On Fri, 9 Nov 2001 18:43, you wrote: > No. Nobody uses a central database for mime type handlers, because there > isn't any. Even applications inside Gnome/KDE have their own mime > files..:( But I would like this to change and the only thing towards > working "pick a file and choose the program to run it" would be this > kind of sollution. Of course the programs and users would have their > own preferences, but in the case where there aren't any, they could > pick _some_ application to run the file instead of letting the novice > user to guess which application he/she needs to see a pdf document > etc.. > > I just looked at gnome-vfs, galeon and mozilla. They have all their own > mime files, but as thay all are in text/xml, exporter would be quite(?) > easy to make for them all. And of course the implementer could always > go to talk mozilla/gnome/kde people. :)
So essentially, we're talking about a linux equivalent of Internet Config under MacOS, which allows apps to refer to a common mime-dbase, holds userspace stuff such as email address, news server, sigfile, local ftp mirrors etc. The good thing (?) about Internet Config is that, while apps have to be IC-aware in order to use it, they can also opt out, or use their own schema (there's usually a check box in the prefs saying 'use Internet Config'). Another design feature is that it comes chockers with predefined mime-types, mirror sites & helper apps, but still lets you (or an installer package) add to the db. -- john in syd
