[maemo-developers] [maemo-developers] Proposal for streamline maemo repositories

[From: Devesh Kothari]

Proposal to streamline maemo repos. PLEASE give your feedback and concerns
If anyone can improve or shoot this down, then it is YOU.

Proposal:

1. To change the name of the "contrib" repository name to "extras"
   Reasons
     - "contrib" in traditional "debian" sense is used as a component
     - "contrib" in debian sense is quite different and causes confusion.
       In debian contrib is defined as
       "Contrib: Packages in this area are freely licensed by the
        copyright holder but depend on other software that is not free."
     - If need be (community think a good idea and want to have it)
       we can introduce "contrib"  component in line with debian definition
       inside "extra" repository like
       deb http://repository.maemo.org/extra/   mistral free non-free
contrib

   Impact to developers/contributors/users of contrib
     - Currently configured repository in /etc/apt/sources.list would
have to
       be changed
         old : http://repository.maemo.org/contrib/ mistral free non-free
         new : http://repository.maemo.org/extra/   mistral free non-free

     - If developers have independent scripts or something depending on
"contrib"
       those needs to be changed to use "extras" instead
     - developers uploading to contrib should change their dput.cf to this:

       [garage]
       login = <your_garage_login_name>
       fqdn = garage
       method = scp
       hash = md5
       allow_unsigned_uploads = 0
       incoming = /var/www/extras/incoming

2. To move python stuff and xterm kind of applications from current
   maemo2.0 "free" TO,
   free component in http://repository.maemo.org/extra/mistral/free
   Reasons
     - To streamline repository contents ("free") to include mostly
components
       on the device and their development dependendencies
     - maemo repo were designed to support SB development environment
and developer rootfs
       Having apps and language binding stuff has prompted the use of
these repo for device
       upgrade. Till we test and fix the repos to be safe for use with
device i.e test they dont
       break the device due to device upgrade (read fix our packaging
wooes), take away
       motivation from simple users to configure maemo/mistral
repository for apps.
       Developers using sardine are assumed to know what they doing :)
     - bring python and gtkmm (currently available in contrib repo) and
similar
       other language and gtk language binding components to single
consolidated
       repository "extra"
   Impact
     - same impacts as 1.


Best Regards
Devesh