then more power to you.  It is an intersting
area of inquiry.  However, according to my understanding of what we are
trying to accomplish, there is no place for that effort within GNOME.

This policy is not the result of our trying to quash innovation.  It is
the result of the policy decision that we _will_ work with all modern
unices.  That goal comes first.  I hope that you can understand.

--
Todd Graham Lewis                                     (800) 719-4664, x2804
******Linux******         MindSpring Enterprises      tlewis@mindspring.net