[maemo-developers] [maemo-developers] extras repository

[From: Ferenc Szekely]

ext Marius Vollmer wrote:
> "ext Carlos Guerreiro" <carlos.guerreiro at nokia.com> writes:
> 
>> Yeah. That's the way to go: proper archive management with something
>> like DAK (we'll look into that at least for sardine and herring once
>> there's some time) and a build system to go with it.
> 
> I think we are more in need of a clue than in need of proper
> tools. :-)
> 
Absolutely correct! I read Marius email [1] at least 5-6 times, and I
wanted to keep almost all the sentences in my reply too. But just to
return back to the topic let me update you about the situation:

<snip>

> 
> The distributions would be divided into components, and "extras" would
> simply be one of those components.
> 
I agree. The maemo distros must have a fine grained component breakdown
and to start with I second Marius and propose to add 'extras' to each of
our distros:
-mistral extras --> currently the only one available :(
-scirocco extras --> the next one to implement
-sardine extras --> comes later (or should this be done 1st?)
-herring extras --> after sardine perhaps

My proposal about the next steps:

We have to setup an intelligent build environment. The rough plan for
this is:
-get a descent hardware
-install Scratchbox 1.x
-setup sbuild together with our existing queue-manager (no DAK for now)

If all is done then the package_maintainers/developers don't have to
bother with compiling their sw for the various maemo releases. They only
need to upload the signed Debian source package(s) to the current
"extras" queue, like some of you do it today.

The build environment should be clever to spot the problems and send
reports to the package_maintainer/developer in case an uploaded source
does not build.
The cause of the build failure can be anything from an error in the
code, error in the Debian specific files to a missing build dependency.

Upon successful compilation the queue-manager will install the package
to the archive and inform all of us (RSS feed, mailing list, whatever).

I think for the time being we will skip checking if the newly installed
package have all its runtime dependencies in the same archive. The
ultimate goal (as Marius stated) is to have self contained repositories.
So let's go for it, but let's take one step at a time ;)

Timeline? Well, if this looks sane to you, then a "testing" environment
could be established still this year (I am always optimistic ;).

Any comments on this proposal?

> The existing 'Tableteer' catalogue would turn into a component as well
> (but it might continue to be hosted in a different way than "extras".)
> 
Yes, I will suggest that to the "Tableteer" owners. However I do not
think that the content of Tableteer will be built by the build system I
drafted above, because we got no sources from there :(

Cheers,
Ferenc

[1]http://maemo.org/pipermail/maemo-developers/2006-November/006480.html