Re: [boost] Re: boost RPM

From: Prabhu Ramachandran (prabhu_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-02-18 22:41:28

hi,

>>>>> "Beman" == Beman Dawes <bdawes_at_[hidden]> writes:

    Beman> At 04:07 PM 2/16/2001 -0700, Dan Nuffer wrote:
    >> Of course.  RPM is not a build system.  It's a
    >> packaging/installation system.

    Beman> Hum... The "Maximum RPM" books goes into builds in some
    Beman> detail.  Do you mean that people don't actually use RPM
    Beman> that way, or just that it is too restrictive to view RPM as
    Beman> only a build system?

Yes, it is restrictive to view RPM as either a package mgmt tool or a
build system.  Since "Maximum RPM" is the definitive documentation for
RPM it happens to tell you all about RPM.  RPM is a package management
tool and also a build system all rolled into one.  Most folks use RPM
just as a package management tool to (de)install/upgrade/verify/query
packages on their RPM based linux distros.  However, the RPM developer
uses RPM as a build tool.

    >> Similar to Microsoft's MSI technology.  I think it would be
    >> pretty cool if boost had an MSI package for Windows users.

    Beman> It is just too hard for Boost developers to maintain
    Beman> separate packages for every OS family.  We have to keep
    Beman> moving toward cross platform tools, IMO.

True, but that is where a package maintainer steps in.  Debian does it
this way.  Each maintainer is responsible for a set of packages
(Debian packages are called debs) and creates a patch for the sources
such that it builds and installs cleanly on Debian as per the Debian
policy (http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/).  It is a bit of a
pain for the maintainer if the package in question is not a native
debian package, but it is easier on the package itself.

prabhu