[1678] in SIPB_Linux_Development
Re: Making system packs an option in the RedHat 4.2 install procedure
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Salvatore Valente)
Mon May 26 15:30:53 1997
Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 15:30:50 -0400
To: amu@MIT.EDU
Cc: nygren@MIT.EDU, linux-dev@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <m39113p230.fsf@kepler.no.net> (message from Aaron Ucko on 25 May
1997 18:24:35 -0500)
From: Salvatore Valente <svalente@MIT.EDU>
Aaron wrote:
Sal's model makes some sense, but also means we still have to worry
about making sure every file is in a package and about issuing new
versions of packages when we make changes. I've been thinking of a
different model, which replaces those problems with different ones.
Your model's neat. But I don't think it replaces the problems with
different ones. As far as I can see, it has the exact same problems:
Problem 1: Say a bug is fixed in "jot". People who have "jot" local
need to upgrade their binary, but people who run "jot" out of /srvd
win.
Solution: With my system, some people have to run "rpm -U misc". With
your system, some people have to run some spm command. In either
case, the reactivate script (or something) can be hacked to notice the
new package (or whatever) and update it automatically.
Problem 2: Say a bug is fixed in "jot". With the fix, jot now reads a
new file at runtime, "/usr/athena/lib/jot.conf". People who have
"jot" local don't get the fix, and people who run "jot" out of /srvd
lose completely.
Solution: With my system, everyone has to run either "rpm -U misc" or
"rpm -U srvd-misc". With your system, everyone has to run some spm
command (except people who have absolutely nothing local and make
/usr/athena a symlink to /srvd/usr/athena). In either case, the
reactivate script (or something) can be hacked to update
automatically.
Problem 3: Maintenance. In either system, we have make sure every
file is listed in some .spec file or equivalent. With my system, we
have to create new packages after changing something in /srvd. With
your system, we have to make sure spm works.
Am I forgetting stuff?
Oh well. Either one will work. I don't have a strong preference.
-Sal.
