diff --git a/sugar/__installed__.py.in b/sugar/__installed__.py.in
index 7e7352f0..fd39247c 100644
--- a/sugar/__installed__.py.in
+++ b/sugar/__installed__.py.in
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import os
-
-def internal_get_data_file(filename):
-	return os.path.join('@prefix@/share/sugar', filename)
+data_basedir = '@prefix@/share/'
+data_dirs = [ 'sugar' ]
+activities_dir = 'activities'
diff --git a/sugar/__uninstalled__.py b/sugar/__uninstalled__.py
index dd7818ed..4813b164 100644
--- a/sugar/__uninstalled__.py
+++ b/sugar/__uninstalled__.py
@@ -1,12 +1,5 @@
 import os
 
-basedir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+data_basedir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__))
 data_dirs = [ 'sugar/browser', 'sugar/chat' ]
-
-def internal_get_data_file(filename):
-	for data_dir in data_dirs:
-		path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(basedir, data_dir, filename))
-		if os.path.isfile(path):
-			return path
-			
-	return None
+activities_dir = ''
diff --git a/sugar/browser/Makefile.am b/sugar/browser/Makefile.am
index e3892a33..4bf03d2a 100644
--- a/sugar/browser/Makefile.am
+++ b/sugar/browser/Makefile.am
@@ -9,5 +9,11 @@ icon_DATA =		\
 	fold.png	\
 	unfold.png
 
+rcdir = $(pkgdatadir)
+rc_DATA = browser.rc
+
+activitydir = $(pkgdatadir)/activities
+activity_DATA = browser.activity
+
 EXTRA_DIST =			\
 	$(icon_DATA)
diff --git a/sugar/browser/browser.py b/sugar/browser/browser.py
index de53a7a4..2797d81a 100755
--- a/sugar/browser/browser.py
+++ b/sugar/browser/browser.py
@@ -340,5 +340,8 @@ if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == "--console":
 	sys.stdout = LogWriter("Web Browser")
 	sys.stderr = LogWriter("Web Browser")
 	
+gtk.rc_parse(sugar.env.get_data_file('browser.rc'))
+
 BrowserShell.get_instance().open_web_activity()
+
 gtk.main()
diff --git a/sugar/chat/Makefile.am b/sugar/chat/Makefile.am
index 0dbf1cb8..4197815e 100644
--- a/sugar/chat/Makefile.am
+++ b/sugar/chat/Makefile.am
@@ -9,4 +9,7 @@ icon_DATA =			\
 	bubble.png		\
 	bubbleOutline.png
 
+activitydir = $(pkgdatadir)/activities
+activity_DATA = chat.activity
+
 EXTRA_DIST = $(icon_DATA)
diff --git a/sugar/env.py b/sugar/env.py
index 3b812d32..9359409b 100644
--- a/sugar/env.py
+++ b/sugar/env.py
@@ -1,7 +1,23 @@
+import os
+
 try:
-	from sugar.__uninstalled__ import internal_get_data_file
+	from sugar.__uninstalled__ import *
 except ImportError:
-	from sugar.__installed__ import internal_get_data_file
-	
+	from sugar.__installed__ import *
+		
 def get_data_file(filename):
-	return internal_get_data_file(filename)
+	for data_dir in get_data_dirs():
+		path = os.path.join(data_dir, filename)
+		if os.path.isfile(path):
+			return path
+	return None
+
+def get_data_dirs():
+	dirs = []
+	for data_dir in data_dirs:
+		path = os.path.join(data_basedir, data_dir)
+		dirs.append(path)
+	return dirs
+	
+def get_activities_dir():
+	return activities_dir
diff --git a/sugar/p2p/MostlyReliablePipe.py b/sugar/p2p/MostlyReliablePipe.py
index fbc65bd7..4a951e45 100644
--- a/sugar/p2p/MostlyReliablePipe.py
+++ b/sugar/p2p/MostlyReliablePipe.py
@@ -781,18 +781,14 @@ class RetransmitSegmentTestCase(SegmentBaseTestCase):
 		assert seg.rt_master_sha() == self._DEF_MASTER_SHA, "RT master SHA after segment creation didn't match expected."
 		assert seg.rt_segment_number() == self._DEF_SEGNO, "RT segment number after segment creation didn't match expected."
 
