Re: Preferences, System Tools

[Curtis Hovey <sinzui cox net>]

On Fri, 2004-06-04 at 15:01 -0400, Havoc Pennington wrote

> Jody points out that the current litmus test is "does it require a
> root
> password?" - this is backward. The litmus test should be "does a
> desktop
> user need to do it?" - and then if it requires a root password even
> though a user needs to do it, we fix the root password problem. D-BUS
> is
> one way to do that (by having a root process ask the user session for
> a
> setting).


I think Erik Pukinskis made a good argument regarding authority to
change hardware settings:
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/desktop-devel-list/2003-April/msg00494.html


> Hardware
>       * Screen layout (multiple monitors), resolution, and depth
>       * Mouse speed
>       * Speaker configuration: 2, 4, 5.1
>       * Sound volume
>         (may additionally have a panel presence) 
>       * Which printer and printer options such as paper
>         (may additionally have presence in print dialogs) 
>       * Power management

I think we should include PDAs, cameras, and media players, they are now
common in the workplace and home.  Computer retailers are selling these
'accessories' with the purchase of a new computer, and users will expect
them to be treated like the optional printer and speakers they
purchased.

> Internationalization
>       * Keyboard layout
>         (may additionally have a panel presence) 
>       * Language

What of locale?  Are date and number formats implicit in the items
above?


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