Package: wnpp Severity: wishlist Owner: Michael Hanke <m...@debian.org>
* Package name : matlab Version : 0.0.13 Upstream Author : Michael Hanke <m...@debian.org> * URL : http://neuro.debian.net/pkgs/matlab.html * License : GPL Programming Lang: POSIX shell Description : integrate local Matlab installations into the Debian system This package does NOT provide Matlab (TM). It merely helps sysadmins integrate local installations in the Debian system to handle this proprietary software in a more coherent way. Moreover, this package can be used as a runtime dependency for packages that install Matlab code and, for example, need to compile MEX extensions. . One or more Matlab installations can be registered with Debian's alternatives system, and a helper utility to build MEX extensions is provided. All configuration is conveniently done via debconf. Moreover: Analogous to Octave a Makefile snippet is provided that configures the locations for architecture independent M-files, binary MEX-extensions, and there corresponding sources. This package can be used as a build-dependency by other packages shipping Matlab toolboxes. Rational: There is already at least one package in Debian that installs MATLAB MEX extensions (http://packages.debian.org/sid/dynare-matlab, #608919). This package is inspired by the handling of MEX building implemented in this package, but aims at generalizing it and providing a helper for other packages. The NeuroDebian project currently deals with a number of packages that _could_ ship MATLAB code. Moreover, we are working on making it easier for users and developers of formerly Matlab-only software to transition to Octave. For this purpose it would be very useful to have both Octave and Matlab extensions available on a system, so that users can switch back and forth between them until full compatibility is reached (only going back to Matlab as long as still necessary) -- see http://neuro.debian.net/proj_matlab.html >From README.source: Although this whole package is pointless without Matlab (a large non-free something) the source package has been placed into 'main' for the following reason: It builds a 'matlab-dev' package that other source packages can build depend on to figure out where to install MEX sources and M-files (analogous to the way Octave packages provide this information via a Makefile snippet). This -dev package has nothing to do with Matlab and should go into 'main', as otherwise no source package that build-depends on it could go into 'main'. That would be suboptimal for otherwise DFSG-compliant package that simply also _can_ build MEX extensions (e.g. see the dynare-matlab package in the archive). The actual Matlab adaptor package is placed into 'contrib'. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-wnpp-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20110104163529.11435.88298.report...@meiner
