Re: "Next Link" icon.

On Monday 29 April 2002 21:34, Henry Stanaland wrote:

> I'll try to bring this list back to the realm of wishes again:

Aww, and we were trying to get away from that...

> One of the things that I don't like is how hard it is to add a "plug-in" in
> Linux(in general).  Nothing just plugs in.  You either have to compile or
> do something as root.  I'm not sure how scriptable KDE is, but if it was,
> it'd be cool if you could right-click on items and find downloadable
> upgrades. Like in Mozilla, your sidebars are downloaded and work
> automatically. So for instance, if somebody wrote new "panel applets" you
> could see a list of downloadable ones that would install themselves
> automatically. I know this won't happen as long as distros don't have
> binary compatibility, but I'm sure there is alot you could do with scripts.
>
> Perhaps there should be a new mailing list:
> [email protected]

Well, this one happens to be an ease-of-use issue, So I think it's somewhat  
appropriate here. 

Actually, things CAN be plugged in easily, but that's for an individual user. 
F'rinstance for Netscape you'd use the $HOME/.netscape/plugins directory 
instead of /usr/lib/netscape/plugins (or wherever). The same would be true of 
KDE... use your home directory. So you could do exactly that. Of course, the 
new plugin then works only for you... but if I were sharing the same machine 
with you that's the way I'd want it (I'd rather use MY plugins, or none).

The scary part is automatically installing ANYTHING that you downloaded from 
the web. Netscape 6 has a nice compromise. When a download is completed, you 
can press a "Reveal Location" button to open your file manager in the 
directory to which you've downloaded the file. Then you can do whatever you 
like to verify its good intentions and run the installer from there.

For security reasons in Unix, programs should be downloaded with the 
executable attributes set off. In KDE, making the installer executable is as 
easy as right-clicking and choosing properties, then clicking checkboxes to 
grant the appropriate permissions. My major administrative headaches have 
nothing to do with my profession; they come from cleaning up the messes made 
by my wife on her Windows box when she does exactly what you're wishing for 
(and she does it constantly). So I'm don't think I'd want it /much/ easier 
than KDE makes it.

-- 
Dave Leigh, Consulting Systems Analyst
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