Re: When will KDE and Debian get together?
Alan W. Irwin wrote:
> One current problem for Debian (unlike rpm-based distributions) is it does
> not have a standard source-package format.
You are quite mistaken. Debian may not have a source package format that
rpm users can easly understand. However, it does have a source package
format, one which is designed to minimize bandwith usage, unlike src.rpm
packages, and one which is instantly familiar to any unix sysadmin who
is familiar with .tar.gz files, patches, and RFC 822.
http://www.debian.org/doc/packaging-manuals/packaging.html/ch-sourcepkg.html
> My understanding is that the
> current Debian leadership has acknowledged this as a Debian weakness and is
> working on the problem.
No, debian _in_general_ has long recognized that our source format can
be made better (there's always room for improvement), and is working on the
problem.
> My advice to them is they couldn't go wrong by
> quickly adopting a standard debianized source tree format that is consistent
> with the debuild command. Once such a tree is set up, the debuild commands
> allows you to create the binary deb(s) with one easy command.
Um, yes, we already have that, which is why the debuild command (or more
generally, the dpkg-source command) already exists.
You may also take a look at apt-get source -b package, which downloads
and builds a package automatically.
> Once a standard source package format was adopted for Debian, then I think
> KDE source distribution could be a wonderful poster-child of that standard
> format. Official adoption of the KDE source package by Debian
KDE, in source form or not, cannot be an official part of Debian until
its license problems are resolved. Source is great, but you have to be
ale to leagally build it, link it against the required libraires, use it,
and distriute binaries to others, or it is not free enough to be part
of the Debian distribution.
> to the concern expressed in my original letter about whether the Debian
> community is still prejudiced against KDE as a result of the old flame wars.
If you could show me the "old flame wars" you keep referring to, I would
lend your concerns more credance. As I recall it, we pointed out to KDE
there was a problem. They ignored us. It takes two to have a flame war.
--
see shy jo
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