Darryl Palmer wrote:
One of the things that I am currently working on is setting up a machineIn the best of all worlds we'd have a tested package for all versions. As it is, definitely for Debian, and we'll strongly encourage people on this list to test-install other packages as they're created.
with the various distros to make and test the packages. I currently
have RedHat, Debian, and Slackware and I am currently looking at how to
exactly install ALT Linux from the ftp site. Is it necessary for us to
have a tested package for all the versions, or can we just have it for
Debian?
This is a bigger problem. I think we need to pick a version for Debian to target rather than to create some hybrid system that doesn't match any particular release. As the package version differences between different distros, I think the packager should be the one making decisions about that.There are some issues/problems with Debian currently with QT and some other packages in unstable that are required for building from source. There are also differences between the version of certain packages in RedHat and Debian that made compiling of some packages necessary from source, or that require there to be a hybrid sarge/sid/woody system installed in Debian.
This brings up another question. If we do decide to go this way, it will either make our ISO dependent on an internet connection for installation, or require us to devote space on the ISO to the needed support packages. I'd lean toward requiring an internet connection. That may then require us to run some sort of SEUL apt, up2date, etc. server so that our ISO will easily find the needed support packages. We'll have to clear that with the SEUL folks if we decide to go that way.If we are making this for Debian, do we have on our ISO all the deb's necessary to move the system from Woody to a state where the applications can be installed? This also implies that we include the unstable and untested support packages that are necessary. For RedHat 8, should we likewise have all the RPM's that are necessary for going from a standard install? RedHat 8 contains newer packages then Debian, and most of the problems I had with it are that the packages are "too" new.