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authorMarco Pesenti Gritti <mpeseng@src.gnome.org>2002-12-31 03:29:24 +0800
committerMarco Pesenti Gritti <mpeseng@src.gnome.org>2002-12-31 03:29:24 +0800
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+Epiphany is a GNOME web browser based on the mozilla
+rendering engine.
+The name meaning:
+"An intuitive grasp of reality through
+something (as an event) usually simple and striking"
+
+MANIFESTO
+
+A web browser is more than an application, it is a way of thinking, it is
+a way of seeing the world. Epiphany's principles are simplicity and standards
+compliance.
+
+Simplicity:
+
+While Mozilla has an excellent rendering engine, its default
+XUL-based interface is considered to be overcrowded and bloated. Furthermore,
+on slower processors even trivial tasks such as pulling down a menu is less
+than responsive.
+
+Epiphany aims to utilize the simplest interface possible for a browser. Keep
+in mind that simple does not necessarily mean less powerful. We believe
+the commonly used browsers of today are too big, buggy, and bloated. Epiphany
+addresses simplicity with a small browser designed for the web -- not mail,
+newsgroups, file management, instant messenging or coffee making. The UNIX
+philosophy is to design small tools that do one thing, and do it well.
+
+Epiphany also address simplicity with modularity to make a light and powerful
+application. If something can be implemented using external applications
+or components, we use it rather than wasting resources in the web browser.
+Integration will be achived with CORBA, Bonobo, and the ever popular
+command line.
+
+Mail will be handled with your favorite e-mail application (Evolution, pine,
+mutt, balsa, pronto, whatever).
+
+Standards compliance:
+
+The introduction of non-standard features in browsers could make it difficult
+or impossible to use alternative products like Epiphany if developers embrace
+them. Alternative (standards complying) browsers could not be able to
+fully access web sites making use of these features. The success of
+non-standard features can ultimately lead to forcing one browser, on
+one platform to dominate the market.
+
+Standards compliance ensures the freedom of choice. Epiphany aims to achieve
+this.
+
+USER INTERFACE LINES
+
+- HIG compliance
+
+Epiphany is going to follow version 1.0 of the gnome
+user guidelines. Unless there are very seriuos reasons to make an
+exception not following it will be considered a bug.
+"I follow the HIG only when I like it" is not a legitimate approach.
+Any areas where we diverge from the HIG will communicated
+to the HIG team for future consideration.
+
+- Gnome integration
+
+Epiphany's main goal is to be integrated with the gnome desktop.
+We dont aim to make epiphany usable outside Gnome. If someone will like
+to use it anyway, it's just a plus. Ex: Making people happy that
+don't have control center installed is not a good reason
+to have mime configuration in epiphany itself.
+
+- Simple design
+
+Feature bloat and user interface clutter is evil :)
+
+- Preferences
+
+We will follow the new gnome policy about preferences.
+I think Havoc Pennington already explained it a lot
+better than I could ever do.
+http://www106.pair.com/rhp/free-software-ui.html
+
+- User target
+
+We target non-technical users by design.
+This happens to be 90% of the user population.
+(Technical details should not exposed in the interface)
+We target web users, we dont directly target web developers.
+A few geek-oriented feautures can be kept as
+long as they are non-obtrusive.
+
+REQUIREMENTS
+
+You will need a complete installation of Gnome 2.2 desktop.
+Mozilla API is not stable. I'll be keeping in sync epiphany cvs
+head with mozilla cvs head.
+The required mozilla version will be specified in the
+release notes.
+
+HOW TO HELP
+
+You can report new bugs on http://epiphany.mozdev.org/bugs.html.
+Feel free to send patches.
+
+About new feautures I'll just quote Metacity FAQ.
+
+Q: Will you add my feature?
+
+A: If it makes sense to turn on unconditionally,
+ or is genuinely a harmless preference that I would not
+ be embarrassed to put in a simple, uncluttered, user-friendly
+ configuration dialog.
+
+ If the only rationale for your feature is that other
+ [browsers] have it, or that you are personally used to it, or something
+ like that, then I will not be impressed. [Epiphany] is firmly in the
+ "choose good defaults" camp rather than the "offer 6 equally broken
+ ways to do it, and let the user pick one" camp.
+
+ Don't let this discourage patches and fixes - I love those. ;-)
+ Just be prepared to hear the above objections if your patch
+ adds some crack-ridden configuration option.
+
+CONTACTS
+
+Marco Pesenti Gritti <marco@it.gnome.org>