On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:46:32 -0000
"Stephen Pelc" <stephen@???> wrote:
> requirements of desktop users have changed. I'm sure that the
> number of Ubuntu users is increasing far faster than that of
> "pure" Debian users. Compared to when Debian started, PCs and
> huge hard disks are dirt cheap, so compression policies (policy,
> not rule) may no longer be appropriate.
>
> Confucius, he say "Rules were made for the guidance of wise men
> and the observance of fools".
hi Stephen
Debian has rules and policies for very good reasons related to the
way the "Debian System" works. Packages are not provided for just one
architecture but for many and some of those other architectures may
need the 'compression' policy you are complaining about.
Other distros may not care about supporting nearly a dozen
architectures but Debian does and tries to ensure that all packages
will run on all of them. In the past releasing a new Debian version
has been held up because something won't compile on a relatively
obscure architecture even though it is OK on all the others.
It is in matters like this that Debian is different.
It is irrelevant that Ubuntu may be getting users faster than Debian,
it is not Debian and imho is closer to a fork than a clone as it is
not possible to 'mix & match' packages any more than you can safely
mix & match rpms from different distros. (this may have changed since
I last used an rpm based system, ie RH 5.1)
I am only a 'user' of Debian but I am pretty sure Debian are not going
to ditch/modify long held rules/policies just for the sake of one
application however good that app may be.
May I suggest that you have a look at Martin Krafft's book "The
Debian System - Concepts and Techniques" which has a two long sections
on packaging apps for Debian (Chaps 5 & 9)
This will be my last contribution to this thread, I only replied
because you directed your last email at me.
--
John Lewis
Debian (Sid) & the GeneWeb genealogical data server
