Alan W. Irwin wrote: > One current problem for Debian (unlike rpm-based distributions) is it does > not have a standard source-package format.
You are quite mistaken. Debian may not have a source package format that rpm users can easly understand. However, it does have a source package format, one which is designed to minimize bandwith usage, unlike src.rpm packages, and one which is instantly familiar to any unix sysadmin who is familiar with .tar.gz files, patches, and RFC 822. http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/packaging.html/ch-sourcepkg.html > My understanding is that the > current Debian leadership has acknowledged this as a Debian weakness and is > working on the problem. No, debian _in_general_ has long recognized that our source format can be made better (there's always room for improvement), and is working on the problem. > My advice to them is they couldn't go wrong by > quickly adopting a standard debianized source tree format that is consistent > with the debuild command. Once such a tree is set up, the debuild commands > allows you to create the binary deb(s) with one easy command. Um, yes, we already have that, which is why the debuild command (or more generally, the dpkg-source command) already exists. You may also take a look at apt-get source -b package, which downloads and builds a package automatically. > Once a standard source package format was adopted for Debian, then I think > KDE source distribution could be a wonderful poster-child of that standard > format. Official adoption of the KDE source package by Debian KDE, in source form or not, cannot be an official part of Debian until its license problems are resolved. Source is great, but you have to be ale to leagally build it, link it against the required libraires, use it, and distriute binaries to others, or it is not free enough to be part of the Debian distribution. > to the concern expressed in my original letter about whether the Debian > community is still prejudiced against KDE as a result of the old flame wars. If you could show me the "old flame wars" you keep referring to, I would lend your concerns more credance. As I recall it, we pointed out to KDE there was a problem. They ignored us. It takes two to have a flame war. -- see shy jo
