>>>>> "Geoffrey" == Geoffrey Wossum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Geoffrey> Anyway, here's some of my thoughts about it:
Geoffrey> 1) written in Python
The required language flame war has already started. However I think
the implementation language is the least important thing. The
important thing is getting the design right; then it can be expressed
in any decent language.
Geoffrey> 3) I think the interface to it will be a file specifying the
Geoffrey> requirements for the package. Files to include, where to
Geoffrey> install them, pre and post install scripts, etc. At first,
Geoffrey> developers just write this file by hand. Even this is a
Geoffrey> great improvement. Then, automake gets modified to be able
Geoffrey> to automatically create this spec file. (Is this a good
Geoffrey> idea?)
Automake can't create all of the spec file. It doesn't have enough
information. And, adding the information to Makefile.am does not make
sense (because it is global to a package, which Makefile.am really
isn't).
Also, generating a list of files is not enough. You also need pre-
and post- install and uninstall commands.
One way to get these is the *_INSTALL variables, which I talked about
earlier.
Another important consideration, I think, is designing the interface
that represents the back end. Doing this correctly will allow for
plugging in various different back ends. There are probably 6 or 7
package implementations these days...
Geoffrey> 4) Is autopackage a good name?
Yes.
Geoffrey> So I'll probably need some help with the packaging details.
There's lot of reading in your future...
Tom
