Re: GNOME-HELIX

[Paul J Thompson <thomppj@okstate.edu>]

> > 3) If I install them and build the package which depends on the
> >    helix-gnome-core, the package must depends on the gnome-helix.
> >    Can I build the package which depends on the helix-gnome, and
> >    upload it as a Debian package?
> 
> No, packages in Debian mustn't be compiled or depend on packages that
> aren't in Debian.

I am not suggesting we change this rule. However, something needs to be
done considering this situation.

Gnome-helix is the best set of gnome packages available for Debian and
it would be a step backward for ANY Debian developer to build their
gnome packages against anything else.

Unfortunately, the current system does not allow official Debian
packages to depend on non-Debian packages. So, what do we do?

I would suggest that we try to find some way to integrate the
gnome-helix Debian packages into the official Debian distributions.
Maybe we could ask one of the gnome-helix people to sign on as an
official Debian developers or something like that?

Or, maybe, gnome helix should be an official extension to debian and be
given a place on the Debian ftp mirror. Maybe it could go alongside
main, non-free, and contrib -- a fourth option, "helix-gnome" (or
"gnome-helix").

After all, one of our goals as Debian is to produce the best open source
distribution we can, and Helix-Gnome is both open source and really
good.

I think both option have their merits. Anyone have any better
ideas/thoughts, or differences in opinion?

- Paul J Thompson