Passing thought about nautilus embedding

[Gregory Merchan <merchan phys lsu edu>]

I've before stated my objections to Nautilus views, so I won't rehash that.
I did want to say, in case it hasn't been mentioned, that I have no
objections to app-embedding as an implementation detail. Indeed, I think
it some things may be better that way. What I have in mind is two-fold:
app-embedding becomes seamless so the difference is only visible in the
process table; as part of that, the browsing method is removed.

Things being connected in this way, I imagine it would be easier to make
user objects seem persistent. If the folder showing a file's icon and the
window showing the contents of the file are controlled by the same program,
then that program could indicate the file is open and raise the view if the
file is "re-opened." (That's just one example.) Nautilus-embeded apps might
be made the GNOME-standard method of file handling and since almost every
app deals with files in some way (e.g., the launching .desktop file),
Nautilus truly becomes a shell for everything.

It seems to me that this would reduce, slightly, the amount of
app-programming needed. (I've not written any bonoboized apps, so there may
be no reduction; I'd be surprised to find an increase.) I think the amount
of glue code (e.g., packing menubars) would be reduced. Writing a new app
would be:
1) Creating a object that handles a data type.
   This is, I presume, most of the work.
2) Exporting the methods of that object, with some structure, to Nautilus.
   From this the menus and toolbars would be created, and these methods
   would be the verbs of a desktop-wide scripting language.
3) Crafting some secondary windows for commands needing qualification and
   for utility.

In a way, I see this as making Nautilus and the entire desktop into a highly
graphical and less obtuse Emacs. App writing becomes more like writing
extensions to Emacs, and customization becomes simpler in the same way.
(I mean customization in the sense of MS Word macros as get shared within
businesses for the purpose of making repeated tasks simler, not endless
keybinding reconfiguation or the like.)

That's what I have to say, as oversimplified as it is.

Cheers,
Greg