Re: Questions about Debian materials/topics for NorthEastLinuxFest
> > installer, but we also have already working solutions (e.g. blends)
> > for a field-specific representation of Debian.
> In the ideal world that would be the case, but we don't live in an ideal world.
"we" might not -- but I do:
http://neuro.debian.net
http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-med
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianScience
http://wiki.debian.org/Python
it is
> Bringing derivatives closer to Debian is one of the goals of the folks
> working on derivatives related stuff, we would love to have more folks
> involved in that.
> http://wiki.debian.org/Derivatives
> http://wiki.debian.org/DerivativesFrontDesk
> If you would like to help out with that, we could definitely use some
> new people.
;-) And I did a little contribution already by initiating
http://wiki.debian.org/Derivatives/Guidelines
> For a concrete way to help, you could summarise the recent
> thread we had about upsides/downsides of contributing back to Debian
> and add that to our FAQ.
Yeah -- I could do many things... if only I had more time to spare for
even more "concrete" things
Seriously though -- I actually thought that we had such a summary
page... but I guess we don't or I cant find what I had in mind.
/MergeDerivedDistributions DEX etc concentrate on making bridges with
derivatives projects, not really outlining benefits of working
within Debian. If there indeed no such page exists (anyone please
correct me!) then indeed it would be nice to initiate it.
But also there are few outstanding technical and social aspects to be
resolved to make it for others to simply prefer joining Debian project
instead of crafting their own derivative:
Social/personal
- a matter of being a soldier in the army or a general of your own
derivative
names of particular Debian developers (besides the DPL or at
important positions "in the chain of command" or Joey and Bdale
because they are cool) aren't really floating in the news; where
derivatives' leaders are more visible/known.
(I am not jealous and whining -- I am just stating my observation
e.g. from listening various podcasts etc -- unpersonalized
"Debian folks in kilts" is the most common reference people use)
- visibility:
derivatives have their own releases that is why more "PR", discussion,
etc
I already once suggested (yes -- just suggested, not implemented)
to make leading Debian page concisely present (nearly) all Debian
sub-projects, so any new comer can immediately see what "universal"
really means; and then respective sub-project team could proudly see
his project (even if it is just a little icon) on the main debian
page.
more ideas to address those above... ?
Technical
- Debian PPAs, WiP IIRC
- ideally should provide not only a repository but additional services
mimicing what Debian proper has: snapshotting, multi-arch building,
automated QAs (even rebuilds if the base Debian release is specified),
may be even mirroring, etc
- Debian installer awareness
e.g. I would have been really happy if any new user installing Debian
would get to the dialog where he is provided with a choice for
additional repositories/customizations, e.g.
NeuroDebian - up-to-date scientific software for neuroscience
....
which would have added source.list.d/ entry for our repository, installed
neurodebian-keyring and neurodebian-desktop (and similar actions for other such
subprojects which would provide customizations in their flavor-XXX
packages)
and possibly even went a bit further and provided few dialog options
for customization we ask our users who install NeuroDebian VM:
http://neuro.debian.net/vm.html
yes -- it could be done... and yes -- it is again just a matter of
available time and interest of others
oops... sorry for not being concrete -- I got unleashed ;)
--
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Yaroslav Halchenko www.ohloh.net/accounts/yarikoptic
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