On Tue, 15 Aug 2000, Viorel Anghel wrote:
>I think it would be a good idea that binary packages (built with rpm) to
>automagically include the spec file (and to place it under
>/usr/doc/package.../). This is helpfull in 2 situations:
> - as an inspiration for new package builders
I disagree. It is just extra file clutter on the hard disk that
is totally unnecessary. If someone wants inspiration for
building packages, the .spec is in the src.rpm. The spec is
useless without the rest of the files that it uses to build
with. In other words, someone can't easily build an RPM by
looking merely at the spec, they need to understand the
process. If they are trying to understand the process, they can
take the time to download a few .src.rpm packages and learn. In
less than an hour of fiddling, one can create some simple
packages. I don't see how having the .spec available for
installed packages helps anyone with anything. One could argue
then also that having the source code installed along with
binaries is also useful since it helps one to learn how to write
code... Bad argument.
> - usually, packages doesn't have a README.redhat, they have the original
>README, which, in most of the cases explains how to build the package.
>But, this work is already done by Redhat. I wish, let's say, to know which
>'configure' parameters were used and so on.
That is what the .src.rpm is for. If you have the source RPM
package, you have the .spec, all the information for how the
package was built, the source code, any patches, and everythine
required to build the package assuming you have all of the
dependencies installed.
>Of course one can use SRPMS packages, but that is not always handy.
That argument can be taken to other things equally too, and I
don't find it a good argument for including the .spec files which
are a developmental thing.
What you might find useful is a script that pulls all .spec files
out of the whole slew of SRPMS in the RedHat tree. They may help
you out with some stuff, but you'll need the whole SRPM in order
to fully understand what is going on.
A small percentage of users are developers and thus only a small
percent have any use for developmental information. Those that
are developers, that want to learn how to package RPMS should
read the HOWTO, download some sample SRPMS, etc.. saying it isn't
convenient is pretty darned lame IMHO. It just opens the door
for a host of other things that are inconvenient for specialized
cases as well. Keep some .spec files on floppy disk in your
pocket is my advice. ;o)
This isn't meant to flame, just to counter what I appear to be
flawed logic. Look at the big picture of Linux usage.. how would
this in general benefit everyone... how would it truely benefit
even you? What are the costs? 2000 extra files on my hard disk
would be the cost... No thanks..
Take care,
TTYL
--
Mike A. Harris Linux advocate
Computer Consultant GNU advocate
Capslock Consulting Open Source advocate
Try out Red Hat Linux today: http://www.redhat.com
ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/redhat-6.2/
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