Re: Netsaint Debian packages

On Sat, 2002-11-02 at 11:54, Zeno Davatz wrote:
> On 2.11.2002 17:42 Uhr, "Ben Bell" <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > On Sat, Nov 02, 2002 at 05:33:36PM +0100, Zeno Davatz wrote:
> >> I am relatively new to Debian. In the beginning I noticed the great
> >> advantage of 'apt-get install'. Then I started to realise that if the
> >> package was not of 'good quality' that it would be easier to either make
> >> your own package or compile from source.
> > Generally I think Debian packages are pretty solid, though there are some
> > exceptions.
> > 
> >> The nice thing about compiling from source is that you get to know the
> >> 'innerism' of the program. That is not the case if you install from a
> >> package.
> > This is definitely the big argument for compiling the package yourself.
> > You get to know more about how it's put together. If you can be bothered
> > with the extra work a good thing to do is to package the software for your
> > distribution, even if it's just for your own use. Then you get the benefits
> > of increased understanding and tuning for you purpose along with the
> > manageability that packages give you (removeability, warning your of
> > conflicts and dependency problems if you try and upgrade something and
> > so on). I never install software "as it comes" on my system any more. It
> > always gets at list simple packaging for the reasons above.
> > But then I'm a Debian and Package bigot :-)

I'm not a debian bigot, but I'm definitely a package bigot

> Yes. You are obviously a skilled packager. I am maybe a junior packager - or
> not even that.
> 
> I just noticed that I'm faster if I compile from source, if there is a bad
> package. I also noticed that you can install a bad package but if you want
> to remove it you get bloody dependency problems and that I take personally
> :-/ - Arrrgh - Stress.

But once you can make your own packages quickly, it's win-win. You get
better administration, you are never at the mercy of a bad package, and
you have better wisdom to know when a package is truly bad.

> If you install from source and you mess up its you. If you install a package
> and it does not work you have no _idea_what_so_ever where the problem could
> be - if you are a Newbie it is even more so.
> 
> For me the actual question is: How can the skilled packager teach the junior
> packager how to make good packages. So for me this is all about knowledge
> transfer and Open Source communication.

A two part question, how to teach, and how to learn.

Learn by doing, by hanging out on the news groups, and by asking
questions (sometimes answering as wel)..

Teach by doing, by hanging out on the newsgroups, and by answering
questions (sometimes asking as well). 

Seems like we're off to a good start.

I'd encourage you to look at the debian packages as you do your install.
Then engage the devlopers and packages in discussions about what needsto
be more clearly explained, what works, and what doesn't.

I know I'll keep watching this thread (BTW, I'd suggest looking at the
nagios plugins rather than netsaint. The netsaint branding is truly dead
- there's no more activity there. And even thought the bagios plugins
are not formally released, they are better than the netsaint plugins,
assming you don't catch a random bad snapshot, since some changes
committed to CVS later turn out to require tweaking).

--
Karl
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------
> This sf.net email is sponsored by: See the NEW Palm 
> Tungsten T handheld. Power & Color in a compact size!
> http://ads.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?palm0001en
> _______________________________________________
> Netsaint-users mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/netsaint-users




-------------------------------------------------------
This sf.net email is sponsored by: See the NEW Palm 
Tungsten T handheld. Power & Color in a compact size!
http://ads.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?palm0001en