Re: [Demexp-dev] Re: [RFC] Using a file browser as demexp GUI?

[David MENTRE]

Hello Christophe,


2005/8/31, GISQUET Christophe <address@hidden>:
> > [me:]
> > I'm thinking seriously at using the native file browser of the desktop
> > machine as a client for demexp. That would enable easy integration
> > with LFS (Logical File System) and would relieve us of most GUI issues
> > (the hard graphical parts is done by the OS and desktop applications,
> > we only write generic parts emulating files and folders).
> 
> I'm not sure to understand. Is it really a file browser, like mc,
> nautilus, and so on? Or is it a web browser? The second was probably
> considered (would be neat), but I guess there are too many security
> problems.

Yes. At that time, I was thinking at a file browser. But this option
was discarded because most people were thinking it would not be very
natural.

This then, I'm seriously considering writting a web interface to
demexp. That way, no need to fight against library versions. ;-) Of
course, we also open the Pandora box of web security issues. :-(

> As you quote LFS, I wonder how much it restricts the supported platforms.

The core of LFS is pure OCaml, so it shouldn't bring any restriction.
I think it depends on an external library (ndbm or gdbm) but that one
should be fairly easy to find on Windows and MacOS platforms. And if
not, we might consider using another backend.

> I have a hard time to grasp how most voters would work it out. I mean, it
> seems very unnatural, so it's also about how to make it obvious to those
> voters.

That's what a lot of people are also thinking.

> Have you any example of a LFS test example used in such a way, and being
> still practical? LISFS still seems in the research and experimentation
> side. And I still think this is going to narrow audience even more.

Ok, right now LFS won't be used in following releases. I have more
important things to integrate first.

I still do believe that LFS could be integrated nicely without the
user even noticing it but that must be proven.

Thank you for the feedback,
Yours,
d.

PS: And thank you also for compiling demexp-0.6 on Windows!