Features/XdgConfigDirs

= XDG config dirs =

Summary
Use XDG config dirs in all packages on the destktop spin

Owner

 * Name: Desktop SIG
 * Email: desktop@lists.fedoraproject.org

Current status

 * Targeted release: Fedora 17
 * Last updated: 2011-07-18
 * Percentage of completion: 0%

Many GNOME modules already use XDG config directories for storing their file-based configurations, but there is still a large number of dotfiles that accumulate directly in $HOME, or in dot-directories such as .gnome2, .gnome2-private, etc.

Detailed Description
All desktop applications should use the proper XDG directories for storing file-based configurations, cache files, runtime data, etc.

Benefit to Fedora
Users will have a less cluttered home directory that is easier to manage. The extra indirection provided by the XDG environment variables will let us make things work more reliable in special situations, such as with NFS home directories.

Scope
We have to provide patches for all packages on the desktop spin that still store dotfiles in $HOME or subdirectories other than the XDG directories. These patches should go upstream. See http://live.gnome.org/GnomeGoals/XDGConfigFolders for upstream tracking of affected modules.

How To Test

 * 1) . Install the desktop spin
 * 2) . Log in to the desktop
 * 3) . Use any of the installed applications, change settings, etc
 * 4) . Verify that XDG folders get used to store file-based configuration, cache files, runtime data

User Experience
Users with newly created accounts should notice that their home directories appear less cluttered in ls -la.

Dependencies
TBD

Contingency Plan
Packages can be fixed one-by-one. There is no need to revert successfully ported packages.

Documentation
TBD

Release Notes
TBD

Comments and Discussion

 * See Talk:Features/XdgConfigDirs