VFolders isn't a standard yet

[George]

On Sun, Jul 07, 2002 at 10:39:42PM -0500, Andreas Pour wrote:
> My understanding of what the proposal is trying to address is the
> following points:
> 
>   (1) menus should be editable by sysadmins, by modifying a file or
> files, not by rearranging directory structure.

No, that's not the point.  The point of the vfolders is to be able to CHANGE
the structure without effecting installers, installed programs and programs
that will be installed in the future.

Programs/installers should not care about exactly where their .desktop file
is placed.  If they do we are stuck with exactly ONE structure forever.
This HAS been a serious problem in the past if anyone remembers when GNOME
1.4 came out and Ximian changed the directory structure.  And all non-Ximian
software failed to show up in the menus.  With VFolders, new software would
get placed in the correct submenus.

There will be places where someone will need a different structure of menus,
and will need for newly installed software to go into the proper categories
without having to edit the menus manually after every install.  This is true
in large installations afaik.

Also as more usability testing will get done we will likely CHANGE the
directory structure.  So we just plainly cannot standardize this structure or
all installers will get broken again once we change.

> I'm not sure why this is important, particularly since a menu editor
> provides an implementation abstraction.  What makes it preferable to
> sysadmins to modify files rather than move files?  I'm curious about the
> feedback you have received which leads to this conclusion.

There is a difference in that the vfolder file changes but the actual
.desktop files don't move or change so package managers and installers are
happy rather then screwed.

> > Let me repeat, the vfolder spec *only* contains 2 things -
> > 
> >         a) agreement on a standard location for .desktop files
> >         b) addition of the 'Categories' key in the .desktop file and
> >            suitable values for this key.
> 
> What are these "suitable values"?  Is there a draft of the specification
> for that?

Please, PLEASE! Read the VFolder spec proposal before commenting on it!!!!!!
It's all there.

George

-- 
George <jirka at 5z.com>
   It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.
                       -- Albert Einstein