Re: gnome-vfs dependency for bonobo

[Jody Goldberg <jgoldberg home com>]

It seems clear that the moniker code should not use the deprecated
and broken routines in gnome-libs in the long term.  However, in the
short term please please do not add a gnome-vfs dependency.  At
least wait until after the 1.4 release, when Bonobo will enter
official platform and the distros will have better package support
for it.

Gnumeric is fighting a loosing battle against dependencies even
without bonobo.  Barring the use of pre packaged solutions it is
difficult for a newbie to install everything necessary.  The url
below is the latest sample from a netBSD user.

http://x66.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=698934333&CONTEXT=975728332.1575092242&hitnum=5

This problem is not new, and is certainly not unique to gnumeric.  It
is a slippery slope of inclusions.  The catch all solution to which
is that 'they'll all end up in the same place eventually'.  Every
new package added to the web makes it that much more difficult
for someone to bootstrap and maintain a development system.

My preference would be to add the gnome-vfs dependency after the
release.  Or at a minimum to make it a compile time optional
library, akin to GtkHtml & bonobo.  Even if that means that parts of
bonobo will not work.  Miguel has described the moniker code as
'experimental'.  Perfect,  lets support a configure flag
    --without-full--moniker-support
or something like it.  That will make it much easier for those
applications that are just starting to use Bonobo to ease into the
process.

Thanks
    Jody