Re: 0x011 (look and feel)

[Roger Dingledine <arma@mit.edu>]

In message <35EFF3D7.A56E38A7@iname.com>, pete_st_onge@iname.com writes:
>How important is:
>... Being able to copy data between applications?
>... Being able to 'drag and drop' data from one application to another
>... Being able to 'drag' data from one point to another within an
>application
>
>     Q's 1&2 are similar, but the former implies the use of a temporary
>memory area (clipboard).

Actually, with an environment like X, you can copy data between applications
without "storing" it somewhere in between.

Also, I am very interested in asking about graphics as well, in terms of
cut&paste. I think I put a question somewhere in the OS questions section
about copying graphics between applications. This is something that I'm
told Windows does, but X certainly doesn't....

>choice of distribution. Perhaps a larger question that has to be
>addressed before linux can truly become more of a mainstrean OS is how
>to make these choices easier to make, such that not only more good
>information is available, but that choices can be 'backed out' in the
>sense that if I don't like Foo 4.5, that I can change to Bar 8.0 without
>having to do a lot of work - remembering that many mainstream users
>don't want to hack around to get stuff to work. Mind you, once folks
>become more comfortable and competent, they will probably want to.
>(Recall the .sig explaining the difference between Win95 and linux -
>"Win95, I can play Doom ... linux: I can run a web server, ftp server,
>and still play Doom"). I understand that RPM's are used to this purpose,
>but haven't used them yet.

Yes, packagers such as rpm and dpkg are the first step towards being
able to do this. They keep track of which files and packages have been
installed, and which versions were installed. This allows you to add,
remove, upgrade, etc, and it will enforce package requirements (if foo 4.0
says it requires bar 2.5, then you'll need to install bar 2.5 before you
can install foo 4.0). As an added bonus, it keeps md5 checksums of the
files it installs, so you have rudimentary tripwire functionality as well.

>     This issue may not apply to the survey, I guess, but it may be
>something to think about.

No, it doesn't. :) rpm and/or dpkg are powerful enough to do exactly
what we need. The main problem these days is that the packages aren't
built correctly -- that is, dependencies aren't fully listed, or files
go into the wrong place, or are owned by the wrong packages, etc etc.

But that's a different project, for a different day.

>     Cheers,
>
>     Pete
>
>-- 
>Pete St. Onge - McGill U.  Limnology - Fun with Ropes & Buckets
>pete_st_onge@iname.com         http://wwp.mirabilis.com/4322052

--Roger