Standardizing data store across toolkits (SMS, PIM data, playlist, etc) [Re: Software Status Update]

[MartinG]

On Friday 16 May 2008 03:26:06 Carsten Haitzler wrote:
> On Fri, 16 May 2008 01:44:59 +0200 "Marco Trevisan (Treviño)"
> <mail at 3v1n0.net> babbled:
> > Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman) wrote:
> > > ... choose the toolkit you like. i really do not like the whole
> > > mindset of "we must program in language X or use toolkit Y because the
> > > device happens to use it somewhere in some apps by default".
> >
> > I do agree... I always use a kind of hybrid system here (I use mixed
> > apps both for Gnome/Kde/Xfce... Anyway a GTK/Qt mixture :P), but I've
> > spent days to get an homogeneous look (I use Qtcurve now)...
> >
> > BTW, I think that there's an important thing, really more than the look
> > one: different applications that performs the same task should work on
> > the same dataset. I mean, if I've both an Openmoko SMS app, and a Qtopia
> > one I want them all read the same contacts and the same messages.
> >
> > Maybe actually it's hard to do so, since they would use different
> > libraries and backends, but I guess that in this "middle-time" we should
> > write some "syncing scripts" that perform this important, vital imho,
> > task (converting data between apps on each runtime)!
>
> yeah. this is actually the bigger problem we face in the longer run.
> standardising data stores and access to them etc. :)

I think this is a important point that should be given some thought
before everyone starts hacking. Would it make sense to use opensync
[1] as a middle layer between the frontend app and the backend store
-- with one plugin on each side?
Or are the akonadi libraries light weight enough? Other solutions?

As a "poweruser" I tend to want to try all and every software
available to find out what fits my needs, but to set up everything
from scratch each time I change my mind would be, well, boring.
Programming a flexible data store on the other hand, would be rather
fun (what do I know - I have never really tried (yet))

Just some free thinkin' from my side...

best,
MartinG

[1] www.opensync.org
[2] http://pim.kde.org/akonadi/