Re: Installing Software

On Tue, Apr 10, 2012 at 07:13:25PM -0400, Jason Self wrote:
> Adam Spiers wrote:
> > If you really need a package manager, is there some kind of licensing
> > or philosophical issue which prevents you from just using rpm or dpkg?
> 
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-system-discuss/2012-04/msg00052.html

But AFAIK there is no GNU package manager, and rpm and dpkg are both
released under the GPL.  So that mail seems to reinforce my point and
I cannot see a good reason for reinventing the wheel.  Wouldn't it
make more sense simply to bless either rpm or dpkg as GNU software?

> > how would such an OS release differ from the other distros out there?
> 
> My view is that this whole discussion is primarily about #1 and #2 from 
> Karl's message.
> 
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-system-discuss/2012-04/msg00083.html

I have a great deal of respect for Karl, but I don't think he's right
regarding #1 if he expects anywhere near the levels of interest that
the most popular distros already garner.  Or maybe by "significant" he
means something much more modest?  However the rest of his mail is
spot on.  I have subscribed to gnu-system-discuss, and will chime in
on that thread.

> Please remember that the goal of the GNU Project has always been to create 
> the GNU Operating System. It seems that the GNU Project is finally (almost?)
> in a position to make an official release. While there are derivatives of 
> the GNU Operating System in use that doesn't (in my mind) automatically 
> preclude The GNU Project from (finally) getting ready to release GNU 1.0.
> That was the goal from 1983, if you'll recall.

I'm well aware of the original goal and had not forgotten about it;
however it was set without the benefit of a crystal ball.  I think it
would be very unwise not to re-evaluate this goal in the context of
today's world, where there are very many other free distros around.
You're talking about putting in a very significant amount of effort
into a project which would necessarily detract from other important
GNU work.  And other than ticking a box which was drawn 30 years ago
in a very different world, what would it really accomplish?

Please do not reply here though.  Let's continue the discussion in
gnu-system-discuss (unless you have further questions about Stow of
course).