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A lot of content is managed by KNewStuff already, but not all KDE-related content can be managed by it, yet. And with this I mean content that needs to be compiled — e.g. KWin themes, Plasmoids that are not scripts, KStyles, screensavers etc.

Since such compiled content can still be safely installed in the '~/.kde/' directory, I propose that KNewStuff (and with it GHNS) should be extended so that it could download, compile and manage versions of such content.

Since most such KDE compilable content is very similar to compile and install, I think it would be possible without KNewStuff having to evolve into something akin to Gentoo Portage

The only "problem" that I see is that the developers of such content would have to stick to some basic rules, so KNewStuff would be able to know how to compile them. But then again, even emoticons don't work in KNewStuff if you don't follow the basic rules.

I've already submitted a bug report concerning this wish.

Screensavers also fall in this category.

TheBlackCat wrote:Screensavers also fall in this category.

Added to the list. Thanks for noticing

Yes, installing new styles should be easy and smooth.

There is the idea floating around to integrate deKorator into KDE, so that themes can be made easier. deKorator in playground already has GHNS support, but sadly most themes don't install "out of the box" because themes do not have the correct format.

what about konqueror plug-ins. something likes firefox extensions.

The KNewStuff system is a superb concept that really helps "sell" KDE as being feature-rich to non-powerusers. Ensuring that their customization experience is system-wide-simple with a uniform and user-friendly installation process is important.

Also some configuration-files could be downloaded via KNewStuff, e.g. Service-Menus. They often do not need any compilation so they would be ideal (easy to implement) for an upload technologie.

hook wrote:A lot of content is managed by KNewStuff already, but not all KDE-related content can be managed by it, yet. And with this I mean content that needs to be compiled — e.g. KWin themes, Plasmoids that are not scripts, KStyles, screensavers etc.

Since such compiled content can still be safely installed in the '~/.kde/' directory, I propose that KNewStuff (and with it GHNS) should be extended so that it could download, compile and manage versions of such content.

Since most such KDE compilable content is very similar to compile and install, I think it would be possible without KNewStuff having to evolve into something akin to Gentoo Portage

The only "problem" that I see is that the developers of such content would have to stick to some basic rules, so KNewStuff would be able to know how to compile them. But then again, even emoticons don't work in KNewStuff if you don't follow the basic rules.

I've already submitted a bug report concerning this wish.

Yes! I want that now. I think I proposed that idea on (wrong source) Ubuntu Brainstorm. Also I did thought to propose it on KDE-Look.
So thanks to propose it here and on KDE bugs!

Bottom line is that KNewStuff/GHNS is an amazing piece of technology that should be put into more wide-spread use.

From what I can understand what's keeping us from it so far is:

• non-consistent and non-standardised (enough) format of submitted content on OpenDesktop etc.
• currently KNewStuff does not support yet compilation

...when we overcome these two problems, I think we can use KNewStuff for pretty much every option in KDE — be it screensavers, styles, plasmoids or templates.

At the same time, more and more distribution consider using systems based on PackageKit, to be able to provide a unified package management system. The PackageKit library could also be useful to achieve a GHNS integration for binary packages for some content like you listed in your proposal.

The distro would only have to configure the type of package it supports and PackageKit would do the link between GHNS and the system. Of course the compiling idea would be applied for all non-packaged content.

The interest is then that for the user this would be totally transparent and would in fact only depend on what is available on FreeDesktop sites (non-binary content, distribution-specific binary packages, or only sources).

It would also avoid some problems due to dependences needed by the compilation by letting PackageKit handle it like any other package in the system.

hook wrote:I've already submitted a bug report concerning this wish.

You shouldn't that means I'm "obliged" to move it to Submitted subforum, where
we put ideas for which a wishlist bug was submitted.
But given this is quite popular idea I'll leave it be for now.[hr]Moved to Submitted!

@Primoz:
Well, I that bug is older then the KDE forums, I think

@saphir:
Hmmm, the PackageKit idea seems like a viable option. If it would work with distributing and compiling source as well, it'd be great!

Get Hot New Stuff is one of those features I have never seen in any other desktop, including Windows/Mac. Its already in lots of places, it needs to be in more.

How about cursors and sound scheme?

Angel Blue01 wrote:How about cursors and sound scheme?

That'd be great!

There's currently two problems with those two though:

Sound schemes AFAIK don't have a standard package yet (i.e. you just get a tarball of individual sounds that you need to copy by hand).

And at least for me, cursor themes from kde-look.org in KDE 4.2 have a bug that switches some cursors with others (e.g. "bottom-left resize arrow" for "bottom-right resize arrow").