Gentoo Desktop - Proposal

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Yeah, I sat down and thought about it some more. Heres what I have come
up with. I welcome flames, comments and changes to the document.

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Gentoo Desktop

Overview
===
The purpose of the "Gentoo Desktop" to to provide a different and Customized version of the vanilla desktop environment. The desktop will be a modification of not only applications and Desktop Environment, but small changes in the Gentoo core, to raise the level of usability and improve ease of use.

Target Audience
===
 "Hobbyist" users coming from other distributions, such as RedHat, Mandrake, SuSE, etc.
Small to Medium Enterprise Desktop Roll outs
Educational Institutions (Universities, Collages, Secondary and Grade Schools) 

Desktop Environments - Why GNOME?
===
Over the last few years a few significant changes have been made about the leading desktop environments.
Some of these changes that are relevant:
 - GNOME 2.0 Released
- Redhat Linux 8.0 - (the first fully integrated Linux Desktop release featuring a universal look for programs of different widgeting sets and complete GUI configuration tools.)
 - Ximian Desktop 2.0
 - Sun JDS
 - Ximian Mono Project
 - Novell's acquisition of both Ximian and SuSE Linux
 - Novell's plans to use Ximian Desktop as the proffered desktop on SuSE Linux instead of KDE
 - GNOME 2.5 - the fully HIG compliant GNOME Desktop.

These changes are important because:
 - GNOME Desktop Environment has become the dominant Desktop Environment (Big money backing, etc)
 - The rise of new technology and standards (Mono & GNOME's HIG)
 - Mono's specific support in GNOME and the GTK+ widget set.
These changes make GNOME a better choice for the Gentoo Desktop Environment.

End Product
===
The end product will be a Gentoo Desktop Livecd and Documentation for installation and configuration of the system. User would boot into a preconfigured and polished GNOME Environment.

Customisation rundown
===
A quick rundown on the type of customisation for for future discussion.
Base System
 - Some kind of "Kernel Profile" with additional device modules using Genkernel or similar tool.
 - Hardware detection and configuration scripts and services.
 - Tools for rolling out system and desktop configuation settings.

GNOME Desktop
 - Use of Gentoo's configtools project
 - Branding and Desktop "look"
 - URI Handling
 - Prefered Application Handling and Mimeinfo settings
 - Custom Gconf Schemas
 - USE of dbus and other emerging technologies
 - CUPS Printing
 - Menus
 - Fonts
 - New Document Templates

Applications
 - Appropriate applications installed for different USE flags
 - for example, USE="im" installs virtual/instantmessenger
 - Applications modified for specific usability features and/or tasks

Portage Related
 - New Profile (gentoo-desktop-arch-2004.0) for each architecture supported.
 - New profile for each architecture offically suported
 - New virtuals and respective USE flags for Applcations and system services.

Gentoo Desktop - The First Step
===

Milestone 1
 - Report on the Applcation and Services needed on Desktop System
 - System Services - Hardware Detection Services, File/Print Sharing, Printing, etc
 - Applcations - Office Productivity Tools, Internet Tools, Gaming, etc
 - Decide on the appropriate virtuals and USE flags needed for user customization of the desktop.
 - Create gentoo-desktop-x86-2004.0 profile based on the decisions made.
 - Build system with new profile and report on system usability from an end users perspective, noting specific issues to be discuss and delt with in Milestone 2.


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