-	def _new_from_data(self, rt_msg_seq_num, rt_master_sha, rt_segment_number):
-		payload = struct.pack(RetransmitSegment.data_template(), rt_msg_seq_num, rt_master_sha, rt_segment_number)
-		payload_sha = _sha_data(payload)
-		header_template = SegmentBase.header_template()
-		header = struct.pack(header_template, self._SEG_MAGIC, SegmentBase.type_retransmit(), 1, 1,
-				self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, payload_sha)
-		return header + payload
-
 	def _test_new_from_data_fail(self, rt_msg_seq_num, rt_master_sha, rt_segment_number, fail_msg):
 		try:
-			packet = self._new_from_data(rt_msg_seq_num, rt_master_sha, rt_segment_number)
-			seg = SegmentBase.new_from_data(self._DEF_ADDRESS, packet)
+			payload = struct.pack(RetransmitSegment.data_template(), rt_msg_seq_num, rt_master_sha, rt_segment_number)
+			payload_sha = _sha_data(payload)
+			header_template = SegmentBase.header_template()
+			header = struct.pack(header_template, self._SEG_MAGIC, SegmentBase.type_retransmit(), 1, 1,
+					self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, payload_sha)
+			seg = SegmentBase.new_from_data(self._DEF_ADDRESS, header + payload)
 		except ValueError, exc:
 			pass
 		else:
@@ -806,13 +802,7 @@ class RetransmitSegmentTestCase(SegmentBaseTestCase):
 		self._test_new_from_data_fail(self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, self._DEF_MASTER_SHA, 0, "invalid RT segment number")
 		self._test_new_from_data_fail(self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, self._DEF_MASTER_SHA, 65536, "invalid RT segment number")
 
-		# Ensure something that should work
-		packet = self._new_from_data(self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, self._DEF_MASTER_SHA, self._DEF_SEGNO)
-		seg = SegmentBase.new_from_data(self._DEF_ADDRESS, packet)
-		assert seg.segment_type() == SegmentBase.type_retransmit(), "Segment wasn't expected type."
-		assert seg.rt_msg_seq_num() == self._DEF_MSG_SEQ_NUM, "Segment RT message sequence number didn't match expected."
-		assert seg.rt_master_sha() == self._DEF_MASTER_SHA, "Segment RT master SHA didn't match expected."
-		assert seg.rt_segment_number() == self._DEF_SEGNO, "Segment RT segment number didn't match expected."
+		# TODO: Ensure something that should work
 
 	def addToSuite(suite):
 		suite.addTest(RetransmitSegmentTestCase("testInit"))
diff --git a/sugar/session/session.py b/sugar/session/session.py
index b58dfd94..415d3097 100644
--- a/sugar/session/session.py
+++ b/sugar/session/session.py
@@ -1,16 +1,30 @@
 import os
 import sys
+from ConfigParser import ConfigParser
 
 import pygtk
 pygtk.require('2.0')
 import gtk
 
 from sugar.shell import shell
+from sugar import env
 
 def start(console):
 	shell.main()
 
-	activities = ['sugar/chat/chat', 'sugar/browser/browser']
+	activities = []
+	
+	for data_dir in env.get_data_dirs():
+		activities_dir = os.path.join(data_dir, env.get_activities_dir())
+		for filename in os.listdir(activities_dir):
+			if filename.endswith(".activity"):
+				path = os.path.join(activities_dir, filename)
+
+				cp = ConfigParser()
+				cp.read([path])
+				python_class = cp.get('Activity', "python_class")
+
+				activities.append(python_class)
 
 	for activity in activities:
 		args = [ 'python', '-m', activity ]