Re: SEUL: Debian versus RedHat and DPKG versus RPM

[Sam Revitch <samr7@netcom.com>]

> From: jfm2@club-internet.fr
> Subject: SEUL: Debian versus RedHat and DPKG versus RPM
> Date: 21 Aug 1997 23:35:48 GMT
> 
> I liked the concept of configured and
> unconfigured packeges.  But DSELECT was the worst Linux installer I
> have seen (and I have seen a lot of them), Debian has no
> administrative tools and most packages are delivered raw: you get a
> minimal X desktop, an unusable Emacs (too big screen) and everything
> like that.  Debian's implied assumption is than YOU will customize
> your software.

This is what worries me about DPKG.  We will most likely have sets of
applications, something to the effect of:

(1) Heavily modified or specially created apps that conform 100% to the
    SEUL ease-of-use standard.
(2) Unmodified or slightly tweaked apps that are generally easy to use,
    (ex: ghostview) but still not entirely designed for the severe
    end-user.
(3) Packages intended solely for hackers.

We will clearly have to spend a lot of time on every type (1) app package. 
My point is that if we want to make it easy for ourselves, why pick a
package format where most existing packages aren't even remotely
configured for the end-user?  I'm biased to believe that many existing
RPM packages could be classified as a (2) without any modifications, or
modifications that could be made in an automated way if we add features to
the package format.

> Now, remember than the more user hostile is the distribution we will
> base upon the more work we will have to do, the later SEUL will be
> issued and the less features it will have because we will have spent
> our time in fixing easiness problems instead of making progress.

My point exactly.

-Sam Revitch


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