Re: A Few Ideas

["Haukur Hreinsson" <hawk london is>]

>> 1.  Add the ability to run programs as processes
>>     under other user names, like "root" from another
>>     account.  A right-button click over a program
>>     icon could bring up dialog to specify the user
>>     and password.

>
>An interesting idea.  This could be useful at times, but I, personally,
>would just as well su from an Eterm and run my program.
>

I would like this functionality, and more. Demanding that ppl open up a
terminal window and issue "cryptic" (sorry, people _will_ think so) commands
to do this is a cop-out. It should be possible through the visual interface.

I have recently chosen a new root password, this time picking a good one
using spwgen 8. It takes a while to type though, and I'd only like to do it
once per session. That's easily acheivable by having one root terminal
window (regardless of whether you start it through something that asks for a
username and password, or you just start a normal one and su -). But then,
whenever I want to run something as root, I have to do it through the term.
What, then, is the point of having such programs accessible through the
menus? Also, chances are I'll have to switch desktops to get to the terminal
window and then I'll have to either a) wait until the program window appears
and drag it to the desktop I want or b) race to the intended desktop before
window appears.

What I would like is program that sits on the desktop or panel and runs
executables that are dropped onto it (from the menus or gmc or whereever)
under its own userid. That way you can start one of these things as root and
use it from there on as a root-program-factory of sorts.

What do others think about this?

>> 3.  A voice synthesizer-to-GNOME connection can
>>     let GNOME and applications "speak" messages
>>     and alerts.
>
>Unless you are dealing with the blind, or vision impaired, I personally
>just find this to be bloat.

And why not cater to the blind? Better yet, why not get the blind interested
and involved right now and allow them to influence Gnome's development
before any design decisions are made that would unnecessarily complicate the
matter of making gnome truly useful to blind people (and users of audio-only
wearables).


>> 5.  Cute: The database of CD titles and song names (in
>>     CDDB) for CD Player might include the lyrics
>>     to the songs.  The words can then be displayed
>>     with the music that's playing.
>
>A nice idea, but unfortunately impossible as I don't think CDDB includes
>song lyrics.  Not to mention that syncing the words to the music would be
>extremely difficult, if not impossible.


CDDB could include pointers to lyrics in the comment field or cddb could be
expanded to deal with lyrics, cover art, artist bios, "click here to buy
this album" buttons or whatever. If cddb's maintainers resist this, a new
database could be created. Syncing would have to be done the same way
everything else is done in th cddb. Users create the data and submit it. An
interactive tool for choosing the time each line of the lyrics is displayed
is not hard to envision. Besides, lyrics are useful even if they're just
displayed statically on a page with no syncing.

Another poster mentioned the copyright issue. The CDDB people are also aware
of copyright issues. Those issues are part of the reason why CDDB does not
carry images of album covers. A lyrics-enabled, cover-art enabled, CDDB has
one thing going for it on the copyright front: The person downloading the
lyrics has already purchased the CD with the lyrics and cover art.

Of course, I'm conveniently ignoring the fact that cddb is also usable from
outside CDDB enabled players and people who don't have the disc can still
get its cddb record. Now, _we_ probably agree that people don't give a rat's
ass about lyrics and cover art to CD's they don't own and wouldn't bother
downloading this information, but the record companies might not see it that
way. On the other hand, has even one of the countless lyrics sites on the
web ever been sued or even cautioned by the owner of the copyright on those
lyrics?

And if this is a real concern, perhaps measures could be taken to make
reasonably sure that the copyrighted stuff is only sent to those that
actually have the disc in the drive. It probably doesn't make any difference
legally, but might prevent the copyright holders from making a fuss.

Anyway, what does this have to do with Gnome?

Haukur Hreinsson