Re: The term "Custom Debian Distribution" (Was Re: [custom] The term "flavor" and encouraging work on Debian)
On Fri, Dec 05, 2003 at 03:20:45AM -0600, cobaco <cobaco@linux.be> wrote:
> _ideally_ there are no changes. In practice there will be.
Why?
> For instance:
> In skolelinux there's currently a package called locale-config-skolelinux
> which sets up de default locale for all users. This package is not part of
> Debian. Instead there's some discussion with the relevant maintainer about
> merging locale-config-skolelinux, language-env, and the different
> user-language packages, with the hope of eventually creating one package to
> set the default locale for both single users and the system as a whole.
Then that discussion needs to be resolved so that a solution can be made
that is in Debian main.
I'm sorry, but I really have a hard time with this. A Custom Debian
Distribution is nothing more than what is provided within Debian proper, as
Andreas said. While a Debian subproject may consider and make use of stuff
in development that is outside of Debian while transitioning it to be "pure
Debian", the formal definition of CDD cannot include materials outside of
Debian main, otherwise it is not Debian, and cannot contain the name
"Debian" in its title. Skolelinux, as you say, is a perfect example of
this. Skolelinux is not a CDD. It is a project in transition to becoming a
CDD. As I understand it, Skolelinux is not entirely there yet, for the
reasons you have already mentioned. It has its own history and its own
needs which are for the moment unresolvable within Debian. Furthermore, it
does not contain 'Debian' in its title, so there is no confusion. This is
clearly a Debian-derivative, not a CDD.
> - -> while being a subset is the goal we have in mind, it's not always the
> actual situation. This is a consequence of
> 1. inertia in Debian, because of which getting things changed takes a while
> 2. the fact that some experimentation is often necessary to find the right
> solution, leading to non-optimal solutions that "get the job done" being
> used by the CDD in the meanwhile.
Sure, and that's what the 'experimental' ftp archive is for.
Now, I'm not saying that Debian derivatives shouldn't exist. It is
important to acknowledge that they do, but at the same time work towards
eliminating, as much as possible, the need for their existence outside of
Debian main. Not all reasons for being a derivative (or "Debian-based
distribution") can be eliminated (such as the inclusion of non-free or
contrib software). However, I believe the reasons for Skolelinux not being
a CDD can and will eventually be resolved.
Ben
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