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Re: Package System specification



David Cantrell wrote:
> 
> >> And you only gain these features on a 100% RPM-based system.  So what's
> >> the point?
> >
> >The point is that the vast majority of people andvendors _want_ these
> >features.  If your distribution doesn't support features like dependencies
> >and signed packages that's fine - use rpm2cpio to just get the files.
> 
> And that's fine, but it shouldn't be in the standard because not all of
> those features are supported across distributions.
> 

It needs to be.  There is no way to make it reliable otherwise.

> 
> There's really no difference there.  If you specify RPM as the package format,
> then you are also saying RPM is the standard packaging system.  Converters
> exist, but will not necessarily convert EVERYTHING between formats.  Say you
> run Debian and you get an RPM from a commercial vendor.  You convert the RPM
> to .DEB and install it.  The installation goes fine, but you lost dependencies
> during the conversion, and the program doesn't run because you didn't meet the
> dependencies.  So, the only way this will work is if all distributions fully
> support/base-on RPM as their packaging system.  And how are dependencies
> going to flawlessly work unless we are all naming things exactly the same
> (files and packages)?
> 
> The standardized package format should be lowest common denominator to allow
> flawless installation and removal on all distributions.
> 

No, it shouldn't, because the lowest common denominator is far too low,
in no small part due to the existence of the distribution you have in
your .sig file.

	-hpa


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