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Idea #8904: Implement support for the MenuToGo standard

Written by Auzy the 21 May 08 at 15:52. Category: Others. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
MenuToGo is a way for developers to add a list of available actions to their archives so that users only need to deal with relevant files. Unlike RPM's or DEB's, it doesn't require files to be packaged in a special way to use, and the menutogo menu-file can simply be dropped into repositories.

An example menu for a source archive may be:
- Read the release notes.
- Install dependencies via APT (if apt is detected)
- Compile Program
- Compile and Install Program
- Uninstall program

Its more user friendly then seeing: autogen.sh, README, xga.c, xga.h,automake.in,src,makefile,COPYING,includes. Newbies wont know how to compile that program or use it! Menutogo solves that!

Screenshots (one showing the advantages) are available here. Click here for Project Page

Other relevent links and download links posted in comments (Please note, MenuToGo is GPL)

MenuToGo is a prototype of idea 7167.
Tags: (none)

26
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #8904
Written by Auzy the 21 May 08 at 15:52.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #8904 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Attachments
forum Ubuntuforums.org thread #803034


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Comments
Auzy wrote on the 21 May 08 at 15:54
Windows/Linux Binaries to test with are available at:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=226716

Release Notes:
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/menutogo/ReleaseNotes.pdf

Project Page:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/menutogo/


Please give feedback. If I think people like the idea, I will pursue it further and code integration for the common archiver programs & try to earn full standardisation of the MenuToGo XML format.

Eldmannen wrote on the 21 May 08 at 16:16
Newbies shouldn't be compiling stuff in the first place.

Auzy wrote on the 21 May 08 at 16:19
Why not? This would make it easy enough for anyone..


Auzy wrote on the 21 May 08 at 16:34
I should also add, it can be used for any tar.gz, not just a source one. So there are other benefits too. The best way of putting them is: http://sourceforge.net/dbimage.php?id=172998

Primož Papič wrote on the 21 May 08 at 18:13
Wow Auzy this is pretty major thing...
I don't agree with Eldmannen, I compiled some stuff that never actually used and I still count myself more of a newbie.
And a lot of stuff can be only compiled everything that's not in repos.. So one has no choice other than compiling.
I gave this idea +1.

Rinzwind wrote on the 21 May 08 at 18:48
Very very very nice Auzy.
A big fat +1. I wish I could do a +10 :)

Auzy wrote on the 22 May 08 at 02:37
Thanks guys, I'm actually aiming to get it integrated into Intrepid ipex actually.

Auzy wrote on the 22 May 08 at 03:59
Added a Ubuntu forums address now too.

Richard.Kolodziej wrote on the 2 Jul 08 at 20:32
Now this is an idea and you are already working on it! Thumbs up!

rafalcieslak wrote on the 26 Aug 08 at 12:19
Good job!

Auzy wrote on the 26 Aug 08 at 13:04
Milestone 1.1 is sitting in the SVN, and its capable of running a menu file automatically which is in the same directory as the binary (so you could drop the binaries on a CD as a menu to install the app and read the documentation).

I believe that after writing up documentation, and proper file association, it could actually be released as a beta/final version.


Unfortunately, I've kind of lost the will to deal with computers though. Brainstorm taught me that frankly, even computer nerds can be stupid when it comes to computers.

You only need to look around here to realise that we cant even make up our own minds. For starters, people here are scared of change. Since vista, people here have become afraid of adding features for fear it will slow down the OS (and in most cases, they dont realise its negligible). Then there are those who want Linux to remain for an elite group. Then there are those who have blindsighted themselves into believing that something like "/etc" is easy enough to learn, that we don't need to make it more friendly.

I may document it eventually (its not hard to document anyway), but its questionable whether I will.

Due to the dysfunctional linux community, I simply feel that the effort of arguing (against the .deb crowd who lie to themselves into believing that all code is available as a deb anyway) it would take to get this included would not be worth it for me personally. If I have time after I finish getting my Private pilot license I may release the first version, but as yet, I would rather see if there was ways to fix the root of the problem (ie. the community)


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