Lars Wirzenius wrote:
> We have for some time now heard complaints that the Packages files are
> too big.
I must have missed that discussion. I wasn't aware that the size of
Packages files is a problem. I'll do a google search. My goal is to
improve, rather than injure, Debian.
> We already have 70 packages of Linux Gazette (counted on my
> mostly-stable machine) - plus some additional packages such as lg-all
> and lg-base. I see a worrying trend here.
Yes, LG has many packages. On the other handle, the fact you installed
them indicates you think the information contained is potentially
useful.
> Would it make more sense to instead make an installer that can download
> desired issues? (The same installer could then be used for Linux
> Gazette, ridding us of many packages.)
In general, I don't consider installers the "Debian way". I suppose
mostly because of source-oriented distributions like gentoo, fink, and
freebsd's port systems rely on them. I consider the preferred Debian
method of providing packages is self-contained binary packages. My
thinking is further influenced by two installers that I've written and
maintain. They are in the contrib section and download non-free
software. I find installers significantly more fragile and dependant
on the "outside world" versus self-contained binary packages.
--
Kevin Rosenberg | .''`. ** Debian GNU/Linux **
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