Re: Requirements definition

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Mikael Hallendal">

> * GUI package manager

Something waaay simple like Seth's ApplicationManager [ without the
proof-of-concept GUI... ;-) ], or Apple's System Update utility. Actual
package management (rather than updates) could be done in Nautilus.

> * Full hardware detection/configuration. (is this possible?)

Yeah, there was a thread on gnome-hackers about this a while back, people
were talking about kudzu and the like. All the databases that exist, etc.
There's a librarised system that does this sort of stuff (libdetect or
something), but I haven't checked it out (it's in Debian if anyone wants to
try it).

> * GUI system configuration tools (XST)

I think this is one area where we'll have to deviate from the norm, much in
the same way that Apple has. XST exists because no one can put their foot
down and say "all this mess sucks arse". We have to do that. :-)

> * Remote administration of a number of clients

Or just management facilities. One of the good things about a *nix base is
that you don't have to futz around with things like VNC to manage basic
systems on the machine. If we had a GUI tool on one end, and something to
manifest the changes (cfengine or a simplfied daemon for our simplified
system), it would be cooler for sysadmins than 'remote administration'.

> What do you think, is this a good way to start or should way aim for the
> full working corporate OS right away?

I think we should go for the 'networked corporate desktop', which (by my
quick definition) is a first class system that stores all of its
applications and user directories locally, and would probably be appropriate
for small offices or small businesses.

Working from that single machine base to NFS mounted homedirs on a full
machine, and then to xterminal with apps and file systems hosted remotely
would not be too hard (with adequate knowledge and planning that these would
happen from the start).

- Jeff

-- 
    "Gah. Out of coffee. Shall think whilst auto-caffeinating." - Telsa     
                                   Gwynne