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The main page for this idea is Summer Coding 2010 ideas - Customizable application installer.

The main page for Summer Coding 2010 ideas is Category:Summer Coding 2010 ideas.


Status: Accepting Applications

Summary of idea:

Ailurus is an application installer [1]. It lists specific software for specific task. It lists few software, rather than all packages in Fedora repository. It helps new users because new users can find out software they want directly, rather than do searching in a lot of packages. Many Fedora users are using Ailurus now.

Our goal is to make Ailurus customizable. For example, users can add comment for software. Software introduction can be changed. New software items can be added. Existing software items can be removed. Under the user's permission, the changes to the software items can be uploaded to a web service on google app-engine, therefore other users will obtain a benefit by downloading the changes. This application installer supports extensions. Users can add their own function.

[1] http://ailurus.googlecode.com

Contacts: Homer Xing

Mentor(s): Homer Xing

More information

Proposed feature:

  • Software introduction can be changed by user. Users can add comment for software.
  1. For example, user clicks "Screenlets: eye candy widgets" item. Then the text "Screenlets can add eye candy widgets on desktop" appears in the textbox below. User can change the text.
  • New software items can be added, if software is in Fedora repository. The only work is to provide a package name, then a new item will appear.
  1. For example, user chooses "For developers -> Development" category. Then user can add "gvim" in this category.
  • Software items can be removed.
  1. For example, user chooses "Common -> Firefox extensions" category. Then user can remove any items freely from this category.
  • Under the user's permission, the changes to the software items can be uploaded to a web service on google app-engine. Other users can download the changes.
  1. For example, user adds "gvim" item. Then user can upload "gvim" item to a web service.
  • Support for extensions. Enabling extensions install/remove. Users can add their own API.

What to do:

  • Build a web service on Google app-engine.
  • Change source code architecture, in order to support extensions.

Impact on the Fedora community:

The project can improve the usability of Fedora. A greater portion of users will obtain a benefit.