Well, this "right" solution has 2 main problems : - It needs some package to be installed on the box. This is workable, but ubuntu/debian/others have to agree and install the necessary software to handle this by default, otherwise it becomes useless. - It doesn't handle offline installations.. Not sure whether it's a problem, but wouldn't it be handy for some people if we could just have one archive that contains bunch of dependencies, ready to be installed ?
Quoting Trent Lloyd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > IMHO, the 'right' solution to do this is to have some file whcih describes > a normal apt archive and the package in it to install, and double clicking > it adds it to your apt sources, updates, and installs the package using apt, > then upgrades will be handled normally with update-notifier et al. > > IIRC someone was working on this quite a while ago but I don't know what > happened, and of course, some people are concerned with the security of > this etc (altho I personally think its a good idea) > > Trent > > On Sun, Sep 18, 2005 at 10:47:24PM +0200, Sami Dalouche wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > I'm crossposting between debian-devel and ubuntu-devel, but maybe some > other > > debian-based distributions may be interested as well. Feel free to > forward.. > > > > This email is about sharing some thoughts about installing third party > packages > > inside on a debian box.. > > > > Let's take, for example, Skype's example. It is not available in > > non-free/universe , but some people may still be interested in downloading > it, > > be they linux experts or not. So what happens on a > Debian/Ubuntu/MEPIS/whatever > > box ? Average joe downloads the "Debian package" available on skype's > website, > > and clicks on it (I believe it is possible to install a deb by > double-clicking > > on it, right ?). Then, libqt is not installed, so it complains. End of the > > game, "linux sucks, I can't even install skype on it". > > > > OK, joe should be taught to use apt-get, etc, but we are in the real world, > so > > it is not possible. What about the following scenario : > > > > - Joe downloads a .mdeb (meta-deb) package on skype's website. > > - Joe double clicks on it, some progress bar appears > > - Few seconds after, skype is installed, great ! > > > > Behind the scenes : > > - a .mdeb is just a script/ deb with post-install script, or whatever that > > allows to add apt-get's skype's sources. > > - Once the sources are installed, and apt-get update done, skype gets > installed, > > and apt-get takes care of the dependencies > > - apt-get will take care of upgrading when necessary. > > > > It could also be envisionned that a .mdeb could be an archive, containing a > > apt-get repository, that is extracted to /var/apt/whatever. This repository > > could contain all the required dependencies (for example, a copy from > debian's > > archive) that may or may not be available on some machines, and be used as > an > > offline installation. So no more hell to install a software with many > depends, > > and no helly static-linking. And if a better version of any depends is > already > > avaialble, then it will be used by apt. > > > > > > OK, so several questions : > > - What do you think about this system, which would actually be a 1 or 2 > hour > > hack, and be potentially very useful at helping people at installing > packages ? > > - What would be the hidden / additional requirements that I did not think > of ? > > - If such hack was programmed, would Debian/Ubuntu/Others officially > endorse > > this way of distributing packages ? > > > > Regards, > > Sami Dalouche > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program. > > > > -- > > ubuntu-devel mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel > > -- > Trent Lloyd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Bur.st Networking Inc. > > -- > ubuntu-devel mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
