Re: GNOME Shell and Online Desktop

[Ross Smith <myxiplx googlemail com>]

I'm going to agree and disagree with you both.

I don't think gnome-shell should focus on integrating web apps - it
looks to me like it's going to benefit so many programs that it would
be artificially limiting the scope of the project to concentrate on
something like that at this stage.  I do agree that things like Google
Chrome's desktop shortcuts for gmail, etc are nice touches, but I
would suggest that's more a browser feature than something the desktop
should be doing.

However I'm all for a desktop gadget widget interface, but only if it
doesn't detract from the other work going on here.

One idea that might be worth considering is extending the gnome-shell
overlay's search ability to include browser bookmarks.  That would let
you launch facebook, ebay, etc in the same way you launch regular
applications.

Would it be possible to make the search facility accept pluggable
modules, so application developers like Mozilla can link into it?

Responding to Johannes, I'm not entirely sure I like the idea of
shared settings.  An easy way to backup and restore settings yes, but
sharing my home setup with work, when I have two 1920x1200 monitors at
work just isn't going to work.

And the thought of squeezing that setup onto a phone fills me with dread!

The ability to share a list of recently opened documents might be
handy though, and an ability to run programs from time to time with
the same settings as home could be useful.

If this were to be implemented, I think I'd like to see something like
a 'location' indicator in one corner of the gnome-shell overlay, with
an ability to switch between home, work, and mobile.

That should let me:
- Copy settings between the locations if I wish (for the entire
desktop, or just individual programs)
- Backup the settings to a central server (paid service, nominal fee)
- Launch programs, using the settings for that location
- Search for and open files from any location

It sounds to me like you would either need all your computers switched
on all the time, or a central upload service that stores a copy of
your settings and documents.

And if you have a central upload service, it's a backup and sharing
service all in one.

... and Natan just emailed the details of UbuntuOne as I was writing
this, which sounds pretty much like what I just suggested.

Is there any chance of UbuntuOne supporting locations like I suggested
earlier, or integrating it with gnome-shell?

Ross




On Wed, May 13, 2009 at 8:01 AM, Johannes Schmid <jhs jsschmid de> wrote:
> Hi!
>
>> For instance if we can make web applications (gmail, facebook etc) be
>> part of the applications menu (like mozilla prism) or display web
>> widgets (like igoogle) on your desktop would be very cool features for
>> GNOME 3.0
>
> Well, I kind of disagree here. I think we should go more the way that
> Benjamin proposed yesterday
> (http://blogs.gnome.org/otte/2009/05/12/vision/).
>
> That is:
> - share preferences -> make the desktop look the same everywhere
> - make e-mail/im working on all systems as if you were local (but do not
> depend on some proprietary web-app)
> - add calibration features to applications where it makes sense
>
> I don't agree so much in sharing the home directory because this could
> quickly become rather annoying, but allowing to share gconf/dconf in the
> first place could be nice. This is also rather low-volume so we could
> possibly have infrastructure for it (on GNOME servers or on
> distribution's servers).
>
> Regards,
> Johannes
>
> _______________________________________________
> gnome-shell-list mailing list
> gnome-shell-list gnome org
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-shell-list
>
>