Re: [seul-edu] Packaging seul-edu apps?

[Doug Loss <dloss@suscom.net>]

Ben Armstrong wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 24 Feb 2000, Roger R Dingledine wrote:
> > I've been asking various groups for a few months now if they could grab
> > the seul-edu applications and build rpms and debs out of them.
> >
> > It suddenly occurred to me that lately we've had two distributions (Mandrake
> > and Debian) coming to us thinking that linux in education is wonderful and
> > is there anything they can do to help.
> >
> 
> We're in the process of trying to identify, first, what we have that
> is suitable for children, and then what there is "out there" that is
> suitable for children, so we can package it.
> 
When doing this I think it's important to also package apps for hardware
other than x86.  I'm thinking specifically about m68k and PPC, since
Macs that could run Linux would use one or the other of those.  Macs, of
course, show up fairly often in schools :-).  If we can help schools get
more use out of computers they think of as obsolete and unusable by
putting Linux on them, we all win.

> It would be nice if there were a more detailed system for listing packages
> than Freshmeat - some place where a "Distribution status" for each distro
> could be listed with the following fields (per distro):
> 
> - Status: "packaged", "not packaged", "in progress"
> - Comments: comments from the distro as to status (could include link
>             to work-in-progress or discussion in public archive)
> - Version: version(s) available for this distro
> - Download: link to page(s) at distro web site where package(s) can be
>             downloaded
> 
> I'd like this sort of listing to be broader than just SEUL/edu listings
> and encompass also "edutainment" or games & other packages suitable for
> kids.

I think this is a very good idea, and one that should be extended to all
sorts of apps.  I know there's a database that lists most of the
packaged rpms, and I'm sure there's something for debs, but I don't know
of anything that lists great gobs of apps and their packaging status.

-- 
Doug Loss                 Even if you're on the right track,
Data Network Coordinator  you'll get run over if you just
Bloomsburg University     sit there.
dloss@bloomu.edu                Will Rogers