Re: Is it _really_ dead?
On Mon, Oct 16, 2000 at 04:49:16PM -0700, Brent Fulgham wrote:
> > Both the ports tree and the pkg_* tools (which are *very*
> > similar in nature to apt-get, dselect, dpkg, ...) handle both
> > build and run dependencies transparently. The big thing missing
> > in the ports tree and associated tools is when upgrading existing
> > packages to newer versions. There are efforts (see openpackages
> > and the list archives) in this regard so they haven't been
> > sitting on their laurels waiting for the Debian system to rescue
> > them. :)
> >
>
> Probably wise -- Debian is not generally speedy. And dpkg is
> undergoing some revamping at the moment.
>
> > I'm all for helping out with a common set of tools to manage
> > packages between BSD and Debian which is why I was among the
> > first handful or so of the people to subscribe to this list.
> > I also did some initial work on porting dpkg to FreeBSD and
> > made that available as a FreeBSD port to some people on this
> > list. It was far from complete but at least it was a start.
> >
>
> This is great!
>
> > Replacing the BSD userland with a GNU one from Debian or more
> > precisely having just a BSD kernel with a Debian userland on
> > the other hand is not something that interests me.
> [ ... snip ... ]
>
> I guess what I'm confused about is what exactly all you BSD folks
> want. This is the second or third message to this list that says
> (my paraphrase): "We think some BSD/Debian cross-pollenation would
> be good. But we don't want any GNU userland tools, and we don't
> want Dpkg because we like the Ports system, and we don't want
> apt because we have the pkg-tools. Oh, and by the way I'm not
> interested in helping out with a system that would be a BSD kernel
> with GNU user space."
>
> So what exactly *is* present in Debian that would be at all
> helpful?
In Debian as in GNU/Linux? Probably not much. It's not worth
the bother.
But there are people associated with Debian, and if these people
want to help out with openpackages, then all the better.
The thing is, there is really no reason to replace the BSD userland
with anything. The differences aren't enough to warrant the headache.
If the GNU userland and the BSD userland were radically different, I'd
understand. But the truth is, they are not.
>
> I'm not trying to incite a flame war either -- I just don't see
> how we can help... There just doesn't seem to be any common
> ground that I've seen yet.
I really don't think anyone here is trying to start a flame war.
Spare time is a commodity, nobody feels like wasting it by getting
angry.
The direction BSD is heading in is fine. Nobody wants Debian to
come and change the direction; but Debian folks are more than welcome
to help continue the direction that the development is headed in now;
and I think that we'd all be quite happy with the results.
--
Dan Papasian
(bugg@bugg.strangled.net)
Have the courage to live. Anyone can die.
--Robert Cody
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