Launchpad Entry: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/desktop-karmic-gdmconfig
Created: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:23:00 +1000 by RobertAncell
Contributors: RobertAncell
Packages affected: gdm
Summary
Since the transition from GDM 2.20 to 2.26 there is no longer a graphical facility to configure preferences for GDM.
Ubuntu bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gdm/+bug/395299
GNOME bug: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=587750
GNOME task to add background setting to appearance applet: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=536531
Rationale
Without a tool an average user will not be able to change the login settings from the default.
Use cases
- Mike wants to have his user automatically log in
- Jim wants to change the background of the login screen
Scope
The changes will involve
- Producing patches to implement the user interface
Design
Option A
- Produce a stand-alone gdmsetup tool with the following options:
- Default user
- Login delay
- Background
Option B (this is the option suggested by halfline on #gdm)
- Modify the "Users and Groups" tool to be able to set the default user and login delay
Modify the "Appearance" tool to be able to set the login background (http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=536531)
Option C
Implement configuration on login screen as described in the LoginExperience specification
Implementation
- Option A chosen for first release to provide functionality in time for Karmic
- Implemented in C (match existing GDM code)
- GTK+ GUI
Use PolicyKit for authorisation using the existing org.gnome.DisplayManager.Settings interface
Comments
- BaptisteMilleMathias: GDMConfigureTool should also permit to change the GTK+ theme used. Perhaps a specific tab will be required for theming parameters.
- MatTomaszewski: great work! I've started working on a spec for the login experience: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Specs/Karmic/LoginExperience
- - After discussing with pitti and seb128 we decided to propose including the config tool in the gdm itself. There's also a discussion whether the background should be configurable, currently the design team recommendation is to not have it configurable, to avoid potential conflicts between preferences of different users. So the login space is to remain a "public space", as opposed to "personal space" of the user's session.
- (To RobertAncell: BTW, there's a crazy time zone difference between us, so please feel free to drop me an email if there's anything you'd like to discuss! Thx!)
- Configuration specs which seem to apply to 2.26 two: http://live.gnome.org/GDM/2.22/Configuration
- - After discussing with pitti and seb128 we decided to propose including the config tool in the gdm itself. There's also a discussion whether the background should be configurable, currently the design team recommendation is to not have it configurable, to avoid potential conflicts between preferences of different users. So the login space is to remain a "public space", as opposed to "personal space" of the user's session.