RE: Some things GNOME really needs

["Fox, Kevin M" <KMFox mail bhi-erc com>]

> 
> I have some ideas I that make GNOME alot easier to use for newbies
> 
> 1. INSTALL WIZARD
> I know alot of you think that rpm are great but for most the 
> people that
> use windows rpm -ivh --force --nodeps *.rpm, or whatever 
> would scare the
> hell out of them. Great you say, just use GnoRPM or a tool 
> like that. Two
> problems:
> A. What about programs you have to compile, or aren't RPMs

Make a spec file for those and distribute with the programs.... 
After the LSB is passed, there should be a standard distrib model and specs
should then be distributed with all programs. Problem solved.

> B. Its too powerful for end users

I find it extremely simple to use... Just hit the web find button, select a
rpm, and hit install... no command line necessary... It is very powerful but
easy to understand.

> A gnifty GNOME INSTALL wizard would be great. User downloads a package
> called foobar.tar.gz, opens the GNOME INSTALL wizard, finds 
> foobar.tar.gz,
> and it walks him through the rest of the install. Or if said 
> person gets
> an rpm foo.rpm, the install wiz could do that for him as 
> well. However, it
> it needs bar.rpm, it would tell him in a nice GUI setting 
> instead of the
> cold CLI, or you even make it so the install wizard trys and helps the
> person find bar.rpm

Again, the webfind feature removes the need for such stuff...

> 
> 2. Cool GNOME Mascot/Helper
> I don't think GNOME has a mascot. I would be cool if you could make a
> little GNOME Mascot that could fly around and give new users a tour of
> GNOME

A mascot would be cool. BUT flying around and giving a tour would be too
much like the Satan paperclip we all know and love....

> 
> 3. GNOME certified programs
> Make a certain standard which programs should strive to 
> comply for interms
> of interface, and help, etc. Give the programmers a little 
> banner to put
> on there page if there program is certified. 

Are you volunteering to check all programs to see if they can live up to the
gnome name? That would take a very long time...

> 
> 4. something like directX for gnome
> I believe Elliot has made a white paper about GMF, but 
> correct me if i am
> wrong this is just for sound. Games are cool, and games will attract
> people to linux. I would never have to use windows again if 
> my favorite
> games weren't only on windows. Something like this should be made for
> GNOME, it might even be a good idea to contact Loki and see 
> if they would
> be willing to help? Such a subsystem would benefit them as 
> well (easier to
> make games, and they would have a cool GUI to go along with it). Plus,
> other programs could use it like TV viewers, and 3D accelator cards.

Guys, keep it modular. Gnome dosnt need an equivalent to direct x. X windows
does. If you build it for X, every program can use it. Including gnome
programs.
This is a problem I see with the gnome mailer project as well. Why make a
"gnome mailer" and have it only work with gnome? Make a "mailer" library and
then all programs can use it including a "Gnome Mailer".
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Don't drink when you drive -- you might hit a bump and spill it.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
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