Debian participation in openpackages [was Re: Why we should use FreeBSD.]
At 06:11 PM 11/16/00 -0500, Dan Papasian wrote:
On Thu, Nov 16, 2000 at 10:56:09AM +0530, prasad gadgil wrote:
> well, openpackages.org is to remove the very disadvantage the open/net
bsds and
> have a unified collection ain't it :) and as I saw last time the package
> tools maintainers of the *bsd project are listed in that project, I hope
> they achieve the unification
> faster. So , we can expect that disadvantage of netbsd being worked on
already.
Hmm? I'm saying that look at it the other way around- instead
of pushing Debian packages, make one big "OpenPackages" and have
Debian be the linux OS with them.
I suggest we fork from here for the "Debian participation in Openpackages"
issue. It will prop up in poll otherwise anyway.
I use both BSD and Linux and inclined to freenixes in general, but neither
varient
in perticular (at work, I use BSD/OS :) ). Hence I hope my openion is free
from
bias towards either.
Here is why I think it's _impractical_ to think for Debian to adopt
Openpackages.
Debian focuses on the business of distribution and software related to the
area of distribution business.
The kernel independance idea of debian is because of this fact -> Focusing
_just_
the distribution aspect of the various Favourably licensed sw components.
This requires many functionalities which Debian ppl worked on and are now
unique to Debian.
Quoting from debian website,
"It's a bit like a tower. At the base is the kernel. On top of that are all
the basic
tools. Next is all the software that you run on the computer. At the top of
the
tower is Debian -- carefully organizing and fitting everything so it all works
together. "
Now all BSD ppl, pl note the following,
* If distribution management tools are the _very_arena Debian will at all
have to
write software about, as they say to _organise and fit the existing
software_ ,
* and they have gone on, created a structure and have come up with that
software,
how difficult will it be to convince them to give their enancements to
some
other tool and adopt that tool.
A gradual inclusion of the Debian package enancements in Openpackages and
efforts towards co-operation till compatibility is achieved, can be the
only practical
thing to persue.
And it's not necessarily bad if openpackages and debian package tools go their
own way, but collaborate in some way if possible!
As Larry Wall says, 'more the merrier' ;-)
So, can the *BSD ppl accept the impossibility of a complete shiftover OR milder
varients of it , of Debian to Openpackages.
> >The issue of platform support is very important, but I think, not
> >on that stage. Remember, some time ago Debian/Linux didn't have such a
> >wide platform support.
> >Let's make the system usable at least on i386 and FreeBSD -- then
> >we can think about the others :)
>
> Well I think making code modular and layered (in dependant and independant
> parts)
> even in kernel, as I in my minimal understanding can put it, is what
netbsd
> ppl are doing all along.
A very quick reading (only the introduction) of the Complete Design
and Implementation of the 4.4BSD Operating System (A good book for
everyone interested in operating system kernels) will show that
this is a design goal of BSD as a whole.
FreeBSD and NetBSD rank very closely in portability. There may
be a few more endian issues in FreeBSD, but usually people
are hopefully careful enough to make sure they don't exist.
So yes, NetBSD and FreeBSD are _VERY_ closely related in portability,
but only one has been actually ported to such a large count of
architectures.
> I think, they also replaced the VM subsystem recently, no small a change I
> guess.
FreeBSD would take the cake for "most improved VM system" over the
past year, not NetBSD. I don't keep up with NetBSD's development
as much, but I do know that.
> >Also, what about voting -- I still think it's good idea to make
> >a poll, and after that start working and give off flaming.
> >Maybe, we can create a web page with a poll system?
> >It would be the simpliest way.
> >Or even ask CmdrTaco to put this poll on Slashdot ;-)
> >
> >--
> >Regards, Wartan.
See my other message for what I feel abou that ;)
--
Dan Papasian
(bugg@bugg.strangled.net)
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything
that counts can be counted.
--Albert Einstein
/prasad gadgil (se-mumbai)
"What you do when you don't have to, determines what you will be when you
can no longer help it." -Rudyard Kipling
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