[Foss-cafe] Novell's new desktop

[Fred Smith]

On Wed, 2004-03-24 at 09:16, dep wrote:
> what would make it really positive would be adoption of some standards 
> such as -- here i go again -- common email addressbook formats and 
> common email index formats.

Gnome 2.6 is shipping with an email, contact, calendar, and addressbook
system called evolution-data-server, which allows any application (not
just evolution) to connect with these data sources. Since Ximian is
owned by novell, I'm sure that we'll see EDS used as the backend to
whatever they come up with.  Gnome will also have an
authentication/keychain system similar to kwallet or OS X's keychain. A
common backend for web bookmarks is the only other thing I'd like to see
(I'm tired of my epiphany bookmarks not showing up in FireWhatever or
konqueror.) 

>  a clipboard that actually works in an 
> actual useful fashion. (for instance, among the things that 
> gecko/mozilla/nvu has retained is a complete disconnect from all known 
> clipboards; one of the things that makes a clipboard useful is being 
> able to paste in a complicated url.)

With the notible annoyance that mozilla wipes the clipboard on startup,
I'm able to copy and paste between mozilla, epiphany, evolution, xterm,
and any other program.  Perhaps klipper is doing something to interfere
with this behavior?

> it would be supremely cool to be able to switch around among email apps 
> the way one can among word processors or html editors, without each one 
> corrupting the entire proceedings for every other one. this would be 
> good not just for a common desktop but for the adoption of desktop 
> linux in general.

Although how often does someone do that?  I used Konqueror the other day
for the first time in about a year because I came across a site with
some IE specific javascript.  Gecko was confused, but konqueror handled
it wonderfully.  I've never had a reason to do anything but try Kmail; 
I use it for about 30 seconds every so often and realize it doesn't hold
a candle to evolution.  Same thing with thunderbird, etc.  Why would
someone switch between mailers so often?

-- 
Fred Smith <fps at dividedsky.net>
Divided Sky Internet
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