[lug] Netscape/Mozilla plugins

[D. Stimits]

Rob Riggs wrote:
> 
> D. Stimits wrote:
> 
> >A sample would be that I'd like my "reply-to" button to check for given
> >reply addresses, and if it sees one, pop up a menu and ask if I'd like
> >to switch to some other reply address.
> >
> This is not something that a plugin can really handle. However,
> Mozilla's source is available to hack on, which is what would be needed
> in this case.

Patching wouldn't be very popular, compared to plugins. To some extent,
people even resist plugins.

> 
> >Another sample, I'd like to create a PostegreSQL address book and
> >bookmarks menu, vastly more searchable and categorizable. One odd
> >alteration I would also like to do is add CORBA support to this, and
> >possibly to the mail box itself (and thus any mail client could use the
> >same data if it could reach the program).
> >
> This one is a little easier if you are prepared for another option.
> Mozilla supports LDAP, which can be layered on top of a database. I've
> used LDAP for a company wide directory in the past and it works quite
> well. Most Linux distributions include the OpenLDAP package. I'm not
> sure if it supports any relational database back-ends yet.

I'm afraid this wouldn't intercept and customize existing parts of the
browser. I was just hoping plugins could be used for customization of
the whole environment.

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com

> 
> >But neither of the above are MIME handlers. Both of the above would
> >require hooks into non-MIME handler parts of the browser/email client.
> >
> Correct. The plugin mechanism was created for one specific purpose:
> handling new content types as they are invented. It's responsible for
> such horrors as the Flash-only web page. However, with Mozilla you have
> something better -- you can modify the application itself.
> 
> -Rob
> 
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