Google box on the desktop (panel?) to get revenue from google possible?
Posts: 6
When you use that little search box on firefox if you look at the end of the URL it has "&client=firefox-a" and this has led firefox to over $53million income.
Why not a KDE panel based text box that does the same..."client=MEPIS-a"? Mabe Yahoo? They do a fr=moz2 or somthing...fr=Mep?
Is it possible to make a google search box on the panel so folks can type right into a text box on the KDE panel? Else where to reduce clicks? I have seen a text box in Gnome on the panel/taskbar that is a command line thing that you could use to do quick command line and open up programs rather than searching the menu's for them. It was an old version and buggy, but way convenient, just remember the name of a program and hit enter. The Kde project has got a Vista program search, but why not a configurable web search right on the panel rather than at the bottom of the "start" or K menu? Less clicks, opens up your browser with a search. Maybe even type in a url right away and it then opens the page. It would also do program opening and maybe even do command line stuff? Is there anything like this already?
I know this would more likely be a KDE project, but it could definitely add the ease and efficient use that usually is involved in the magic of MEPIS. I will be going to KDE to to search and see if anyone is doing this. Has anyone heard of this type of thing or know a of a project?
There is also Google Desktop as an option if it gets ported. If ported to linux you could make a widget that has search with a "client=MEPIS-a" line or whatever and get income from google?
I am thinking that the only thing stopping people from this already is the coding, unfortunately I doubt I could do. I can't script for crying out loud. 
Ok, so here is another update
Posts: 6
Ok, so here is another update to help point in the right direction. I wish I could program, but here is info for someone who maybe knows how to and maybe at least let me know if it is possible. The next thing after finding if it is possible is to contact google and figure out if they will be game for it. A distro could sign up and configure the applet with their own client=Distro-a or whatever.
Here is KDE's info for making kicker applet.
http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/KDE3/Extending_the_KDE_Panel
So far I have figured out It would take:
Object to name and make the applet and call another object.
The other object would make the text box and button(s) and make them visable and ready to take data when button clicked.
The next piece or possibly part of the object above would be to launch firefox http://*whatever goes here to start a search using the "client=mepis-a" thing.
Am I wrong? Is this possible? What would I need to, or someone else to do?
why firefox?
Posts: 4864
Ok, there is some deal where firefox gets money from google. but your idea is to see if this would extend to mepis users using konqueror to send google money to mepis.
konqueror can come with that little search widget - it should be possible to code that to specify mepis.
it needs an approach to google (and other search engines) to see if they would be likely to pay, that's all.
Yea, it kind of depends on
Posts: 6
Yea, it kind of depends on google or another search engine. But I am wondering why nobody ever did this, could it be such a small amount that google isn't interested in tracking it for such a small payout? this applet would work with any KDE system and Gnome could copy very quickly as they also have a command line run box or the panel/task bar. I imagine Xfce, Enlighten, and possibly a few others may also follow suite. This may be 20 plus different distro's but the amount would add up to the open source community and possibly expand the use of their search, especially if it was Lycos or some of lesser known ones.
I also forgot that many people like to use their own browser. So it would have to make a call to open the default browser and then launch a search with the client=MEPIS or what ever the choosen or available search engine is. Maybe one of the search engines that are in the firefox search widget would do it? I think they all donate, I am not sure. Google does for being the default i know, but the others? I will have to find this out. Maybe someone on the advocacy forum to help me learn how to approach them.
I found a applet similar to what I as thinking of, it is the Run Command applet that you can place on your desktop kicker/panel. This is the kind of applet I was thinking of, but with web search. I guess it could be modified to have a list of search engines or like you said, use the Konqouror box and use it for default browser.
Ok, 2 ideas this morning.
Posts: 6
Ok, 2 ideas this morning. SuperKaramba is a desktop widget thing and has Python support for it's widgets.
The KDE kicker can most likely do it like it do this from what I have read. The only thing its to get a qt text box and search button into the applet with a call to launch firefox with the search string and text string from the text box...I don't know how to do this, but isn't that all there is to it? Do you think if it could be made would google go for it and offer a program for approved KDE based distro's and/or superKaramba users to use.
I do know that if I type in "firefox http://www.mepis.org" into my xterm it will launch firefox and load www.mepis.org or open a new tab if firefox is open. a little experimentations led to this, maybe I should learn some scripting. I think KDE's kicker (panel) is based on C++ and qt for anyone interested.