Suggestion Box

looking at the way cortex handles media node connections in a manner sometimes better handled (though not more easily described) by scripts, it's hard not to think of cortex' potential as a scripting engine for haiku, describing flow between applications which in turn would become building blocks for end users' entirely modular and endlessly customizable systems. what's immediately missing from cortex to that end is the ability to initalize any nodes in the search path (are paths even the most efficient way for an extensively journaled and indexed filesystem to work? is there a way to use queries instead of paths? a way to provide alternate identifications for libraries through attributes instead of simlinks or ifdefs?) in a saved graph upon reloading, so that everything's up and running and users can just pick up where they left off. beyond that, the ability to differentiate between running a graph as one would a script and editing the graph in cortex would be a boon.the last thing i'd really like to see in cortex or some analog thereof is the ability to change connections in realtime, with all apps still running -- which, insofar as i know, may already exist in cortex' current state but goes unnoticed due entirely to the way current media kit applications are designed -- and on that note, i'd say we could do quite well to encourage as modular a design as possible for media applications in haiku, so that ultimately it's up to end users to determine how their media is streamed in their systems, leveraging fully the excellent design of haiku's media kit. it may lead to applications that are a bit less efficient than fully enclosed apps (like the current mediaplayer -- took me awhile to figure out why that one acted funny in cortex when playing video), but where the approach falls short, updates to the operating system itself will improve functionality overall. between cortex and replicants, i really get the feeling beos' userspace was meant to be a modular and graphically programmable environment allowing users an unprecedented (and to this day unsurpassed) level of control, should they choose to exercise it.

The Haiku could participate in the ESA Summer of Code in Space 2013 (Socis 2013)? http://sophia.estec.esa.int/socis2013/

I'm sorry if this has been covered somewhere, I can't seem to find it (unless I'm missing something).

Is there anyway, besides a full re-install, to update haiku, or parts of haiku? something like Windows Update (though better implemented). I know Package Management is being worked on, but will that cover the system as well as apps?

I know it sounds strange, but I think it's best.
I'm not demanding anything, or saying it's something you need to do right now.
There's no OS quite like this one on the market, so I think you have plenty and plenty of time. Whenver you feel like it.

This OS runs really fast and boots fast, so it's already great for netbooks.
Also, netbooks are called "netbooks" because a large focus on them is for the net.

I'm basically saying that if a much larger focus was put on the web browser, then the OS itself would already be very usable.

Just look at it now. The HTML5 support is already decent. So, if I am having trouble finding a program for Haiku, I can find it in the web browser.
Like, I couldn't get any Haiku office suites to load, so I just use Google Docs. It's a great office suite that runs in the Haiku web browser (Web Positive).

I'm just saying that if Haiku could support what modern browsers support and the great speed it does, you've already sold Haiku as a great netbook OS.

Then maybe you could improve upon it to get it to be a great desktop OS.

This is just a suggestion. I bought Haiku R1 and I think, with just a bit of additions to the web browser, it could actually be a main OS for me. I mostly just want Flash and WebGL. But if somehow you managed to get Java, Silverlight, and all that stuff over, that would be pretty impressive. But I don't think Java and Siverlight are much requirements.

I also think a spell-checker would be useful as well, and eventually extension support.
As well as making it load pages a bit faster and being able to freely move the tabs around.
Other things like that.

These are just my 2 cents. It's summer now, and I'm working on my own projects.
You don't need to take my suggestion if you don't want, but I'm just sayin'.
This already has the potential to be one of the best netbook OS's. If you can get all of the stuff supported, WebGL, Flash, Java, Siverlight, etc, it could even be better than Chrome OS for netbooking. It certaintly has the speed.

I know the devs probably don't want their OS to only be a netbook OS.
But if you want it to be a good desktop OS, you need to at least get it recognized first.
I'm just saying that if you get it recognized as a great netbook OS, more people will start using it, and then you could get a crowed.

I honestly have no clue how hard it would be to support the things I listed, but hopefully one of you can, or at least know how to find somebody that can.

I'm posting this from Haiku. I think Haiku has a lot of potential, if the project is focused in the right direction.

You may be still waiting for better financing, and that's okay. But whenever you get it, I just suggest putting a large focus into the web browser. It's already looking pretty good.

The web browser is just an easy way to sell a fast OS right off the bat.
Or if you do not plan to sell it, at least get it recognized.

Like I've said, even if you don't want Haiku to be recognized as a netbook OS and want it to be something more or different, you want to get it recognized first. And this would be a good place to do that. I don't think Haiku is far from being recognized at all.