> > howwo *really* needs a section on compatibility with other distros, and
> > how to make your SPEC work with both.
>
we are (mostly) binary compatible but as for source compatible ...it might
build for a generic spec but ffor others you need a little bit of hacking,
just like *some* RH rpm stuff don't build right out of the box. anmd for the
pedantic ther eare some small differneces , like release: 1 vs. relase:
1mdk, etc.
> I second the motion. Specifically not only for porting over the
> macros, but
> for making them compatible with older MDK, other RPM-based
> distros as well (the
> locations of /usr/doc, /usr/man, etc).
>
i belive that other distros are going to make teh move as well, soon. they
don't want to be the only distro which suck becaue they don't have manpages
et al stored in a non-fhs compliant place.
> Specific issues:
>
> - I can't upgrade RPM to the latest version which will have paths
> inconsistent with the locations of the currently installed distro.
>
yes this is for fhs compliance, so we have to change the locations. don't
blame us, blame the FHS team ;p
> - If i cannot upgrade RPM, there's no way i can re-compile BM'ed
> RPMs (usually
> the newest versions of some packages) on older MDK/other distros.
>
upgrade to the latest rpm if youw ant to build successfully the latest
source rpm.
> These issues make the new RPMs totally alien to the rest of the older
> RPM-installed world.
>
no, not really. just that you don;'t have the latest rpm-*.
> Can there be an RPM that will merely add on to the rpmrc file the
> macros needed
> by the new BM'ed specs?
>
yes. just upgrade.
