gdesklets default desklet package mess

[Omega]

Binary package hint: gdesklets-data

It would be really nice if the default desklets installed with gdesklets were tested and QAed before being lumped into the gdesklets-data package. Especially because the gdesklets-data package is not optional.

Right now if you go into the uncategorized list of desklets you have a pile of desklets missing meta data and it just looks like garbage.

Desklets should have preview icons, author names, desklet names and ZERO errors upon first attempts to use. The themed groups of desklets should be removed and created as a package so "LT desklets", "sidecandy desklets" etc... Right now it is just far too cluttered and I feel like I'm getting a broken program installed. Maybe Ubuntu should edit the categories and provide its own metadata?

It just need to be cleaned up. Very badly.

[Omega (atrauzzi)]

I forgot to mention that many of them simply throw errors upon first use. Really, some of them are old and have not had development done to them in ages. They should be removed and only desklets that are currently being developed should be included.

[Craig Huffstetler (xq)]

Yes, they do not work AT ALL upon installation. There is no clear launch path and when you DO find it, it is full of errors and without packages needed to run. It comes with NO applets. It should either be updated/fixed or left out until it can be.

[Omega (atrauzzi)]

Well, the least that can be done is modify the gdesklets installation to include no desklets and then have users install new ones to their home directory from their site. That would be ideal.

Sad thing is I can't find the macos style dock launcher on their site, so I don't know if it exists anymore. That's largely the only reason people run gdesklets (myself I'd like to see different desklets created as well). Weather apps, etc...

Realistically, gdesklets itself is quite elegant and stable. A few cleanups (like their strange searches) of the UI could be in order, but overall...it's good. It's just those old desklets that should be treated like individual programs.

[Júlio Alexandrino (alexandrino)]

Some examples:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gdesklets-data/+bug/107354
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gdesklets-data/+bug/91381
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gdesklets-data/+bug/66473

[Omega (atrauzzi)]

I had a breif email exchange with the creator of the dock bar macos x style launcher and he said that the launcher would likely see separate release to the future versions of gdesklets - but that it wasn't going away.

Ubuntu should start off by shipping a robust and clean copy of gdesklets with zero controls or desklets. During installation or first run, the "tip of the day" can have "Go to http://gdesklets.gnomedesktop.org" (or whatever) to obtain new desklets.

There really is no need to include a "default package" of desklets which spams the system with a lot of broken stuff. gdesklets has its own package management that works quite well.
This also prevents users from getting desklets that "can't be removed due to permissions" (owned by root & the default installation).

[Omega (atrauzzi)]

I think this can be closed given screenlets, and the fact that gdesklets doesn't move quickly enough for Ubuntu.

[Craig Huffstetler (xq)]

Well, what are the usage statistics on gdesklets compared to screenlets? I see them advertised quite a bit. I would like to wait a bit on closing this...

I do agree they move slowly, but perhaps we can help some on this.

If Google Desktop would hurry up and finish their screen 'applets" for Linux that would be fabulous (I'm just saying)...

[Omega (atrauzzi)]

xq,

Considering that screenlets will only just be available in the main repository as of Hardy, relying on statistics will not tell you much.

The usage information for gdesklets is based solely on people trying it. I can promise you that the number of people who have attempted to install gdesklets versus the number of people who stopped using it or removed it entirely are two very close figures.

Screenlets already boasts a lot of functionality far beyond gdesklets and it appears to be much more stable. It even tries to wrap other desklet standards which is cute.

I agree though, when google finally gets around to releasing theirs, none of this will matter.