Bug#372590: ITP: scala -- The Scala programming language

[Lex Spoon <lex@debian.org>]

Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
Owner: Lex Spoon <lex@debian.org>


* Package name    : scala
  Version         : 2.1.5
  Upstream Author : Martin Odersky <martin.odersky@epfl.ch>
* URL             : http://scala.epfl.ch
* License         : BSD-like
                    (http://scala.epfl.ch/downloads/license.html)
  Programming Lang: Java, Scala
  Description     : The Scala programming language


Scala is a practical but advanced programming language.  It is practical
in that it is fully compatible with Java and even runs on JVM's.  It is
advanced in that, despite the constraint of working with Java, it
includes: closures, nested classes with a purer semantics than Java's
inner classes, a uniform object model where even int's are objects,
type members of classes, top-level singleton objects, mixins,
generalized abstract data types (GADT's), and more.

I am working for the Scala team--"LAMP"--and would like to make Debian
packages of Scala's open-source distribution.  This would provide support
for distributing future Debian packages written in Scala, and it would
allow Debian users to conveniently access this great programming language.

I would like to distribute the following binary Debian packages:

scala-library: 
  The minimal runtime support for Scala programs (namely,
  scala-library.jar).  Packages written in Scala would
  depend on this one.

scala-dev:
  Core development tools for Scala, including the compiler, interepreter,
  script-runner, and jar extractor (scalap).

sbaz:
  Scala Bazaars, the Scala community's own, cross-platform package
  distribution system.

scala:
  An umbrella package depending on the above three.  People wanting
  to play with Scala would grab this package.


These binary packages would come from two source packages, analogous
to the repository structure used upstream:

scala-core: scala-library, scala-dev, scala
sbaz: sbaz


Thus far I have a prototype packaging as described above, but I keep
finding one more thing to tidy up before posting them.  I currently aim
to post the packages in 1-2 weeks.

The only possible issue I see with packaging Scala is that other members
may perceive me to have a conflict of interest because I work for LAMP.
I do not believe this is a problem--LAMP's interest is the same as
Debian's in that we want to have a DFSG-like distribution of Scala--but
of course I am not in a position to make that decision!

I look forward to people's thoughts.

Lex Spoon