dhis2-devs team mailing list archive

[Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx>]

wot's an SSB?

On 23 April 2010 12:30, Knut Staring <knutst@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 12:39 PM, Saptarshi Purkayastha
> <sunbiz@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I believe making it cross-browser is better than packaging a browser. Didn't EU tell MS that browser bundling by a majority player is wrong. ;)
>
> Nice point. But a SSB is more like a separate application - removes
> the clutter, user toolbars and plugins, back button etc. On a small
> screen, the wasted real estate of the top toolbar space seriously
> affects the usability of DHIS2. An SSB will make it more similar to
> 1.4 and other desktop apps.
>
> In Chrome, just click the page icon in the upper right corner  and
> select "Create application shortcuts..." to see what I mean.
>
> And of course, optionally supplying an (optional) modern browser does
> not contradict efforts at supporting some of the horrible old ones ;-)
>
> Knut
>
>
>> Sent from my BlackBerry®
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jason Pickering <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx>
>> Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:37:53
>> To: Bob Jolliffe<bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx>
>> Cc: DHIS 2 developers<dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: [Dhis2-devs] "Site Specific Browser" included with DHIS2 Live?
>>
>> Yeah, the problem is, how do you  know where Chrome/FireFox/etc is?
>> Sounds like we need to read the registry, which sounds even more
>> complicated.
>>
>> My preference would be as follows.
>>
>> 1) Test for the existence of a DHIS2_BROWSER variable. . This will
>> allow packagers to determine which browser the user should use and or
>> advanced users to set the variable on their own if they are so
>> inclined to do so. If it exists, try and use this
>> 2) Test for the existence of the /ssb/firefox.exe file. If it exists, use this.
>> 3) If none of that works, just open the default browser.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> I've got an even simpler suggestion.  Why not get the tray app to
>>> simply try and exec "firefox" first (in the hope that it is installed
>>> and in the path).  If that fails it can try chrome and if that fails
>>> open with default browser.
>>>
>>> From the packaging perspective (and I think packaging is a slightly
>>> different concern) , if a packager wants to build a
>>> portable-firefox-included version then just be sure that the installer
>>> sets the path correctly.  I think personally my preference would be to
>>> simply include a standard (up to date) firefox install package on the
>>> same medium as the dhis2-live.  But I do understand the concern about
>>> users inadvertently having their default browser switched because they
>>> get intimidated by the dialog.
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Bob
>>>
>>>
>>> On 23 April 2010 09:55, Ola Hodne Titlestad <olatitle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>> I was more thing of the unzip and run package.
>>>>
>>>> If there is a folder DHIS2Live/firefox-portable/ I thought we could simply
>>>> run DHIS in this specific browser with a command on the form:
>>>> "portable-firefox/firefox.exe http://localhost:8080/dhis";
>>>>
>>>> Ola
>>>> ------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 23 April 2010 10:48, Jason Pickering <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Including the browser as part of the install is trivial. Making it
>>>>> launch, without making it the default browser, is the issue really we
>>>>> are discussing and that will require modification to the DHIS2 tray
>>>>> app.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have currently three different installers in trunk. 1) Windows
>>>>> bare-bones installer that just installs H2 and DHIS2. 2) Windows
>>>>> installer with the H2 Sierra Leone DB 3) A console based installer for
>>>>> Linux. It would be simple enough to produce a fourth, and include a
>>>>> browser of choice. Still working on the postgres installer, but for
>>>>> Zambia, I was planning on distributing FireFox/Opera/Chrome or
>>>>> whatever the devs say is best along with the installer. I did not
>>>>> really want to make this browser the default, unless the user did this
>>>>> theirselves, which most browsers will try and do anyway, which is a
>>>>> bit of  a problem. If this feature of "Me first, Me first!" could be
>>>>> disabled for the SSB, then it sounds like a very good plan to me.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards,
>>>>> JP
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 10:42 AM, Ola Hodne Titlestad
>>>>> <olatitle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>> > I would still like us to pursue the idea of distributing a portable
>>>>> > browser
>>>>> > with DHIS2 live to make it easier to get started with DHIS.
