Re: Core

[George Bonser <grep@oriole.sbay.org>]

On Sun, 25 Jan 1998, Erik Walthinsen wrote:

> > pppd
> This should go in the networking Layer (though ppp supt should be in kernel)

Ok, sounds good.

> 
> > GNU CC
> In the development Layer.

> > libc
> > lic++
> libg++
> libncurses
> libslang
> libnewt
> lib...

Are we going to REQUIRE libnewt for all distributions as Core compliance?


> 
> > gpm
> I guess...  Should think about this more.
> 
> > net-tools
> Again, should be in the networking Layer (consider a standalone kiosk..)

Ok, I was assuming all Core compliant Linux machines to be network
capable.  
 
> > binutils
> > make
> Development Layer

make ... make can be used for a lot of stuff besides just compiling
things.  It would not be farfetched for a package to install a Makefile
that calls scripts to install its config files. 

> 
> > A package management system.
> Hmmmm.... I'm thinking it should include dpkg, rpm, and the posix packager, 
> plus alien.  That way the Core by definition really *can* install packages 

Requre every distribution to have all four programs? I am worried that it
can cause trouble.  If a users see that they have RPM on the system, they
might be tempted to install a program with it.  They might also be tempted
to use dpkg ... now you have two separate packages databases that are
unaware of what the other contains.

I want to be sure that if we do this, we consider some way of warning the
user.  

Also, some things can be done to make package installation between
distributions a little easier. We can create /etc/rc.d and under it create
symlinks to /etc/init.d and the rc directories.  That way, it does not
matter which layout a package expects to find, it can still install itself
correctly.

Is dev.seul.org a Red Hat system? If so, I might want to look around and
see if I can find any other obvious filesystem layout differences. 



George Bonser 
If NT is the answer, you didn't understand the question. (NOTE: Stolen sig)
http://www.debian.org
Debian/GNU Linux ... the maintainable operating system.