[Sugar-devel] [IAEP] [SLOBS] Long-term support for Sugar

[Peter Robinson]

On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 11:47 PM, Martin Dengler
<martin at martindengler.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 05:15:31PM -0500, Yamandu Ploskonka wrote:
>> Chris Ball wrote:
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> >    > TBH I'm not 100% sure on that as I'm not a PackageKit developer
>> >    > but I believe that is addressed by ConsoleKit and as its in use
>> >    > on Fedora and I'm pretty sure Ubuntu and others (and I'm pretty
>> >    > sure its an external dependency of gnome too) I'm sure that issue
>> >    > has been addressed.
>> >
>> > My understanding is that the developers consider it addressed by
>> > "%post runs as root, and if you don't like it then don't install RPMs
>> > [from untrusted sources]".  So, we need to find out what's up there.
>> >
>> > - Chris.
>>
>> Very good point you make.  It gets complicated as the users - kids -
>> have not been shown they get it regarding giving their full name, age
>> and address and some even phone number, so it is unlikely they will deal
>> safely with the nuances of "untrusted sources".
>> It would be sort of a shame that the first massive attack of malware on
>> Linux platforms happened under our watch...
>
> The whole point of Rainbow is that what I think you're talking about
> isn't an issue, and it's encouraged that kids share Activities.
> Eliminating this sharing ability is one of the problems with the
> current rpm / PackageKit proposals AIUI.

How is the sharing implemented currently? I don't see how its
different to say installing an activity via the control panel as I
don't believe it leaves the .xo lying about for easy sharing. There's
nothing to say that the Package kit can't leave the rpm for the
kid/child/student installed activity in a folder somewhere for them
the share via the Chat application if the interface supports sending
of files. And when the other kid/child/student receives the file Chat
could even offer to install it automatically for them.

You could even use it as a way of a teacher pushing out an activity
through a shared chat activity to ensure all the class have a a new
activity or even a URL to the activity on a school server where when
they click on it it will install. I've never seen any of that be able
to be done with the current .xo format except for the hack to the mime
type in the browse activity.

Peter