Re: [gdm-list] [g-a-devel] a11y module proposal: MouseTweaks (i.e.: software click)

[Francesco Fumanti <francesco fumanti gmx net>]

Hello,


First of all, I would like to thanks all the people that participated 
in the discussion of MouseTweaks during the accessibility summit, and 
especially those that made it possible to have it demoed during that 
event.


At 2:24 PM -0400 10/8/07, Willie Walker wrote:
> We discussed MouseTweaks at the summit at think it definitely looks 
> like it provides great functionality for the intended users. 
> Overall, we support the module proposal, though we also recommend 
> working with the GNOME Usablity folks 
> (http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gup/) on any user interface 
> improvements that would make its configuration and use better for 
> the target user base.  When working with them, I think it will be 
> very important to remind them who the target users are and what the 
> typical user interaction model will be.

Do I get it right? Does the fact, that you support the module 
proposal, mean that the aim is to ship it with the next GNOME release 
(GNOME 2.22)?

If so, could you please tell me what are the steps that MouseTweaks 
will have to do in order to get it into GNOME, and especially the 
date limits for each step? (Telling me where I can find that 
information may also suffice.)


I will very soon begin the discussion with the people of GUP in order 
to get a user interface that corresponds more to the HIG of GNOME.

But do we have to host MouseTweaks on GNOME's site to get it shipped 
with GNOME?

What about the versioning scheme? Currently MouseTweaks is at version 
0.2.2. Do we have to adapt it to the GNOME version; in other words 
change it to mousetweaks-2.21.n?

Do we have to submit the source to a build system in some determined format?


Sorry if my questions may be a bit basic, but I am new to this.



> As an aside, did you give consideration to making the mouse handling 
> portions of this an X Server Extension?  The reason I ask is that 
> when developing AccessX many years ago, we originally did it as a 
> client instead of an extension.  At the time, we were encouraged to 
> merge with the XKB Server Extension.  We did that, and the result is 
> that AccessX functionality pretty much ubiquitous now (yeah!). 
> Times were different back then, however.  Today, it seems like 
> getting an X Server Extension accepted and deployed might be more 
> arduous and take a bit longer.  So, if MouseTweaks works great as a 
> client-only solution, then perhaps the server extension idea is not 
> that important.

Yes, the ideal would have been to implement it directly into X and I 
have been told that this was also adressed. But it has been decided 
to develop it as a client mainly for two reasons:
- the development took place as a GSoC 2007 project for ubuntu and it 
was the more direct way to get to the users
- the developer (who will continue to do the necessary coding) did 
not have the necessary knowledge to develop it as an X server 
extension. (to be complete, nor do I)


Of course, if some day, the fonctionalities provided by mousetweaks 
will be available directly from X, that would probably be better as 
they would be "pretty much ubiquitous". (to quote your words ;)  )


Cheers

Francesco