Interop btwn gnome-dflt-app-props & alternatives system

[Matthew Paul Thomas]

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On Sep 21, 2006, at 6:29 PM, Cefiar wrote:
> ...
> After a quick look about my system (trying this sort of thing myself), 
> I think the "Preferred Applications" preferences dialog could use some 
> minor but important changes:
>  1. Addition of a simple statement that the settings ONLY change
> gnome-settings aware applications, and ONLY for this user. Either 
> popped up when started, or above the selection process.

Or since I won't know what a "gnome-settings-aware application" is, 
perhaps: "Some programs may ignore these settings."

>  2. Additional options in the pulldown list eg: "System default 
> application" and "Gnome default application", which uses the 
> alternatives system defaults (x-www-browser and gnome-www-browser). 
> It'd be a plus if it could also work out the exact app (by following 
> the symbolic link) and telling you what it is. This at least means 
> that people would be aware of the System defaults.

The end result of that, though, would be two (or maybe even three!) 
items in the same menu pointing at the same browser. Not as bad a 
problem, but still a problem.

> I know there is the "Sensible Browser", which in my limited testing 
> appears to call x-www-browser, but while it may be "sensible", it's 
> hardly descriptive as to what it is.
> ...

To me, this is a bug. There *is no* program called "Ubuntu Sensible 
Browser" on my computer; the computer knows very well what it really 
means when it says that; it's not telling me; and if it did tell me, 
there would again be multiple items in the same menu pointing at the 
same browser.

> Of course, then you need a good way to change these system defaults, 
> which AFAIK there isn't anything in main, and certainly nothing 
> installed by default that does this. There is always galternatives 
> (which is in universe/admin), which at least avoids pointing people at 
> the command line, however it's not the prettiest app, and it DOES need 
> a warning on it that the changes are global changes to the defaults 
> (ie: affect all users who use default settings), but it does work (at 
> least on dapper).
> ...

It may be useful for admins to have a "Settings for: [My Account    
:^]" menu at the top of the "Preferred Applications" window, with the 
other options being "New Accounts" and "All Accounts" (the latter two 
asking for your admin password). But I don't think it would be useful 
to have an "Accounts That Have Chosen to Follow Whatever Default You 
Choose" option in that menu -- and, without such an option, there isn't 
really any point in having "Ubuntu Sensible Browser", "System Default", 
or "Gnome Default" options.

- --
Matthew Paul Thomas
http://mpt.net.nz/
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