Hello,
yesterday I tried to summarize some thoughts about current IPS approach.
Any comments are welcome. Clearly stated problem is 50% solved, IMHO, so
please comment, clarify and ask for clarifications.
Core issue
Software package is a single file archive consisting of all files
delivered on target system, scripts helping it deployment (and
uninstallation if required) and any other usable metadata.
* IPS does not use single file to store all package data into.
* Package data is therefore not a single unit - it's a bunch of
files and metadata stored at SW repository and served by pkg.serve
daemon.
Problems sprouting from core issue
1. No "package file" as a container for packaged files - files
belonging to 'package' are being stored separately on depot.
1. Cannot split delivery and installation process.
1. No offline installation.
2. Even installer doesn't installs packages. It merely
copies files from archive and modifying metadata to
make everything look like installed packages.
1. It would be hard to create alternative
installers (businesscard cd, netboot,
flashdrive, etc).
3. We're losing all advantages like controlling access by
apache or ftpd or installing via zmodem. (Existing
delivery tools will have to additionally implement all
this functionality).
4. pkg.depotd required to serve repo.
1. No chances we would be mirrored by various
enthusiasts and companies.
2. No easy way of transferring package from one repo to another.
3. No easy way to delete package from repo.
4. No easy way of analyzing package before putting it into repo.
5. No source packages.
1. Build & upload process can't be automated.
1. It makes packaging error-prone.
2. Really PITA to maintain (rebuild in exactly the
same way, but with other configure keys or with
patch added).
3. Makes porting to other architectures really a
challenge.
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