browser startpage - removing /etc/alternatives/firefox-homepage

[Matthew East]

Hi,

During the cycle for Ubuntu 6.06, Ian Jackson implemented a clever
method for firefox to use different startpages depending on which
derivative the user has installed (i.e. ubuntu-docs, or kubuntu-docs,
or edubuntu-docs etc). It's explained here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DapperFirefoxStartPageTranslation. It is based
on the alternatives system, specifically
/etc/alternatives/firefox-homepage and
/etc/alternatives/firefox-homepage-locales

Since Ubuntu 8.04, firefox no longer uses these to get its startpage.
Instead it gets that from the ubufox plugin. Derivatives will need to
implement their own *ubufox package in order to customise the firefox
homepage.

As a result, I'd like to remove Ian's system from the various *-docs
packages. This would simplify the packaging a lot and have the benefit
that we can work on a better translation toolchain for the startpage.

Having installed kubuntu-desktop on my intrepid system, I don't think
this will cause an issue, as kubuntu doesn't seem to use these
alternatives. Given that firefox doesn't use them anymore, I don't
think xubuntu has an issue with this either. Epiphany never used them.
Does anyone have any concerns about this proposal?

-- 
Matthew East
http://www.mdke.org
gnupg pub 1024D/0E6B06FF