D-Conf

[Lars Hallberg]

Philip Van Hoof wrote:

>We don't need a system that will magically convert files from /etc/ and
>all dotfiles in your $HOME into a unified database with triggers. Well
>perhaps the UNIX-world does need such a system but it's not within the
>scope of what the desktop-world needs. Perhaps later in time, both
>systems will work together or merge their features. But for me, at this
>moment, desktop-application configuration and system configuration are
>two different things.
>  
>
Don't realy agrea. One of the most typical things of a desktop system is 
that it rearly have an experienced sysadm. Easy to use and find GUI 
configuration is badly needed.

We need a minimal API for retreving and storing keys. Then addon 
capabilitys for notifikation and aktivation. Desktop aps want 
notifikation, system aps usaly want aktivation.

We need one main conf tree for everything, that can refer parts of it's 
tree to plugins. Some special keys. like 
"apche.org/apche#backend"=(apacheconfback, /etc/apche). Then the rest of 
the apche subtree is given trhu that backend. It can be more then one 
implementation of the comon tree whith different capabilitys. We realy 
just need an API and comon rules for the tree (namespacing, special 
keys, querry capabilitys).

If it is posable to wrap backends from other systems, or if a commen 
backend API can be worked out with some others it would be good. Idealy, 
the backend API is identikal to the front end API!

Probably it's good to have a special key for avalible frontends to, soo 
when You brows the config tree with one frontend, it can offer to start 
other conftools for apps it don't know itself.

In case ther exist an 'monolitic' conftool, but no backend, seting 
#backend to 'none' and list the frontend would help.

A compleet consistent frontend is a good goal for big projects like 
gnome and kde. But as long they not ther, some working and findable gui 
is better then no gui or hidden gui for desktop users that have no 
sysop. For most task ther is usable (but not hig usability) gui tools, 
the question is to make them uneverable findable.

/LaH