requirements for default apps

[John Pilkington]

Petrus de Calguarium wrote:
> Rex Dieter wrote:
> 
>> So, please comment on what you consider to be core requirements when it 
>> comes to:
>> 1.  packagekit frontend/integration
>> 2.  networkmanager frontend
>> 3.  bluetooth device support
>> 4.  phonon backend
>> 5.  anything else you can think of...
> 
> I don't know, as a day-to-day home computer user, what I can suggest that might be 
> useful, but, off the top of my head:
> 
> 1. packagekit: I did not particularly like the one version a while back that relied 
> on smart. It never worked. Then there was another version, which appeared to be the 
> same program (very confusing) that integrated into the system-settings. Neither did 
> anything. What I find missing in all of these package managers is the ability to 
> explore the repositories. Package management is not simply about updating installed 
> software, but also about perusing the repo and discovering other programs one might 
> like to install. Way back in kde2 or kde3, there used to be such a program (I don't 
> recall if it was an apt frontend, or what it was) that allowed one to click on 
> every available program and be shown a description of the program, all of the files 
> it provided and all of the dependencies required. This type of package management 
> is sorely lacking.  One should be able to find packages, not just in groups, like
> games, development, etc., but also individually. Yes, the list would be many 
> thousands long, but when you don't know what it is called, you don't know what it 
> does and you don't even know that it exists until you spot it, how can you search 
> for it? 

Smart does all that.  Its predecessor was Synaptic.  I've used them 
since ~FC3.

RPMfusion at least offers repoview, but fedoraproject no longer does (or if
> it does, it is impossible to view, because you are always automatically directed to 
> some mirror site that doesn't implement it).
> 
> 2. networkmanager: the gnome icon in the system tray works splendidly here. Does 
> absolutely everything have to be duplicated? But, if it does, then I would think it 
> should be, at a minimum, as functional as the current system. I like it in the 
> system tray, as having a plasmoid for this uses up too much space on the panel.
> 
> 3. bluetooth: I have never had any bluetooth devices, so it would be hard to 
> comment, but they should be automatically detected both when they are present and 
> when they get out of range/are removed. I definitely dislike any kind of system 
> that allows only root to mount/unmount or attach and remove devices. If I plug a 
> device in, then I should be able to use it. It's my computer!
> 
> 4. phonon: I prefer xine, but ultimately what is important is that it be able to 
> play any file I encounter.
> 
> 5. ? This is always the hardest question. I am sure I have a gripe somewhere, but 
> it evades me. I think we could take that as meaning that things are really very 
> good ;-) Reading some other comments might jog my memory. No set-up and just works 
> are important to me in every aspect of computer use (although I do highly value the 
> intricate set-up capabilities of kde, when I feel like customizing to get it just 
> so).
> 
> I hope this helps.
>