FreeNAS future dev questions

[skidrash]

After having owned a ReadyNAS for years, I've decided to build a new NAS and I'm trying to decide between FreeNAS and NAS4Free... NAS4Free has LCDproc and Transmission built in, but doesn't have a good means for plugin's. FreeNAS has a developing plugin system and ZFS5k, but no LCDproc or plugin repo.

So I'm missing some of the ReadyNAS conveniences, and wondering if they are in FreeNAS's future...
1. Will FreeNAS ever have LCDproc built-in? Will LCDproc get some plugin attention? (I saw someone requested a plugin on the plugin-wiki) Built in is nice because you don't have to hunt down all the different files and configs, etc. in the event of a upgrade or restore...
2. Will FreeNAS ever have a plugin repository? Something that can be browsed and installed from the FN web interface? (thinking app-store mentality)
3. Will FreeNAS ever have an over-the-air(wire) update server? That is, be able to update from the web GUI, without having to download and upload files...

Hopefully I don't incur too much flame with my questions... What can I say? I am a lazy tablet user, and tablets don't lend well to downloading and uploading plugins and update files. I rarely use my lappy, and got rid of the desktop last year. I'm lazy, but I enjoy the challenge of the build. Not-so-much the challenge of maintenance...

 

[dlavigne]

1. Will FreeNAS ever have LCDproc built-in? Will LCDproc get some plugin attention?

For built-in, you should create a feature request ticket at support.freenas.org explaining why you think this is a good addition. In the meantime, it is easy enough to install as a FreeBSD package or port until someone makes a PBI.

2. Will FreeNAS ever have a plugin repository? Something that can be browsed and installed from the FN web interface? (thinking app-store mentality)

Yup, and sooner than you think! RC2 (due out very soon) has a built-in browser/installer. Since PBIs will be much easier to create in 9.x, the list of PBIs should grow much quicker in the repo.

3. Will FreeNAS ever have an over-the-air(wire) update server? That is, be able to update from the web GUI, without having to download and upload files...

Sounds like another feature request ticket...

 

[cyberjock]

There is already a ticket for over-the-air updating....

 

[skidrash]

Wow, ask and you shall receive! Thats wonderful news! I will give the feature request ticket some attention in regards to the LCDproc.

While I'm asking convenience questions... Is there any way (built-in, PBI, or otherwise) to install a discrete button and program it to perform an action? For example, the "backup" button on the front of a ReadyNAS can be set to run a backup job upon press... (I guess an additional question would be "what would you connect a discrete, case-mounted button too?")

Thank you for your responses!