Re: Patch review request for gdm2

[Brian Cameron <Brian Cameron Sun COM>]

gdm experts:

> I'm working on implementing an accessible login solution using the gnome
> accessibility framework and gdm2. One of the requirements is that 
> acccessibility features can be initialised at the gdm login screen.
> This can be acheived by using loading the greeter program (gdmlogin or
> gdmgreeter) with additional gtk modules. Loading of additional modules
> can be a configurable option by adding options to the configuration
> file: gdm.conf
> I am attaching a patch that implements this. I would like to get this
> integrated into gdm cvs HEAD asap if you are happy with the patch.
> Please provide your valued feedback and comments.

Just to clarify.  At Sun we are implementing GTK_MODULES which we are
calling "gesture listeners".  These modules simply sit in the background
and listen for a specific gesture, and then launch the AT framework.
For example a gesture can be a hotkey event (like <Ctrl>-A) or a mouse
event (like hitting mouse button-1 five times).  

Different gestures can be coded to start different accessibility 
functionality.  One gesture may start the magnifier, while another
will start on-screen-keyboard, another can be used to change the theme
to an accessibility theme, etc.

Keep in mind that a gesture isn't restricted to the keyboard or mouse.
It can also originate from a specific piece of accessibility hardware.
For example, a person who uses a braile monitor or eye-tracking hardware
would want to use specific gestures that correspond to their hardware.
The advantage of using GTK_MODULES for this is that AT hardware vendors
can easily write their own modules with appropriate hardware drivers
for their hardware.  This way, the company that makes the braile display
or eye-tracking hardware can simply write a GTK_MODULE that listens to
the appropriate hardware gestures to start various accessibility programs.
By simply running gdm2's login/greeter programs with the appropriate
gesture listener GTK_MODULES, then users with  accessibility needs (or
specific accessibility hardware) can easily start up the appropriate
accessibility tools to navigate the login screen.

These gesture listener GTK_MODULES are not login or gdm2 specific,
though.  They can obviously be used with any GTK+ program where the
user wants the ability to launch the AT framework on demand.

Just to explain in more detail why the ability to launch gdmlogin
and gdmgreeter with GTK_MODULES is necessary to support
accessibility.

Brian