Re: Brainstorm: Desktop

["Ben 'The Con Man' Kahn" <xkahn mail cybersites com>]

On Tue, 7 Apr 1998, Derek Simkowiak wrote:

> > 	As for troubles with binary files...  Can't this be solved with
> > MIME?  (Specify file type, etc.)  Or are you suggesting that a user links
> > to Netscape on one machine and has no access on the other?  If so, I can
> > think of several solutions.  
> 
> 	Holy cow, we're now into the realm of virtual file systems,
> network security issues and authentication, and remote execution.  My
> initial proposal was only meant as a standard by which a user can find
> "Desktop"-related info, that is, all the types of info you'd find in
> C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP, to avoid a million .????rc files and twelve different
> locations of backgrounds and icons and such.
> 
> 	Maybe the idea of a URL for the "Desktop" directory introduces too
> many complexities... or perhaps we need to limit what kind of information
> is stored in the "Desktop" directory... just trying to get back down to
> earth with this.

Derek
	No no.  This is easy.  We have a directory stored on your machne
which is your Desktop.  *sigh*  Why not call it 'Desktop' and get it over 
with for now?  Inside this directory, we have a number of directories
defined by a standard.

	+ bin
	+ etc
	...

	We write a function which, given a file, returns a mime-type.  (I
know I've said this before, but the 'file' command seems to work okay on
Linux.)  Each mime-type is given an associated program.  (Although
individual programs can over-ride the default behavior.)

	When the Desktop directory is transferred, (After requesting the
user's password!) the mime types are translated.  So gif could be assigned
to xv on one machine, and gimp on another.  (But for over-riden files, a
search is made for that application.)  

	I DO NOT THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO ENCOURAGE USERS TO INSTALL
RPMS IN THEIR DIRECTORIES.  But remote displays are fine.  (I had meant
that there are tools for locating files locally.  rpm -q comes to mind.)  

						-Ben

------------------------------------ |\      _,,,--,,_  ,) ----------
Benjamin Kahn                        /,`.-'`'   -,  ;-;;'
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 If you love something, write it in C; if it compiles, it is yours; 
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