[Mageia-discuss] Attention, please

Doug Laidlaw laidlaws at hotkey.net.au
Wed Feb 23 15:53:54 CET 2011


On Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:35:12 am André Machado wrote:
> We all know that, nowadays, Ubuntu is the distribution most widely used and
> known worldwide. Many users are afraid to try other distros because they
> are accustomed to Ubuntu and many remasters are Ubuntu or Debian based.
> 
> We also know that RPM-based distros are not anything DEB-based distros and
> often are more stable and faster. URPMI is incomparably superior to
> apt-get.
> 
> The four major community-driven RPM-based distros nowadays are: Mageia,
> OpenSuse, Fedora and PCLinuxOS.
> 
> All these distros can work together to promote the use of RPM distros and
> help in their own developments.
> 
> Even though the development team mageia is busy with the roadmap of
> development, I would propose the creation of...
> 
>           T H E [ R E D ] A L L I A N C E
> 
> ... which would be a global network where developers and users of these
> distributions could exchange knowledge and information and share resources
> to assist in developing mutual their distros.
> 
> Today we know that a RPM developed for OpenSuse may not work properly in
> Fedora. With the Red Alliance, we could create a common development basis,
> through which could enhance the compatibility and interoperability of
> programs developed for these distros with the establishment of common
> guidelines and further increase market share and convince users that they
> will feel at home.
> 
> The goal is not to merge all the distros, but work together. The idea
> should be further developed, but this seems an appropriate way.
> 

Standardisation is a good thing.  I have an app with a spec file for Suse.  I 
gave up trying to modify it for Mandriva.  Quite apart from standardisation 
however, there are packages in one distro with a different name from another.  
I would like to see a switch added to the rpm command to tell it: "This 
package of mine fits that dependency you asked for."

A tarball I tried to compile recently (brand new on Freshmeat) specified 
dependencies older than what I had installed.  What I had didn't match.  That 
may be sloppy coding.  An "or newer" spec would have fixed it.

Who will bell the cat?  I am afraid that if you want this Alliance, you will 
need to be its driving force.  And you will need to define much more precisely 
what your aims are.

Doug.


More information about the Mageia-discuss mailing list