Re: RFC: Common desktop-wide paths

[Sander Vesik <sander_traveling yahoo co uk>]

 --- Marc O'Morain <lists marcomorain com> wrote: 
> <quote who="Alan Cox">
> > Aside from the philosophical debates nobody has solved the
> > internationalisation one even for the desktop folder yet. If I log in in
> > Welsh is the Sain folder the same as the Music folder in English. If
> > not, why not. If it is how are you implementing it.
> >
> > Alan
> 
> Hi Alan,
> 
> The best way that I can think of is to create the folder the first time
> the user logs in, in the current locale. I would then have a GUI app for
> configuring the location of the default folders. This app would have the
> ability to rename the folders to the current locale.
> 
> For example:
> 
> 1. The user logs in English the first time they run Gnome.
> 2. A Music folder is created on the Desktop.
> 3. The user logs out and logs in in Welsh.
> 4. The Music folder is still called Music.
> 5. The user runs the application to configure the default folders.
> 6. The user can translate the folders, and Music is renamed to Sain.
> 7. If the user logs in in English subsequently, the folder will still be
> called Sain.
> 
> This system is not perfect. The translation of the folder names is not
> automatic, and it is not easily discoverable how to do it.
> 

This is *FAR* from perfect - what happens for example with the recent files? 
Do these also get edited to point to teh new locations? 

> A solution to this would to create a hidden folder called .Music (Either
> in home or on the Desktop). As log in a symlink is created in the current
> language to point to this folder (If it doesn't already exist).
> 
> On login:
> $HOME/Desktop/Sain -> $HOME/.Music
> 
> I do not know whether this link should be deleted when the user logs out.
> If it is deleted, there will be disk access at log in and log out, which
> is something that Gnome developers are trying to cut down on for the 2.10
> release. If the link is not deleted, the user will be left with symlinks
> in every language they log in with.
> 
> There are further downsides to the symlink idea:
> - If the user drags the Music folder from their desktop to the Trash, the
> Music folder is not deleted, just the symlink is.
> - The icon on the desktop would be a shortcut icon, rather than a Folder
> icon. Having a shortcut to a hidden folder might confuse users.
> 

Sounds like there isn't even a semidecent spec yet...

> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Marc O'Morain


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