>>>>> > At least check whether this is doable or not.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > This would cater for DHIS training and the "I want to see what this is"
>>>>> > scenarios when the users are offline or on poor connections making
>>>>> > online
>>>>> > demos difficult to use.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > The installer/production scenario is a bit different I think, but also
>>>>> > very
>>>>> > important.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Ola Hodne Titlestad |Technical Officer|
>>>>> > Health Metrics Network (HMN) | World Health Organization
>>>>> > Avenue Appia 20 |1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland | Email:
>>>>> > titlestado@xxxxxxx|Tel: +41 788216897
>>>>> > Website: www.healthmetricsnetwork.org
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Better Information. Better Decisions. Better Health.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On 23 April 2010 10:31, Jason Pickering <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> My suggestion would be to keep it very simple.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> If the environment variable exists, and is of the form "C:\program
>>>>> >> files\dhis2\ssb\firefox.exe" then launch it. This would mean that this
>>>>> >> would only cater to the situation where someone has installed the
>>>>> >> program with the installer (which will likely be the case for many
>>>>> >> production installations) but not always.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Otherwise, just fall back and do what is already in the code.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 10:18 AM, Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> >> wrote:
>>>>> >> > On 23 April 2010 09:04, Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>> >> >> On 23 April 2010 08:54, Jason Pickering
>>>>> >> >> <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> >> >> wrote:
>>>>> >> >>> I somewhat agree with Bob, but I also see good reasons why
>>>>> >> >>> packaging a
>>>>> >> >>> browser is a good idea. There seems to be pretty wide variation
>>>>> >> >>> between different browsers, and while it is a good idea to support
>>>>> >> >>> many different ones, it is also a lot of work. If we could focus on
>>>>> >> >>> being sure that all the browser-related bugs are not present, for
>>>>> >> >>> instance in Chrome or Firefox,  for a particular release, this
>>>>> >> >>> would
>>>>> >> >>> ensure that the app is going to work properly in a production
>>>>> >> >>> environment.  I have seen a lot of problems in the field with
>>>>> >> >>> people
>>>>> >> >>> installing toolbars, browser hijacking, etc that really is going to
>>>>> >> >>> complicate deployments unnecessarily.
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> After looking at the code, it seems that setting an environment
>>>>> >> >>> variable might be the best solution, perhaps.
>>>>> >> >>> This could be set as part of the installation process. If the
>>>>> >> >>> environment variable exists (DHIS2_BROWSER) for example, then it
>>>>> >> >>> would
>>>>> >> >>> attempt to open up DHIS2 with this. Otherwise, it would default to
>>>>> >> >>> the
>>>>> >> >>> current Desktop.getDesktop().browse( URI.create (getUrl() ) ) );
>>>>> >> >>> which
>>>>> >> >>> will simply launch the default browser.
>>>>> >> >>
>>>>> >> >> I guess this could work with an exec.  I'll take a look.
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > Though I am reluctant to depend on the environment variable for the
>>>>> >> > out-of-the-box experience.  The nice thing about dhis-live is that
>>>>> >> > you
>>>>> >> > can drop it in and run it.  It is this zero-install-fiddling which
>>>>> >> > people like.  Setting environment variables is the next level of
>>>>> >> > customisation and sophistication for users.  Other possibilities:
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> > (i)   check for the existence of a "portable-firefox" folder.  If
>>>>> >> > available use that.
>>>>> >> > (ii)  open a dialog on first invocation requesting users to pick a
>>>>> >> > browser (I have no idea at this stage how to list them).  But that
>>>>> >> > choice would have to be persisted somehow.
>>>>> >> > (iii) .... ?
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >> >>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>  Of course, this could be made as an option of the installer,
>>>>> >> >>> whether
>>>>> >> >>> to install one of these site-specific browsers or not, but I think
>>>>> >> >>> the
>>>>> >> >>> advantages outweigh the disadvantages. It is certainly worth
>>>>> >> >>> testing I
>>>>> >> >>> think.
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> Regards,
>>>>> >> >>> Jason
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 9:46 AM, Ola Hodne Titlestad
>>>>> >> >>> <olatitle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>> >> >>>> On 22 April 2010 23:28, Bob Jolliffe <bobjolliffe@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> >> >>>> wrote:
>>>>> >> >>>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>> On 22 April 2010 19:35, Jason Pickering
>>>>> >> >>>>> <jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> >> >>>>> wrote:
>>>>> >> >>>>> > I think it should probably be a blueprint and  I think it is a
>>>>> >> >>>>> > good
>>>>> >> >>>>> > idea.
