[Mageia-discuss] Package management system

[Ahmad Samir]

On 29 September 2010 15:11, Morgan Leijström <fri at tribun.eu> wrote:
> Den 2010-09-29 12:07:50 skrev Michael Scherer:
>> Packagekit integration in gnome ( like "install gstreamer plugin when
>> needed to play a file" or "install on demand file when i type the
>> command" ) is nice, and IMHO, would solve some issue we tried to solve
>> with Suggests.
>
> It is often good, but:
>
> When on slow download it is more appreciated if all possible dependencies
> would have ben installed with the requested program at original install time
> from DVD or fast internet @home/work instead of slow wireless/phone
> connection.
>
> Especially think of the case where you have *no* internet connection and want
> to, say, play a video but can not because you do no thave that specfic codec.
> Or must because of work open an unusual file.
>


DVD disc sizes will always be a limiting factor, i.e. you can't fit
the whole main repo on one single DVD; and multiple DVD's means more
initial download size when (e.g. 2x4GB ISO's or more). Also note that
if you're installing e.g. KDE4, then all the GNOME packages on those
iso's are useless to you.

Of course you can easily set up the online resources during the
installation process, this way you'll get all the suggested packages
at install time.


> Ideas:
> Could there be a (sticky) main control in the package manager (and installer)
> to select wether to install suggests immediately, or when needed.
>

Both the package manager and the installer default to installing
suggested packages, unless explicitly disabled; you can do this by
editing /etc/urpmi/urpmi.cfg (see 'main urpmi.cfg'). I don't know how
to disable installing suggests in the installer though, but you can
always do a minimal install.

>
> (And preferrably also a method to later install all suggests in all already
> installed packages)
>

This was discussed before, so the idea is there, but not implemented.. yet. :)

-- 
Ahmad Samir