Re: feature request

On Sat, 2005-04-23 at 14:49 +0200, Janek Kozicki wrote: 
> > But then you'd be using a *program* for the GNOME platform to configure
> > the behaviour of the desktop itself.  That's a real no-no in terms of
> > program and interface design.  This option should instead be available
> > in the GNOME preferences (if it isn't already -- I'm too lazy to boot 
> > up my laptop to check).
> 
> maybe this option is in the gnome preferences. I don't know, because
> I've never seen "gnome preferences" program.
> 
> That is because I'm using rox + sawfish + galeon + sylpheed. I don't use
> gnome. Gnome is too heavy for my taste.
> 
I understand that point of view.  I personally use GNOME, but at times I
prefer a change of scenery, and use XFCE with ROX, Sylpheed and Galeon.
Linux & BSD are all about choice, and by no means should the whole GNOME
desktop be forced upon anyone.  So I'm glad to see there are so many
people that run Galeon outside a GNOME environment -- that probably
tells you something about the quality of the application.

> The only way FOR ME was to run that wizardry command: 
> 
> gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/interface/menus_have_tearoff true
> 
> And I'd never guess that I have to execute such command. And also - if
> "gnome preferences" can set if menus are tearable or not, then why in
> gimp they are, while in galeon they were not? Both use GTK2, so it
> should be the same? Maybe that is because galeon user should enable this
> option from within galeon itself?
> 
They both use GTK2, yes, but Galeon is a GNOME application.  The GIMP is
just a GTK2 application and doesn't depend on the GNOME libraries.  And
the GIMP team decided to enable tearable menus by default.  The GNOME
platform does not, for reasons that should be pretty obvious I think.

What I would recommend is the following.  Think about it -- since you
have Galeon installed, you must already have most of the GNOME
libraries.  I don't think it would hurt to install just one more --
control-center.  Most distributions should call it that, as that's what
GNOME's tarball is called -- some may modify the name of the package
slightly but nevertheless it should be in your distro's repos somewhere.

Then add one more command to your customized X session --
'gnome-settings-daemon' -- then you can use the GNOME control center by
running 'gnome-control-center' to configure Galeon and any other GNOME
applications you may have installed.  Both these programs are available
in the same control-center package, unless your distro explicitly splits
them up (which I don't see why it would...)

> Look I don't want to flame or whatever, I'm talking about basic comfort
> of application usage. I'm using galeon, and I'm not using gnome. I don't
> have "gnome preferences" anywhere (I even don't know what command would
> launch it, and I think that this "gnome preferences" GUI is even not
> installed).
> 
> But I want to have the comfort of enabling this option. Because this
> option affects galeon, and only galeon (please note - it does not affect
> gimp). So it is obvious it should be somewhere in galeon preferences.

Well I don't know about you, but *I* like the comfort of having a
consistent look and feel throughout as many of my apps as possible --
especially the ones that run under a particular environment.

As I mentioned above, you don't need to have the full GNOME desktop
environment installed to do this -- just install the control-center
package and be happy.

> I understand that putting this option inside galeon will break the whole
> idea of using "gnome desktop environment" together. But look, I've
> already broken this idea - I'm using galeon without gnome. See? And I
> use galeon not only because it is the best browser I've seen for years,
> but also because it's lightweight too. I don't want to start WHOLE
> gnome, just to click one darn checkbox (that will enable tearable
> menus).

You don't have to start "WHOLE gnome" -- you just have to start the
gnome-settings-daemon.  You could probably also use gconf-editor or its
command-line "backend" gconftool-2 (as you've already been coached to
use), but control-center would probably be much easier for most people.
> 
> ok, ok that was a rant and a flame. oh yeah. but think about the users,
> along when you think about 'the design'. Some things simply need to be
> weighted out.
> 
> And because we have proxy config there, then why not one more checkbox
> about terable menus? It's all about user's comfort.
> 


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