[Mageia-discuss] Attention, please

[Doug Laidlaw]

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.