[Portland] Proposal - desktop-integration-utils

[Jeremy White]

I would like to propose that we take Kevin's work, add
a few more scripts, and publish it to the world.

I think we should publish it on www.freedesktop.org
as a package called 'desktop-integration-utils'
(in parallel with desktop-file-utils).

In addition to the utilities already written, we
should write shells for the remaining items
on the short term integration tasks.

It should be released under a license such that anyone
can use it in any way they like (ISVs, distros, etc).

I see three major customers for the utilities:

  1.  ISVs

      Would package the utility inside their app.


  2.  Window Environment authors

      Would enhance the utilities to support their environment.
      This gives XFCE, blackbox, etc, an opportunity to
      reach for parity with Gnome and KDE.

      My hope is that these folks would end up doing the
      bulk of the actual development work on this package.


  3.  Distribution vendors

      They also would gain the ability to provide customized
      versions of the scripts; this allows Mandriva to
      keep their twisted menu system if they so desire.

I would request that Freedesktop and OSDL publicize
to the world that these exist, with sufficient force
that an ISV can say:  "Our software is xdg-utils
compliant."

One technical challenge that still needs to be solved
is how to allow a distro version of the utilities to
override a version bundled by the ISV.  I'll take that
up in a separate thread.

I'm willing to assemble a first package set with
README, TODO, and the scripts, although I'd be even
happier if someone with commit access volunteered for
that job.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Flames? <g>

Cheers,

Jeremy