Re: RedHat package compatibility [was Re: debmake & dpkg]
Thank you Rob, for this analysis. I was thinking much the same about this
issue, but just hadn't found time to say something about it (hard to
believe?).
I agree completely. Alien is the proper route for RPMs to enter the
distribution. If we start providing for unpacking RPMs at will we are
asking for nothing but trouble.
On 30 Dec 1996, Rob Browning wrote:
> Christoph Lameter <clameter@waterf.org> writes:
>
> > - multi format dpkg so that it can install RPM or Slackware packages
> > without conversion.
>
> I thought I'd finally say something that I've been thinking for a
> while.
>
> RedHat package installation compatibility seems to me a total red
> herring. It is not a good idea. If there are packages that we need
> that are only availble for RedHat that we need, we should just make
> Debian versions.
>
> There are real dangers involved in pretending that you can just
> install RedHat packages on a Debian system. Unless RedHat used the
> same init script structure, the same /etc structure, etc. You are
> likely to end up with packages with partially or seriously broken
> functionality. This will not do wonders for Debian's image.
>
> What if we provide this functionality, do we want to deal with the
> headaches when people start posting
>
> "I just tried 'install-rpm sysvinit.rpm' on my new debian box, and now
> it won't boot. You said I could install RedHat packages."
>
> Don't laugh. If we make it look like it should work, someone will try
> it.
>
> If there are RedHat packages that we can't debianize (because they
> have commercial binaries or whatever), then we should take the
> netscape package approach, providing a helper package that unpacks the
> RedHat package somewhere and then installs the files making whatever
> modifications are needed to debianize the resulting install.
>
> I just think that advertizing something that's bound not to work right
> in many cases, and could be potentially dangerous is a bad idea.
>
> That said, I'm not at all opposed to tools that make it easier to
> convert a RedHat package to a debian package. I just don't think it's
> easy enough to be an automatic process.
>
> Maybe I don't understand RedHat well enough...
That, in itself, is a good argument ;-)
Luck,
Dwarf
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