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Jul
1st

Debian Opens "Front Desk" for Derivatives

Author: Susan Linton | Files under syndicated

Many Linux projects use Debian Linux as their code base for developing their distributions. Perhaps as many as 120 distributions are based on Debian and some include SimplyMepis, sidux, KNOPPIX…


Nov
20th

Is Ubuntu Too Big for Its Own Good?

Author: Daengbo | Files under syndicated
I miei CD di Ubuntu ShipIt!

Image by -= Treviño =- via Flickr

After writing my post about the default applications in Ubuntu last night, I had some thoughts which Fieldyweb might agree with:

What they should do, is redesign that, take ALL the apps out of Ubuntu, other than ff add adobe flash and as many codecs, 3g ethernet and wifi drivers as they can get away with, then redesign the app store, so if you want printing, you install it from there, if you want evolution, gimp whatever you install it from there.

My opinion is that the universe and multiverse repositories contain too much software for Ubuntu to QA properly. The number of bug reports during alpha and beta is so large that many of them aren’t triaged until long after release. The release bugs aren’t triaged until the next version is just around the corner. Invalid is the natural response in that situation.

Ubuntu is a foundation-run project, but the software reflects on Canonical, which sells support. The Self-Appointed Benevolent Dictator for Life needs to take the lead here and move the MOTUs out of the official Ubuntu repositories and into Launchpad, Canonical’s code hosting and buid server. Making optional software available in individual PPAs, will mean that Ubuntu becomes responsible for much less and can concentrate on making the applications in main, especially default applications. Canonical can work toward its stated goal of creating a worthy competitor to OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and Windows 7.

What would the process of moving towards more streamlined look like? First, there would be no more mass import from Debian Unstable. Ubuntu would be responsible for the basic application and drivers necessary to run the various projects. MOTUs should be encouraged to move as quickly as possible to PPAs. AptURL should have the prohibition on PPAs removed for Launchpad.net. Finally, the Software Center needs to be reworked into a front-end for Launchpad PPAs. Backports will be responsible only for core applications (and likely only for LTS releases).

In the end, MOTUs and their PPAs would be obviously responsible for third-party package bugs which are now blamed on Ubuntu. Ubuntu development would more closely model its rivals (OS X and Windows), concentrating on the core OS and leaving the extra applications to interested parties. Users would still get one-click installation of software. Users would also stop bitching about having to upgrade in order get the newest software. The default Ubuntu install would just work.

There are some problems with this approach:

  1. Making sure users understand how to get PPA software and that the process is easy. This is solved using AptURL and one-click adding of PPAs and keys.
  2. Enforcing a packaging method in PPAs which limits or eliminates dependency conflicts. This is solved by having the software center only search for MOTU PPAs, where MOTUs are responsible for limited numbers of packages. Python bindings for Coherence (uPnP) are handled by one MOTU and Python programs which use that binding are assigned to other MOTUs.
  3. Ubuntu will definitely get some backlash for supporting fewer applications. Hopefully, this problem is mitigated by the improved quality of the core OS.

Thoughts?

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How-To: Compile and Install xine-lib 1.1.15 in Debian Lenny and Ubuntu 8.04

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Aug
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How-To: Make UT2004 Use OSS on Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Aug
10th

How-To: Compile and Install Banshee 1.2.0 on Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Jul
24th

How-To: Compile and Install Code::Blocks from Source in Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Jul
15th

How-To: Compile and Install Exaile 0.2.13 from Source in Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Jul
13th

How-To: Compile and Install PCMan FM 0.4.5 in Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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Jul
13th

How-To: Compile and Install BasKet from Source on Debian Lenny

Author: Craciun Dan | Files under syndicated

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