Public SourceMage Discussion List

[Mads Laursen <smgl AT dossen.dk>]

On 15/05/06 19.48, Pieter Lenaerts wrote:
[snip]
> in my proposition, there's a big problem with the fact
> that /etc/wpa_supplicant/<ssid> files have to be in synch with the
> networks configured in /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf ...
> juuso has an idea to have all data just once in <ssid> files, and let
> wpa_cli feed those into wpa_supplicant at runtime.

Could the ssid files go in a subdirectory? Not that it makes much
difference, but in my eyes it would be neater.

> a huge problem is the amount of options that we have to deal with if we
> want to make this userfriendly with a dialog and stuff. I'm not sure we
> can make it very userfriendly since a lot of network admins don't even
> provide their users with the data they need to get wpa_supplicant
> configured.

One thing to that would be nice here would be optional functions to be
called by the action script, like in the wired network .dev files.
That way if we don't provide an interface to pop up a message box
informing me that I'm logged on to such-and-such network - or whatever
other action I'd like - I can add it to the relevant ssid-script. And
perhaps a global script that is sourced before the ssid-specific (in
case I want a popup for any network).

> this brings me to n°3: I think we should get our current netconf tool to
> provide a choice between wpa_supplicant/wireless_tools or no wifi. it
> would be very bad practice to complicate stuff to our users.

Could netconf be re-engineered to source from a plugin-dir and then
provide the options that there are plugins for. That way
wpa_supplicant/wireless_tools support could at least be kept from the
people who don't have the spells installed.

> I'm sure there's a lot more problems that I'm missing

Very likely ;-)

But it sound like a good plan.

A few quick ideas: It would be good in the long run, if the network
infrastructure is also prepared to handle other types of network
support (ppp (cellphones, etc.), vpn, etc.), dependencies between
networks (vpn needs connection to the internet, perhaps vpn should
only be up when on/not on specific network, etc.), as much support for
plugging in user-defined actions as possible on network events, etc.
The system should be as simple to build upon as possible - as many
configurations and actions as possible should be scriptable.

Anyway I'm getting beyond wireless, stuffs compiling, there's tons of
mail - ahhh shiny new DVDs ;-)

/dossen
-- 
The fantasy of gold, the fairy dream that the gold is there, at the end of
the rainbow, and will continue to be there for ever provided, naturally,
that you don't go and look.  This is known as Finance.
      -- Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

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