Bug#565273: gnome-panel: Using gconf defaults or mandatory to install applets.

[Mike Mestnik]

Package: gnome-panel
Version: 2.20.3-5
Severity: wishlist

There is a feature gap where once a user has used panel the system
admin is no-longer able to alter that users panel effectively.  I've
tried to do a lot of research and talk to a number of ppl but I still
don't think I've talked to any one who knows the whole story.

The main hurdle for users is documentation, this always applies.
Gconf says you can, but there is nothing to indicate it's a fools
errand.  A document describing using gconf defaults with gnome-panel
would be much appreciated.  From what I can tell the existing
templates are either written by panel developers or hacked together
using trial and error.

The main problem is list(s) in gconf are not vary malleable in the
defaults or mandatory areas.  There is no way to simply insert or
remove a list item w/o replacing the whole list.  Every one agrees
that this does not work when trying to install new objects into
existing users panels, it simply can't work w/o some fancy python
script that will not function in all cases and be problematic.  This
approach, although *deployed, should be avoided.

* Ubuntu's add_indicator_applet

Can we alter the way panel's default_setup is used?
What would be nice/needed.

1. A method to indicate legacy behavior of not altering users panels,
perhaps normally a good thing.
2. A method to jump-over panel names, I.E. "This should be on the top
panel(or left panel if there is none) justified right at position 30"
Where 32 is defined as being just after the clock(30) but before the
notification area(34)... like SysV init.  Perhaps we also need a
simple "This should go left-of, or above, the clock if there is one,
else put it here"
3. The main issue still remains, what to do about applet_id_list.
Obviously it must be optional, until there is better handling of lists
in gconf.

I believe these items can be placed along side the existing settings in
/apps/panel/applets/* and use a special value to indicate the usage of
the new features.  There should also be some user configurable values,
like I've moved this or I've deleted it that should not be placed in
defaults but may be placed in mandatory.



-- System Information:
Debian Release: 5.0.3
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (500, 'stable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.32-trunk-686 (SMP w/4 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C (charmap=ANSI_X3.4-1968)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages gnome-panel depends on:
ii  gnome-about            2.22.3-2          The GNOME about box
ii  gnome-control-center   1:2.22.2.1-2      utilities to configure the GNOME d
ii  gnome-desktop-data     2.22.3-2          Common files for GNOME 2 desktop a
ii  gnome-menus            2.22.2-4          an implementation of the freedeskt
ii  gnome-panel-data       2.20.3-5          common files for the GNOME Panel
ii  libatk1.0-0            1.22.0-1          The ATK accessibility toolkit
ii  libbonobo2-0           2.24.2-1          Bonobo CORBA interfaces library
ii  libbonoboui2-0         2.22.0-1          The Bonobo UI library
ii  libc6                  2.10.2-2          GNU C Library: Shared libraries
ii  libcairo2              1.6.4-7           The Cairo 2D vector graphics libra
ii  libdbus-glib-1-2       0.80-4            simple interprocess messaging syst
ii  libecal1.2-7           2.22.3-1.1+lenny2 Client library for evolution calen
ii  libedataserver1.2-9    2.22.3-1.1+lenny2 Utility library for evolution data
ii  libedataserverui1.2-8  2.22.3-1.1+lenny2 GUI utility library for evolution 
ii  libgconf2-4            2.28.0-1          GNOME configuration database syste
ii  libglade2-0            1:2.6.2-1         library to load .glade files at ru
ii  libglib2.0-0           2.22.3-1          The GLib library of C routines
ii  libgnome-desktop-2     2.22.3-2          Utility library for loading .deskt
ii  libgnome-menu2         2.22.2-4          an implementation of the freedeskt
ii  libgnome2-0            2.20.1.1-1        The GNOME 2 library - runtime file
ii  libgnomeui-0           2.20.1.1-2        The GNOME 2 libraries (User Interf
ii  libgnomevfs2-0         1:2.22.0-5        GNOME Virtual File System (runtime
ii  libgtk2.0-0            2.18.3-1          The GTK+ graphical user interface 
ii  liborbit2              1:2.14.13-0.1     libraries for ORBit2 - a CORBA ORB
ii  libpanel-applet2-0     2.20.3-5          library for GNOME Panel applets
ii  libpango1.0-0          1.20.5-5          Layout and rendering of internatio
ii  libwnck22              2.22.3-1          Window Navigator Construction Kit 
ii  libx11-6               2:1.1.5-2         X11 client-side library
ii  libxau6                1:1.0.3-3         X11 authorisation library
ii  menu-xdg               0.3               freedesktop.org menu compliant win

Versions of packages gnome-panel recommends:
ii  alacarte               0.11.5-1          easy GNOME menu editing tool
ii  evolution-data-server  2.22.3-1.1+lenny2 evolution database backend server
ii  gnome-applets          2.22.3-3          Various applets for GNOME 2 panel 
ii  gnome-icon-theme       2.22.0-1          GNOME Desktop icon theme
ii  gnome-session          2.22.3-2          The GNOME 2 Session Manager

Versions of packages gnome-panel suggests:
ii  gnome-system-tools            2.22.0-3   Cross-platform configuration utili
ii  gnome-terminal [x-terminal-em 2.22.3-3   The GNOME 2 terminal emulator appl
pn  gnome2-user-guide             <none>     (no description available)
ii  lxterminal [x-terminal-emulat 0.1.3-2    desktop independent vte-based term
ii  nautilus                      2.20.0-7   file manager and graphical shell f
ii  xfce4-terminal [x-terminal-em 0.2.8-5    Xfce terminal emulator
ii  xterm [x-terminal-emulator]   235-2      X terminal emulator
pn  yelp                          <none>     (no description available)

-- no debconf information