Re: [custom] The term "flavor" and encouraging work on Debian
On Wed, 2003-12-03 at 22:44, VEROK Istvan wrote:
> On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Andreas Tille wrote:
> > On Wed, 3 Dec 2003, Fabian Fagerholm wrote:
> >
> > > In my view (as I said), it would be logical to name a further
> > > subdivision of that product "flavor".
> > I like this interpretation of the term flavor and it would be easily
> > applicable for Debian-Med to flavors like:
> > - Medical practice
> > - Medical research
> [snip]
>
> Just a suggestion on naming:
>
> Due to the unclear connotations, there is a great deal of confusion over
> the terms "internal project", "subproject", "flavor", "custom Debian
> distribution" and the like. To clarify my own thinking, I started using
> just "subset" and "mutation" instead.
Basically, any new term we choose will not seem quite right to someone.
It is a matter of deciding on suitable terminology and vigorously
defining it, and then having enough people say "that's good enough, I'll
use it".
If you've been using these terms in your head for a while, they may well
make more sense to you than these other "newer" terms.
Then the more we use it, the more it will make perfect sense. Of course
it should make as much sense to start with...
If you haven't seen it, perhaps the CustomDebian wiki will be useful:
http://wiki.debian.net/index.cgi?CustomDebian
On "mutation" - sorry, I don't like this one.
on "subset":
============
The package sets produced by Debian subprojects, eg. Debian JR, Debian
Med, etc, are not always strictly subsets of Debian - they produce if
nothing else an additional website but also additional packages
(sometimes initially separate from Debian, like Knoppix), and also
customized (eg. desktop) configurations that (so far) have been largely
outside of Debian. So we need a different term (eg. Customization, or
Custom Debian Distribution).
Some subprojects may (initially or eventually, eg. Debian Enterprise)
simply provide recommendations for packages to install - to help
particular end users "navigate" the sheer volume of Debian packages
(perhaps as a "Task" package). You could consider such recommendations
as a Debian subset. It's a good term for that actually, at least in so
far as it refers to a subset of packages. The terms flavor, subset, and
possibly metadistro overlap here.
Other subprojects (eg. Debix/Knoppix) may be proving grounds for new
types of technology (bootable and live cds) that are eventually merged
back into Debian proper (to become "internal" projects, but that
distinction may not be so useful). But before merging, such subproject
package sets are not a subset of Debian.
And some subprojects may not produce or recommend any packages, serving
non-technical functions. (examples anyone?)
cheers
zen
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