----- Forwarded message from Jeff Johnson ----- Date: Thu, 3 May 2001 13:59:41 -0400 From: Jeff Johnson To: rpm-list@redhat.com Subject: RFC: LSB standardization via "boundary package". Mail-Followup-To: rpm-list@redhat.com X-Mailer: Mutt 0.95.4us Reply-To: rpm-list@redhat.com As part of trying to understand the impact of LSB standardization on distribution packaging, I've bundled up some of the components that may/will be used to test LSB compliance, and am making a package available for comment. Before attempting to describe what's in that package, I need to define a few terms: ISV -- the usual meaning, but, in this context, a "vendor-of-the-requires", i.e. a software vendor who wishes to produce package(s) that have a reasonable chance of installing perfectly on all Linux platforms. DSV -- a "distribution software vendor", and, in this context, a "vendor-of-the-provides", i.e. a distribution vendor who supplies software that can be used as a build platform by ISV's. boundary package(s) -- a set of package(s), possibly a single package, that can be added to a distribution to establish the mapping dependencies between ISV's and DSV's. Here's a brief (and simplistic) example illustrating what the needs and goals of an ISV, a DSV, and LSB and how the needs/goals start to intersect and overlap: 1) An ISV does not want to be bothered with the specifics of various flavors of Linux, but wishes some assurance that the platform supples necessary capabilities. A simple (rpm specific) packaging rule to achieve that goal might be to hide all the flavors behind a single dependency: Requires: LSB 2) A DSV needs to be able to change distro dependencies for all sorts of reasons, but wishes to provide a stable/compatible/compliant environment for ISV's as well. A simple (rpm specific) packaging rule to achieve that goal might be to hide all the flavors behind a single dependency: Provides: LSB 3) LSB establishes the deeper semantics that establish the connection between the provides and requires, basically by defining appropriate conformance tests. So a "boundary package" is a (but not necessarily THE) solution, a package that does all of a) encapsulates software, reports, standards doco, etc that describes the methodology. b) builds the test software. c) runs the tests. d) generates test reports. e) (not yet) if tests pass, then generates the dependency Provides: LSB You can find an example of such a "boundary package" at ftp://people.redhat.com/jbj/lsb-redhat-0.9-1.src.rpm probably also at http://people.redhat.com/~jbj/lsb-redhat-0.9-1.src.rpm Now for the usual caveats and disclaimers: I made this package, not LSB, so blame me, not LSB or Red Hat or anyone else, for any and all problems associated with the software. I dunno what LSB is gonna do, dunno what Red Hat is gonna do, dunno what rpm is gonna do, this package is purely an experiment produced to elicit specific comments about a possible solution. Specifically, this is a very shoddy packaging job (by me) of some standards conformance tests to illustrate a possible approach to LSB standardization through a "boundary package" concept. In particular, note carefully that users/groups necessary to run the (proposed) conformance tests will be added and deleted during the package build. If that's not to your taste, then don't build the package. Otherwise, examine the spec file, and build as root. I'm interested in comments, particularly from DSV's, regarding a "boundary package" approach to LSB standardization. 73 de Jeff -- Jeff Johnson ARS N3NPQ jbj@jbj.org (jbj@redhat.com) Chapel Hill, NC _______________________________________________ Rpm-list mailing list Rpm-list@redhat.com https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/rpm-list ----- End forwarded message ----- Regards, Dmitry +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Dmitry V. Levin mailto://ldv@alt-linux.org ALT Linux Team http://www.altlinux.ru/ Fandra Project http://www.fandra.org/ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ UNIX is user friendly. It's just very selective about who its friends are.