Re: RPM under Debian?

[Jernej Zajc <jernej@4u.net>]

Mitch Blevins wrote:
> 
> In foo.debian-user, you wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > this is Linux newbie and just-heard-about-Debian asking:
> >
> > is there support for RPM package management under Debian? The
> > website doesn't meantion it, not even for the upcoming 2.1
> > release. Did I miss something?
> 
> Debian provides different levels of rpm support.
> 
> 1) The rpm program is available as a Debian package, and it can
>    install/uninstall rpms.  This method of use is not advised,
>    however.  RPM keeps a database of which packages are installed
>    and uses this database to determine if the required dependencies
>    for a given package are available.  Since the RPM database
>    cannot read the database of the native Debian package manager (dpkg)
>    it will not work as desired.  You can cause serious problems for
>    your system by trying to use two different package managers
>    actively.
> 
> 2) You can use the 'alien' program, supplied as a debian package,
>    to convert rpms to debs.  Then you can use dpkg to install the
>    package, and still have the advantage of a single database of
>    installed packages.
> 
>    This works well for non-system-critical packages and packages
>    without alot of complex dependencies... but you are just asking
>    for trouble if you install (for instance) gnome as a converted
>    alien package.
> 
> Of course the best alternative is to install a native deb if
> available.
> 
> -Mitch

Call me a silly fool, but I cannot but wonder would it be possible
to make a pkg mgmt program (drpm :-)) that would install RPM
packages from their native format and put the installed files' and
dependencies info in the deb database?

Any dpkg developers willing to comment the idea?

Jernej