(sorry for overquoting, but seems it matters in this thread)

Shawn Walker wrote:
> On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 10:22 AM, Alexander Vlasov
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>   
>> Shawn Walker wrote:
>>     
>> Well, OS installation itself can be split in two big parts: everything but
>> packages installation and packages installation. Second part is exactly the
>> same as in regular package installation. Returning to the very first post,
>> the point is -- if you can separate package delivery and package
>> installation, it would be easier to introduce new installer(s), because you
>> should only change one part out of two.
>>     
>
> I don't disagree with that. That's why I'm interested in distributing
> mini-repositories as the delivery format.
>   
Oh god. Finally I got your idea about micro-repos. It sounds like big 
improvement over current ips approach, but comparing (ips+minirepo) vs. 
traditional package-as-file, I'm still not sure that new approach is 
better. We're losing per-package granularity, but I can't see what we're 
getting.

>>> Hack for sort time? I'm not sure I follow.
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> Just a typo. sHort time I mean. So should it be treated as "let's use it
>> while delivery-agnostic mechanism is in development" or "here is our new
>> depotd, now with banana flavor and apache support?"
>>     
>
> I'm not sure what the plans are. Stephen, Bart, Danek or others are
> the best to answer those questions.
>
> My view is that ips is an evolving prototype changing to meet the
> needs of the project as times passes.
>
>   
>>> Most packaging systems, even when they have one file, are rarely
>>> suitable for humans.
>>>
>>> That's why package management GUIs and CLIs exist :-)
>>>
>>>       
>> for package-file approach, tool working with repo may not be aware of
>> packages' structure. With current IPS approach, it should be. here is the
>> difference.
>>     
>
> Again, this is why I'm interested in repositories-as-delivery-format.
>
> You can make a tarball out of a repository :-)
>
>   
>>> Whether you're talking about a repository, a raw set of bits on disk,
>>> or a "single package file", with the appropriate tools you can check
>>> any of them.
>>>
>>>       
>> Not, that's not true. In IPS, package gets some of its properties only on
>> upload (think file...mode or dependencies). You can't build a package, check
>> it and upload when you'll be sure everything is OK, because until you upload
>> the package, it doesn't exists at all.
>>     
>
> Again, I think this is a matter of tools being available.
>
> If you're applying all of this to "things as they currently are", yes
> I'd agree to a certain extent.
>
>   
I have no tools but those which do exist right now. So either current 
tools should be good or there should be a clear goal to design and 
implement other set of tools, IMHO.
>>> Yes, but again, I don't see the connection. In other words, I don't
>>> see the necessity of a build system being part of the packaging
>>> system.
>>>
>>> As long as something has *a build system* and a way to package the
>>> result, that's what matters.
>>>
>>> Whether I've built packages for RedHat, Debian, Slackware,
>>> zeroinstall, Windows (msi), or any other os you have to have an
>>> existing build system for the product anyway.
>>>
>>> If you can find some way to place a layer above the many, disparate
>>> build systems that exist together with little effort, then I'd be
>>> happy to see one.
>>>
>>> For now, I just don't think it is a problem worth solving.
>>>
>>>       
>> Nowadays, all operating systems do work. The only thing that matters is
>> amount of software user can get (and run). Personally I consider packaging
>> more important than anything including kernel, because there would be much
>> more users affected by, say, wrong firefox packaging than non-working
>> project(4). Without proper infrastructure, packaging will be error-prone and
>> problematic for all of us, including users, developers and administrators.
>>     
>
> I don't disagree that packaging is important, but I still don't see
> the necessity of the build system being part of packaging.
>
>   
If we're talking about package build system (not binaries build system), 
it should be a part od packaging system because it does two-step 
transformation
source code -> binaries -> correct package. First step is 
application-specific, second one can be reasonably general and 
contet-agnostic. I'm talking about second one.
It is only related to the packaging system.

>>> I'm far more interested in the processes that directly benefit users.
>>>
>>>       
>> Packaging quality directly benefit users -- or make them cry.
>>     
>
> Having a build system being part of the packaging system is not a
> guarantee of the resulting package quality, nor does it in my view,
> greatly benefit packaging quality.
>   
Unified process will 1) reduce the amount of dummy mistakes 2) make 
fixing process much easier (just modify what needs to be modified and 
rebuilt your package with one command)
>>> No, source is *a* distribution mechanism for developers. It is not
>>> *the* distribution mechanism.
>>>
>>>       
>> Well, I think it is the way of distributing product for developers, at least
>> in case of opensource applications.
>>     
>
> It depends on which target audience you are talking about.
>
> I know *many* individuals (and organisations) that run binaries of
> their own, or from the developer, instead of using what their
> distribution packaged because it is much older than what is available.
>   
And even in this case it's much easier to use custom-build packages, not 
just binaries.
>>> You will find very few *successful* developers that do not *also*
>>> distribute a binary in addition to source code.
>>>
>>>       
>> Binaries from author are pointless. regular user should use package,
>> enthusiast should use source.
>>     
>
> Binaries from the author are not pointless. Especially when you have a
> stable, guaranteed environment like what we have with
> OpenSolaris/Solaris.
>
>   
>> Who is responsible for security support of
>> developer-built binary? Who tested it on particular distribution?
>>     
>
> The developer, if they're providing the packages.
>
>   
>>> In short:
>>>
>>> * I don't believe that the idea of repository-as-a-package has been
>>> explored enough.
>>>
>>>       
>> Hm. I'm talking about package-as-a-file.
>>     
>
> So was I. I just don't think it's necessary if you can have
> repository-as-a-file, since the repository can contain the package(s).
>
>   
>>> * If the point of ips was to simply duplicate whatever RedHat or
>>> Debian did, what would be the point
>>>       
>> Not duplicate, but accept best practices. If you haven't noticed, linux is
>> THE un*x-like operating system nowadays, and its ecosystem is somehow
>> similar to jungles. Bad ideas die quickly, so after 15 years of evolving
>>     
>
> Yes, I have noticed. I've been using GNU/Linux since 1994 or 1995.
>
>   
>> most of ideas are very reasonable, and it would be better not to duplicate
>> efforts but to accept something that already works. Also it would minimize
>> familiarity gap and help to increase communty
>>     
>
> I must respectfully disagree. I just don't think we'll ever be in
> agreement over the build system aspect.
>
> However, I appreciate your candor during this discourse.
>   

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