Re: [seul-edu] Re: ISO project--a different approach

[Ben Armstrong <synrg@sanctuary.nslug.ns.ca>]

On Wed, Oct 09, 2002 at 02:49:17PM -0400, Doug Loss wrote:
> You mistook my meaning.  When I say, "distro-neutral,"  I don't mean least
> common denominator.  Instead, I mean that whatever we do must be easily
> installable on any Linux distro.  Connectiva has created Synaptic
> <http://distro.conectiva.com.br/projetos/46/> as a front end to APT; along
> with their apt4rpm <http://apt4rpm.sourceforge.net/>, that would give us a
> graphical installer that would work with either DEBs or RPMs.  If we
> package each app as both a DEB and an RPM, then distros can take our work
> and bundle it with their installers of choice.  But with something like
> this our ISO can be downloaded and easily installed on an existing Linux
> system.

Indeed, if all you provide is RPMs, they could be run through alien to
install on a Debian system (provided they are sanely constructed RPMs).  Of
course native debs would be preferable, as any automated process to produce
DEBs is subject to both the flaws in the original package *and* any flaws
that might be introduced in translation (such as dependence on a library
or library version that is unavailable in Debian).

> We never intended to create our own distro!  Boy, that's the last thing I
> want to do--add yet another distro to the mix.

For the the stuff that is already packaged for Debian, the CD could contain
the DEBs from woody (and all libraries/other dependencies required by those
DEBs if you want the CD to be totally self-contained).  For the stuff that
isn't packaged for Debian, quick-and-dirty "alienized" RPM -> DEBs could be
provided.  Of course this is not without potential problems, so even with
alien helping to automate the process, some hand-checking needs to be done
before it goes to CD.  In some cases doing proper Debianization of the
packages will be easier.

Of course, if this is material for which there is no barrier to going into
Debian main, you may be able to interest debian-edu or debian-jr in doing
official packages and have them added to Debian.  As for other stuff (take,
for example, a Java app that doesn't work without a non-free implementation
of Java) it could possibly be packaged for contrib or non-free, but you are
less likely to find interested parties in debian-edu or debian-jr.  Still,
it wouldn't hurt to ask Debian by way of a "RFP" (Request for Package)
wishlist bug to put onto our todo list.

In summary, the CD could contain:

- tarballs for all software
- RPMs for all software
- DEBs for all software:
  - official DEBs where possible
  - unofficial DEBs for:
    - contrib/non-free
    - main, but no DEB available yet

Naturally, if you include contrib/non-free software, it is up to you as the
CD "vendor" to ensure you are not in violation of the licenses of each piece
of included software by including it on the CD.

Please forgive me if I'm covering old ground here or mistracking on the
purpose/plan for the ISOs, as I have not been following this project
closely.

Ben
-- 
    nSLUG       http://www.nslug.ns.ca      synrg@sanctuary.nslug.ns.ca
    Debian      http://www.debian.org       synrg@debian.org
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