[Bug 52670] Possible solution

[Joseph Garvin]

Question: Where do gnome apps look for the per-user browser setting? It
may not be gconf. I wasn't suggesting gconf be used.

If I had to guess, I'd say they probably are running /usr/bin/sensible-
browser. It's a simple bash script, and if you look at the source, the
first thing it does is check the $BROWSER environment variable, and
failing that looks at /etc/alternatives/x-www-browser.

This is easily made user configurable by just having kcontrol/guidance
changing the $BROWSER environment variable -- it's the first thing
checked. Setting an environment variable is easily coded and wouldn't
pull in any extra packages for gconf.

-- 
Kubuntu setting default components don't affect gnome/gtk apps
https://launchpad.net/bugs/52670