A idea for more interaction between users and distributions

[volvoguy]

On 8/22/05, Tollef Fog Heen <tfheen at canonical.com> wrote:

> This means you'll lose any integration with the regular packaging
> system, including support for upgrades where files are renamed or
> removed (since you'd need to track that by hand or invent Yet Another
> Packaging System for that).  It would also be a lot easier to get any
> high-popularity themes and theme packs into distributions if you're
> actually using the native packaging system.

I actually think it would be better to be apart from the regular
packaging system. It's a completely different system and making it
distro agnostic (but still Gnome or KDE specific) would probably give
it a better chance of being accepted in many different distros. The
Fedora and Gentoo folks aren't going to want to download .deb files
and the tools to manipulate them just for a wallpaper or cursor theme.
Also keep in mind that this concept is NOT for official Ubuntu artwork
- of course that is more practical to put in the Ubuntu-specific
software repositories. The idea is that each art website keep their
own list of artwork. The artists can then showcase their artwork on
whichever site they feel most comfortable or where there artwork is
more applicable (Ubuntu related artwork would be in our repository,
there would be a more generic one for art.gnome.org, perhaps the other
distros could get involved by making their own branded repositories).
The end users can then pick and choose what artwork or repository they
want to access. It's really completely seperate from a software
package management system.

I'm also going to invoke the, "don't shoot the messenger" rule here.
This functionality is something I've been looking forward to for a
long time. I'm a visual kinda person and like to change up my themes
often. In Windows we have the Stardock Wincustomize browser (hooray,
more Michiganders!) that handles this kind of thing. One interface -
browse the *content* of their website and pick and choose which
icons/window themes/cursors/backgrounds that you want and they're
automagically downloaded, installed and applied. Job done.

I really only brought up the whole issue because even as an Ubuntu Art
Team member (and the team coordinator even), I don't have any control
over what software becomes part of Ubuntu. I've mentioned it to the
other artists and my Canonical administrative contacts, but it's
really the developers that will make the decisions about the whole
thing. I'm just trying to make sure the developers know that this
little "artwork website repository" concept exists and let them know
how to get in touch with the people involved. It's the least (and the
most) I can do by myself.

If I sound a little defensive, don't take it personally. I'm having a
particularly bad night with the back pain I have right now. I don't
think you were on the defensive in your statement and I'm not either.
Just trying to present the information, you know? :o)

I also don't want to suggest that this "gnome-art" app is the only way
to get this kind of functionality into Ubuntu/Gnome. Perhaps there's a
big Synaptic upgrade in the works to handle this issue, or maybe
someone else is developing a better app to accomplish the goal. I
really don't care how we get there, but I would like to get there. :o)

Ok... rambling... drugs kicking in.... will try to remain silent....
until I've gotten some.... sleep... zzzz...

-- 
Aaron

Ubuntu SVG Artwork - www.volvoguy.net/ubuntu
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Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere. ~ G.K. Chesterton