Re: A proposal...

["David A. Desrosiers" <hacker gnu-designs com>]

> I would then like to see a new project that would focus on a
> device-independent conduit framework, and expanding the current features
> of gnome-pilot to be more robust, prettier, etc.

	I've been thinking about these and similar issues for several years
now, with the advent of non-Palm PDAs running Linux and other operating
systems. There's quite a few things missing first:

	- Documented file and data formats. Certainly you won't get these
	  from the Microsoft folks, so you can count those file formats out.
	  If you decide to reverse-engineer them, you'll always be chasing
	  your tail.

	- Standards across platforms. How is the data on your Compaq iPAQ
	  stored? How is it stored on the desktop? How does it get *TO* the
	  desktop (there's still no sync path from non-PalmOS-based PDA to
	  *ANY* Linux desktop, other than rsync and similar applications)

	Right now, gnome-pilot relies on some of the functions in
pilot-link. To adapt what exists today to handle a new device would
(currently) require changes to be made in pilot-link, or the required code
in pilot-link to be copied into a section of gnome-pilot. You'd have to then
add separate libraries for each device (Palm, Agenda, iPAQ, Zaurus, Psion,
Yopy, etc.) and each capability (rom, ram, vfs), and connection capability,
(802.11, Bluetooth, IR, USB, serial, and so on). It's not a small project,
but it could be a worthwhile one in the long run.

> Another portion of this new project would be developing a set of core
> conduits for evolution, gnome-pim?, balsa etc.

	..and adapt all of those for every app that ships on all of those
devices, 7 address books, 20 calendars, and so on, not including proprietary
applications like ebook readers, browsers, whatever. It's a LOT of work.

> Eventually when the latter project stablizes we can eliminate
> gnome-pilot all together.

	How about we all focus on what exists today, fixing what may not be
working right _today_, and when it's 100% perfect, then talk about extending
it in it's current form (core conduits, Palm based) then extend it to other
non-Palm devices. There's still a lot in gnome-pilot that needs immediate
attention first, before any new features (and the bugs that will come with
them) are added.

	Features are great, but features ALWAYS come after function.

> I step up to the plate as being a project maintainer/lead for this new
> project but I do not want to pursue this if A) the community doesn't
> want it, and B) That I will be a lone programmer in this.

	Depending on your need and your own personal timelines, you may have
to fork what exists today, or send in patches for the existing issues to
speed the fixes and move the project in that direction... but then again,
none of this is our decision, since the maintainer generally has the final
cut on what gets done.

	In the case of gnome-pilot, they also have to adhere to the
direction of the GNOME foundation, and the libraries that it relies on.

	Just my two beans.

d.