[Mageia-dev] Mirror layout, round two

[Renaud MICHEL]

On vendredi 26 novembre 2010 at 21:29, Thomas Backlund wrote :
> Then we come to the "problematic" part:
> ------
> x86_64
>         media
>               codecs (disabled by default)
>               core (old main+contrib)
>                    backports (disabled by default)
>                    backports_testing (disabled by default)
>                    release
>                    testing (disabled by default)
>                    updates
>               extra (unmaintained, disabled by default)
>               firmware (disabled by default)
>               games (disabled by default)
>               non-free (disabled by default)
>               /debug_*/ (disabled by default)
> -----
> 
> The idea of this layout with some of the separate sections (codecs, 
> firmware, games, non-free, debug_*) gives a mirror maintainer in a 
> country (or company) the option to exclude the parts they legally (or by 
> company policy) can not mirror.
> 
> The "core" should be only maintained free/libre stuff so it's easy to 
> build a free/libre iso
> 
> "extra" is for those packages that no-one really maintain, but is still 
> used by someone
> 
> "games" are now a separate repo since it can grow fast with a lot of 
> game data.

I think it is a good layout, but, are updates/backports(testing) limited to 
core?

As you mentioned, extra has no reason to have updates or backports, because 
if someone did bother to make updates, then the package doesn't belong in 
extra.

For games it would surely be appreciated to have new versions, so maybe a 
only a games/updates media which could also be used as a backport media (as 
games are not critical).

For non-free we would probably want also updates and backports, like in 
current mandriva.

Now for firmware and codecs I don't know, are there updates for firmwares?
Maybe they should be in sync with kernel updates (or external modules)?
As for codecs, will it contain anything that could be covered by patents, 
like PLF for mandriva?
Does that mean we will still have a stripped down mplayer/xine in core and a 
full version in codecs?
But if it is only disabled and you only need to activate it in the control 
center to have full featured multimedia programs, it is no big deal, and if 
it makes life easier for people  whose countries have restrictive law then 
we should go for it.

We should probably have a clear rule to decide what cannot go in core and 
should in non-free (that on is pretty clear already) codecs or firmware.

I hope we will soon get to the point where we will actually put packages in 
those repositories :-)

-- 
Renaud Michel