"File Type" Buddy for Fedora 9?

[David Timms]

Mark wrote:
> 2007/11/12, Ralf Ertzinger <fedora at camperquake.de>:
>> Usually the programs installed register a list of extensions they are
>> able to handle. audacious seems to miss the m3u extension, this is
>> a bug. Please file in bugzilla.
> 
> Not the kind of reply that i was hoping to see ^_^
> i will fill a bug report.
Bug reports for both issues, and request for enhancements in general 
lead to fixes getting released. I think bug'ging it is the best way to 
go ;) Even more so for a repeatable problem, or well thought out enhancment

 > but lets take another extension. .rar
 > a "Extension Buddy" would be handy for that. (i know how to get rar
 > capability but it's just for the idea!)

I think what you mean is that given any file type we could have a 
central registry of packages that implement the file type {view, play, 
edit etc}.

Workflow:
1(a) Johnny receives from mary a thing-a-me.whatnot file
or
1(b) Mary downloads a i-cant-tell-how-to-open-this file
2. Click the file
{3. Virus scanner checks it.}
4. file "the-file" is run to determine file type {extensions mean 
nothing - I can send you a music file called scream.loudly whose actual 
type is ogg - your player and tools will act on it based on it's 
contents - not it's right most part of file-name.}
5. a list of {fedora only} packages that implement that file type are 
presented.
6. expanding the more info panel allows Mary or Johnny to get enough 
info to decide which package they would like to try.
7. Mary or Johnny click the install package button.
8. yum and friends download the package {and dependencies}, and install 
the package.
9. User is informed that the capability to "use" double-clicked file has 
been installed.
10. Click the file again - the app now opens it.

Any adjustments needed ?

Actually the db could store the "use"s eg play view edit hear modify 
convert etc, and be more informative eg the descriptions could say:
- view file.presentation
    "fast presentation viewer"
- edit
     openoffice impress

DaveT.