getting started

[George Kraft]

I would like to suggest the following to get started in outlining 
the freedesktop.org platform.

First, specify what it takes to support a minimal gtk+ and gnome 
"hello world" program (ie., take baby steps).

http://www.linuxbase.org/~gk4/gtkhello.png

http://www.linuxbase.org/~gk4/gnomehello.png

All those libraries and their APIs need to be well defined. 
Procedurally we need to run everything through an freedesktop.org 
acceptance criteria to create a priority order and to avoid bloat
(it is tempting to add ideal/new libraries that are rarely/yet used).
I would like to suggest a matrix as illustrated below, which could 
represent the requirements of the two diagrams above.

http://www.linuxbase.org/~gk4/fdp/

http://lsbbook.gforge.freestandards.org/new-abis.html

Once freedesktop.org has detailed written specifications for the 
APIs of the libraries identified above, then we need conformance 
tests to validate the implementation which is deployed by various
Linux distributions.

http://www.linuxbase.org/~taggart/module/20workgroups.png

The three key ingredients for a successful standardization and
certification are:

	1) detailed written specification
	2) a widely adopted implementation
	3) conformance test suites

The LSB will gladly accept the three deliverables above from
freedesktop.org, then incorporate into their existing 
"product standards."

http://lsbbook.gforge.freestandards.org/spec-amalgamation.html

http://www.linuxbase.org/test/registered.html

Anyone interested in a series of conference calls to get this
work kicked off?  I would suggest we lay the ground work and
see how far we can get, then rally at the face to face in Ottawa
at the 2nd Desktop Developer's Conference in June, 2005.

PS: I am writing an FSG standardization presentation for the
    Accessibility Workgroup.  I will forward a link to this 
    list when it is ready.

George (gk4)