Re: SEUL: Re: Working on an enduser distro

[Eric BARROCA <ebarroca@linuxfr.org>]

Hi all,

> To be honest I don't know Debian that well. What I have seen from their
> web-site is that do have a good, and legally right distro.
> I agree with you on the point of a light base, that is why we choose
> Slackware. Debian is like that.
And the other, waht do you think about ?

> I disagree with you about the .deb package fromat. Not that it isn't good,
> but on the fact that (as far as I know) only debian uses it. The package
> format of Stampede is even more generic, but the same goes for them. And my
> major point for choosing RPM is, as mentioned in my previous mail that the
> LSB choose RPM. It is NOT my idea. Another point is that most distro's have
> a utility to convert RPM into the package format of the distro, and they
> don't have that for the .deb format.
Do you know "alien" ? It can convert .rpm, .deb and .tgz into each other.
And the .deb allows us to use APT, it's very important I think ; il solve
all dependencies/upgrade problem, it's very easy and usefull. If you use
it one time, you can't forget it. It's really wonderfull.

> We have to think from the users point of view. He/she wants to be able to
> use whatever package is available. and convert it or use it directly. More
> programs are available in RPM, then there are in .deb. But we could always
> provide a convert utility to solve that problem.
There is "alien".
But I think that we must provide a restricted number of "meta-packages",
very tested and stable. For example, we could provide a meta-package for
the Office's applications, one for Graphic Design, one for Internet, and
so on...
This meta-packages would be only a list of "standart packages".  The
advantage of APT is that we can say "install GIMP", and it's retrieves and
install all packages needed. We haven't got to care about dependencies nor
upgrade problem, and we would be able to use our efforts for other
problems/parts like the GUI (which is very important).

> I totally agree with you on the FREE part. One of our major concerns when
> picking a distro to build upon. We choose slack, you debian. In my opinion,
> but correct me if I am wrong, Debian is too strickt in their policy. They
> don't allow commercial stuff. While Slackware is not so strickt. I think
Debian is more advanced than Slack.
I've been discuss with a french Debian reponsable and he said that LætOS
is a very good idea and Debian's developers would be very happy to know that
Debian was chosen. He said that Debian's developers would certainly help
us, and Debian developers are generally excellent...

> there should be some room for commercial programs too. Like StarOffice or
> something like that.
If LætOS is sell/done by a non-profit organization, we are allowed to do
it, no problem for Debian. But I'll ask the "main responsables".

> A strong point is the fact that if we choose Debian, they might be willing
> to help build the thing. On the otherhand Maybe Red Hat is willing too and I
> don't know about the group around Patrick, but up to now the forum from
> slack is very willing to help people with all kinds of stuff. Currently
> efforts are made to get GNOME working on the new Slack version 4.
They can join us, it's not a problem ! ;-)
 
> Well, I think this will raise enough questions, things to debate about
I think too. :-)


Thanks for your attention,

Éric.

-- 
Éric BARROCA		       |  Main Coordinator of the LætOS project
E-Mail : ebarroca@linuxfr.org  |  E-Mail  : <laetos@laetos.org>
Tel : 06 08 83 09 63	       |  WWW site : <http://www.laetos.org>