Re: [Idea] Debian User Repository? (Not simply mimicing AUR)
Peter Silva <peter@bsqt.homeip.net> writes:
> On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 11:10 PM Ben Finney <bignose@debian.org> wrote:
>
> > If one needs to keep a close eye on changes to make sure they can
> > still be installed even on a years-old OS, the resulting packages
> > can be placed in a custom repository set up with the instructions at
> > <URL:https://wiki.debian.org/DebianRepository/Setup>. What am I
> > missing?
> yes, it can be done, but it is a lot more work for individual
> packagers.
Sure. And, on the other hand, providing an APT repository for arbitrary
packages of unknown copyright status is also a lot of work to expect
disinterested volunteers to do without motivation.
So it sounds like you know of at least enough individual developers that
you have a group motivated to maintain an unofficial APT repository.
That seems like an appropriate model: groups who want to make unofficial
packages available can put in the sys-admin effort to run an unofficial
APT repository with the existing tools.
The Debian project does not (and, I believe, should not) need to be the
home of third-party unofficial repositories; the tools to provide those
are already in the hands of anyone who wants to provide them.
> With debian, it's kind of all or nothing. Etiher you're in Debian, and
> it gets built on every platform using the build farm, or it's not, so
> you get no help at all.
That doesn't seem accurate. Have people tried setting up an APT
repository and got “no help at all”? Does the maintenance of the
packages to run an APT repository, and instructions on how to do it, not
count as help in doing that?
> Launchpad gives a nice middle road that suits us right now,
> and if something similar were available for debian, it would provide a
> stepping stone to being in Debian proper.
Conversely, I would argue that providing an APT repository for the
unofficial packages they want available is a way for grroups to, on
their own steam, provide that stepping stone.
--
\ “Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it |
`\ correct, not tried it.” —Donald Knuth, 1977-03-29 |
_o__) |
Ben Finney
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