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> > It is certainly  a problem on many machines I have encounterd
>>>>> >> >>>>> > in
>>>>> >> >>>>> > the
>>>>> >> >>>>> > field. We need to install FireFox, Chrome, Opera or something,
>>>>> >> >>>>> > and
>>>>> >> >>>>> > ideally make it the default browser. This seems to be a good
>>>>> >> >>>>> > idea
>>>>> >> >>>>> > to
>>>>> >> >>>>> > me, but can seem a bit drastic to some users.  Ideally, the
>>>>> >> >>>>> > installer
>>>>> >> >>>>> > would come prepackaged with this browser. When DHI2 Live is
>>>>> >> >>>>> > launched,
>>>>> >> >>>>> > instead of making a call to the default browser (which in most
>>>>> >> >>>>> > cases
>>>>> >> >>>>> > in IE), assuming that this was installed as part of a special
>>>>> >> >>>>> > live
>>>>> >> >>>>> > package, then this browser would get opened instead, thereby
>>>>> >> >>>>> > launching
>>>>> >> >>>>> > DHIS2. I am not so sure about the DHIS2 live part, as it simply
>>>>> >> >>>>> > launches the default browser. Bob?
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> I don't think its very easy to coax dhis2-live to open anything
>>>>> >> >>>>> besides the default browser.  Not that its impossible, but
>>>>> >> >>>>> probably
>>>>> >> >>>>> very messy.  I'm also not sure we want to get into the browser
>>>>> >> >>>>> packaging business.
>>>>> >> >>>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>> Could the portable firefox package be of any help here? We could
>>>>> >> >>>> put
>>>>> >> >>>> it in a
>>>>> >> >>>> standard location DHIS2Live/firefox/ and start it from there? I
>>>>> >> >>>> have
>>>>> >> >>>> used it
>>>>> >> >>>> for the PHIT and DHIS seems to run fine there. It is set up with
>>>>> >> >>>> all
>>>>> >> >>>> relative paths which should make it easier to distribute as no
>>>>> >> >>>> installation
>>>>> >> >>>> is needed.
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>> Ola
>>>>> >> >>>> --------
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> > On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 6:32 PM, Knut Staring
>>>>> >> >>>>> > <knutst@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> >> >>>>> > wrote:
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Given that DHIS2 runs best in Chrome (especially the Mapping
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> module),
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> and also ok in Firefox, it might be a good idea to make sure
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> people
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> have access to one of these browsers.
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> One way to do that is to package things with Prism (Firefox)
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> or
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Chrome
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> (or Fluid for Mac http://fluidapp.com/)
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1842277/chrome-application-shortcuts-mozilla-prism-installer
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> What do you guys think?
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Knut
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>_______________________________________________
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> >> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>> >> >>>>> >>
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> > --
>>>>> >> >>>>> > --
>>>>> >> >>>>> > Jason P. Pickering
>>>>> >> >>>>> > email: jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> >>>>> > tel:+260968395190
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>> >_______________________________________________
>>>>> >> >>>>> > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> > Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> >>>>> > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> > More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>> >> >>>>> >
>>>>> >> >>>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>> >> >>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> >>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>>>>> >> >>>>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>> --
>>>>> >> >>> --
>>>>> >> >>> Jason P. Pickering
>>>>> >> >>> email: jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> >>> tel:+260968395190
>>>>> >> >>>
>>>>> >> >>
>>>>> >> >
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> --
>>>>> >> --
>>>>> >> Jason P. Pickering
>>>>> >> email: jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>> >> tel:+260968395190
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> --
>>>>> Jason P. Pickering
>>>>> email: jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>> tel:+260968395190
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> --
>> Jason P. Pickering
>> email: jason.p.pickering@xxxxxxxxx
>> tel:+260968395190
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>> Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>> _______________________________________________
>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>> Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
>> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Knut Staring
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
> Post to     : dhis2-devs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~dhis2-devs
> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>