Re: [pygame] PyGame Runtime

[James Paige <Bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, May 07, 2007 at 01:50:03PM +1200, Greg Ewing wrote:
> Nathan wrote:
> >is there a comparable
> >python packaging system that works for a good portion of Linux
> >distributions?  (I'm NOT talking about rpm's, ebuilds, etc.)
> 
> Someone needs to get all the Linux distributors,
> bang their heads together and make them come up
> with a single packaging system that works on all
> distributions.

Okay, I gotta step in here. Non-linux users should stop trying to impose 
a windows-style installation scheme on Linux users.

rpm's debs' and ebuilds are all great systems. All three of them do 
something really tremendously important that windows/mac users often 
fail to understand-- they handle dependencies.

When packaging for Linux, you should NOT be trying to bundle in a copy 
of python and pygame and all other dependencies. You should instead use 
a packaging format which simply describes the packages/versions that it 
depends on. The package manager handles the rest.

Response to common complaint #1: "But I don't want to make 3+ different 
types of package for Linux! Too much work": Make a tarball of your 
source code. Let someone else do the packaging. There are gentoo users 
who LOVE writing ebuilds. there are debian users who LOVE packaging 
debs. Just give them the tarball, and let them go to town.

Response to common complaint #2: "But I want it to be so easy that 
grandma can install it": Grandma will be running Ubuntu Linux. Her 
grandson will have enabled the "Multiverse" repository and put a 
shortcut to synaptic on her desktop. She'll find your game in the 
"Games" category. Her installation experience will be even easier than 
the grandma who is running XP.

Response to common complaint #3: "But I simply can't accept the idea 
that Linux users would want something different than what I am used to!" 
Windows-style installers for Linux are not hard to make. Links to tools 
for making them have already been posted (in this thread!). If you 
insist on this kind of installer (or are making a closed-source game), 
you can do it already.

</rant>

---
James Paige