[indiana-discuss] "Where do I download OpenSolaris" Ian Murdock

[Martin Man]

Stephen Hahn wrote:
> * Martin Man <Martin.Man at sun.com> [2007-08-29 11:39]:
>> I'm sure of only one thing, as long as my system does not allow me to:
>>
>> # apt-get build-deps myprogram
>> # apt-get source -b myprogram
>>
>> I'm locked into the FTBFS madness and I'm slave of whoever produced the 
>> binary package.
> 
>   What is FTBFS?

Fails to build From Source, due to (usually) misconfigured build 
dependencies, unusual configuration of the developer's system (read 
customized PATH, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, stuff in /usr/local, etc), that can 
not be easily detected on other systems, etc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTBFS

Is usually solved by using sane build environment, originally in debian 
using chroot mechanism with tools like pbuilder[1], with innovative 
techniques like ZFS and Zones this can be very effective[2]. And the 
build system is part of the process of packaging...

>   Anyway, what I am trying to say in the blog post is that, technically,
>   I don't see I don't see how we can write a build system right now,
>   given the many problems with current patching and packaging and,
>   to corral the various binary producers, I see a unified build system
>   as an _obstacle_.  I'm happy to define the per-package metadata as
>   much as possible to allow build systems to be built atop the packaging
>   system.

Be careful not to hit so called FS (Flexibility Syndrome): when too many 
choices are given, no progress is made because people don't know which 
way is the right one...

>   - Stephen

[1] http://linux.about.com/cs/linux101/g/pbuilder.htm
[2] http://martinman.net/debconf/pbuilder%20and%20ZFS.html

just my .2 cents,
Martin

-- 
http://martinman.net