I wrote this rant in response to a question about how to solve the problems that show up when two different versions of the same library get pulled into a program through different dependencies and chaos ensues.
This thread seems like a better thread to attach my rant to. :-) --------- The practical consideration that keeps this from happening in Linux distros is a unified software distribution model that includes "OS" packages like gnome, and "USER" packages like the stuff in blastwave in the same distribution and update system. This makes it possible to "fix" such overlap problems in a way for covers many more packages. My desktop has important, common, portable utilities in: /usr (apache 1.3) -- from OS/Net /usr/sfw (mysql) -- from SFW consolidation /opt/csw (ruby, etc) -- from blastwave /opt/sfw (xemacs, vnc) -- from companion dvd Trying to get various pieces from these different sources working together is enough to make me want to install Ubuntu. The solution that seems acceptable to the majority of Solaris developers (meaning devs OF solaris, not devs ON solaris) is to bundle everything into Solaris. I'm not sure that will ever get us to a state where it's easy to keep up-to-date with the open source world in a sane way. I understand the stability and quality that we get in Solaris as a direct result of our "bundle and test" orientation. But it's in direct conflict with being able to rearrange your file system and libraries to make them sane in response to changes coming in from the open source side. What I'm hoping we'll have one day is distribution system for packages (like pkg-get, for example, or something like it). This system should be able to supply and install all the latest: 1. packages to create Solaris 10 update N 2. patches to update this release 3. packages to produce latest nevada release 4. packages to install user-contributed software If the dependencies permit, I should be able to use the same user-contributed package on either Solaris 10 update N or on Nevada. This still supports a model where we "bundle and test" the set of packages that produce Solaris 10 update N. (And other FCS releases). The we need a unified distribution system that INCLUDES user-supplied packages. (For example, by having the user supply a list of URLs to scan for packages) I haven't seen any practical work towards this end. All the real installer / ease-of-use projects at Sun I've seen focus on "Solaris". Meaning they ignore blastwave, companion cd, etc. We need to do better at "facilitating" the ability of our external developer community to do what they want to do. That is: produce, release, maintain and distribute software for Solaris without asking permission from Sun. --chris This message posted from opensolaris.org _______________________________________________ opensolaris-discuss mailing list opensolaris-discuss@opensolaris.org
